North Dakota Game and Fish set five bighorn sheep hunting licenses for 2026, three fewer than the prior year, consisting of one auction permit and four lottery permits. Big game biologist Brett Wiedmann said the cut does not signal trouble for the herd, which stands at historic highs and remains healthy. Managers prefer taking rams at least eight years old, and fewer such animals exist now after weak lamb survival across 2015 through 2018.

The five-license total excludes a possible extra permit for a state resident under an agreement with Three Affiliated Tribes Fish and Wildlife, the second of three such awards in that pact. Some 22,739 people entered the drawing, and those selected have already received notice.