Buying a gun online in North Dakota and hunting rifles for North Dakota game

Short answer: You can buy a hunting rifle online and have it shipped to a licensed dealer. You finish the sale there in person. Federal rules decide the paperwork. For North Dakota deer, a centerfire rifle of .22 caliber or larger is legal in the gun season, but check the current proclamation before you hunt.

How buying a gun online works

Federal rules do not let a seller ship a firearm straight to a buyer in another state. A licensed dealer must handle the sale. In practice the steps are:

You pick the rifle online and pay the seller.
The seller ships it to a licensed dealer (an FFL) you choose.
You go to that dealer in person and fill out ATF Form 4473 with valid photo ID.
The dealer contacts NICS (the national background check) before handing over the gun.
If NICS says proceed, you take the rifle home. If there is no answer after three business days, the dealer may proceed under the federal rule.

A NICS check is good for one transaction and no more than 30 calendar days. If the sale is not finished in that time, a new check is needed.

Federal age rules at a dealer

Type of firearm	Minimum age to buy from a dealer
Rifle or shotgun (and its ammunition)	18
Handgun (and its ammunition)	21

State purchase rules

Check current rules with the North Dakota Attorney General, state law enforcement or your dealer before you buy.

Hunting basics from Game and Fish

Big game species: bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, moose, and pronghorn.
Licenses: licenses for bighorn sheep, deer, elk, moose, and pronghorn are given out by lottery. You buy and apply on the Game and Fish website. For 2026, the deer gun lottery deadline was June 3, and the Game and Fish page says all 2026 deer gun licenses have been sold. Lottery dates change each year, so check early.
Hunter education: anyone born after December 31, 1961 must complete a certified state or provincial hunter education course and give the number to the license vendor. Exceptions include people who hunt only on land they own or operate, and children under 12 with the right license and direct supervision. The course must be certified by a state or province.
Minimum ages: The minimum age to hunt bighorn sheep, moose or elk is 14. Hunters under 15 with firearms must be under direct supervision of a parent, legal guardian or other adult they authorize.

Choosing a rifle for North Dakota deer

These rules come from the Game and Fish deer proclamation page for the gun and youth seasons.

Item	Rule
Centerfire rifles	.22 caliber or larger
Muzzleloading rifles	.45 caliber or larger
Rifle design	Must be designed to be fired from the shoulder
Handguns	At least a 4 inch barrel and .35 caliber or larger
Not allowed	Fully automatic firearms and non-expanding full-metal-jacket bullets
Orange clothing	Required for gun hunters, and for those who go with apprentice and youth license holders

Some closed areas, such as parts of Unit 2L near Devils Lake and areas near Bismarck and Mandan, allow only handguns, shotguns with rifled slugs, legal muzzleloaders, and bows. In the muzzleloader season (white-tailed deer only), smokeless powder is not legal and scopes with magnification are not allowed. A 1X scope is legal.

Beyond these rules, pick a rifle you shoot well, with a bullet made to expand. Check the full proclamation for your unit and season dates.

FAQ

Can I have a rifle shipped to my home in North Dakota?

No. Under federal rules it goes to a licensed dealer, and you complete Form 4473 and the NICS check there.

Do I need hunter education to hunt deer?

If you were born after December 31, 1961, you need a certified course to buy a hunting license, unless you hunt only on land you own or operate. Check the Game and Fish exceptions.

Is a .223 legal for deer?

The proclamation says centerfire rifles of .22 caliber or larger are legal for deer in the gun season. Check the current proclamation, and pick a bullet that expands.