Some Hunter Education Classes Available

Mon, 07/18/2016

Adults and children looking to take a hunter education class in 2016 are reminded to enroll at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website.

Hunter education coordinator John Mazur said the majority of classes were held by the end of May. However, he said classes will still be added throughout the year as they become finalized.

“Our volunteer instructors will be adding classes, but not nearly as many as we move toward the fall,” Mazur said. “That’s why it is important to monitor our website and to act quickly when a class suits your needs.”

To register, click on the hunter ed enrollment link and “list of hunter education courses.” Classes are listed by city, and can also be sorted by start date. To register for a class, click on “enroll” next to the specific class, and follow the simple instructions. Personal information is required.

Those who do not have access to the Internet and want to sign up for a class can call the hunter education program in Bismarck at 701-328-6615.

Individuals interested in receiving a notice by email when each hunter education class is added can click on the “subscribe to news, email and text alerts” link found below the news section on the department’s home page. Check the box labeled “hunter education class notification” under the education program updates.

In addition, SMS text notifications of new classes can be sent directly to a cell phone. Simply text “NDGF HunterClass” to 468311 to subscribe to this feature.

State law requires anyone born after December 31, 1961 to pass a certified hunter education course to hunt in the state. Hunter education is mandatory for youth who are turning 12 years old, and children can take the class at age 11.

Record Production, Lakes Stocked

Mon, 07/11/2016

With North Dakota’s recent growth in walleye fisheries, a record 150-plus lakes across the state were stocked with nearly 11 million walleye fingerlings earlier this summer. Jerry Weigel, North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries production and development section leader, said this was made possible by record production of 10.4 million fingerlings at Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery. “This is probably the most walleyes ever produced at a single hatchery anywhere in the country,” Weigel said. “Only one time in the past 20 years has 10 million fingerlings been reached.” Valley City National Fish Hatchery also had a good year, shipping 1.7 million fingerlings. “Talk about bumper crops,” Weigel said. “This was a great year for both hatcheries.” While the 30-day old fish averaged 1.25 inches, the cumulative weight tallied nearly 8,500 pounds, which made for an intense couple of weeks delivering fish. In total, 154 lakes and rivers were stocked in North Dakota, including Devils Lake (1.7 million fingerlings) and Lake Sakakawea (1.3 million). Some other waters to receive fingerlings were Stump Lake (518,000); Lake Darling (461,000); Heart Butte Reservoir (320,000); Lake Ashtabula (305,000); Lake Audubon (234,000); Pipestem Reservoir (203,000); and Alkaline Lake (200,000). One common observation Weigel noted while traveling across the state was the number of anglers fishing from boats and from shore. “You now see boats and trailers in counties you never did before. We are fortunate to have the production capability at the hatcheries to adequately stock and maintain these fisheries statewide,” Weigel said. “Given all the new fishable waters across North Dakota’s prairie, there’s never been a better time to fish in the state.” For a complete list of all fish stockings, visit the Game and Fish Department’s website.

Game and Fish at State Fair

Mon, 07/11/2016

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will host thousands of visitors to its free Conservation and Outdoors Skills Park July 22-30 at the State Fair in Minot.

Visitors will be treated to an array of activities, exhibits and useful information as the park is open from 1-7 p.m. daily. Pathways to Hunting, Fishing, Trapping and Archery are major attractions where interested kids and adults can participate in each outdoor activity.

In addition to hands-on outdoor learning opportunities, the area offers a live fish display, furbearer exhibit and native prairie plantings. Two information centers staffed by Game and Fish Department personnel bookend the Conservation and Outdoors Skills Park, which is located on the north end of the fairgrounds near the State Fair Center. 

Aug. 1 Deadline for NDDOCR Archery Hunt

Mon, 07/11/2016

An experimental antlerless deer archery season will open this fall on the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation land south of Bismarck.

Interested hunters must apply for an access permit from NDDOCR at www.nd.gov/docr (under the Archery Hunt header) before receiving a license. The deadline for applying is Aug. 1 at 4 p.m. Only 25 access permits will be issued.

A maximum of 75 antlerless deer licenses will be available from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s Bismarck office. Each access permit holder can purchase up to three antlerless white-tailed deer licenses.

Other details, including areas open to hunting, is determined by the NDDOCR. For more information, refer to the NDDOCR website.

Secondary Boat Ramp at Beaver Bay, Lake Oahe to Close for Repairs

Wed, 07/06/2016

The Beaver Bay boat ramp located east of Highway 1804 on Lake Oahe will be closed July 11-15 for road repairs and construction.

The main ramp at Beaver Bay will remain open. 

Game and Fish Tallies Spring Pheasant, Grouse Numbers

Fri, 07/01/2016

North Dakota’s spring pheasant population index is up slightly from last year, while sharp-tailed grouse numbers are down slightly, according to recent surveys conducted by State Game and Fish Department biologists.

Aaron Robinson, upland game management supervisor, said the number of pheasant roosters heard on the spring crowing count survey was up just about 2 percent statewide. Numbers in the southeast were down from last year, Robinson said, while “the other regions from west to central were up slightly, but not enough to say there’s a big increase from last year.”

Sharp-tailed grouse counts on spring dancing grounds or leks were down about 6 percent statewide from last year. “We were kind of expecting that,” Robinson added. “We had some dry weather last year and production wasn’t as good.”

While the spring counts provide a good indicator of the number of breeding birds in the two populations, Robinson says it’s primarily early summer weather that influences hunting success in the fall. “You have to have the right conditions to produce a good hatch,” he said. “You don’t want really wet, cold years, and you don’t want dry years. Dry years don’t produce those insects that chicks need to survive those first 10 days.”

Game and Fish biologists will start their summer upland game brood counts in mid-July, and Robinson said that will lead to more precise fall population predictions. “That’s when we really start to understand what our production was for the year.”

Pheasant crowing counts are conducted each spring throughout North Dakota. Observers drive specified 20-mile routes, stopping at predetermined intervals, and counting the number of pheasant roosters heard crowing over a two-minute period during the stop.

Tentative 2016 Season Opening Dates

Mon, 06/27/2016

To help North Dakota hunters prepare for hunting seasons in 2016, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department annually provides its best estimate for opening dates for the coming year.

Dates become official when approved by governor’s proclamation. Tentative opening dates for 2016 include:

Camping Restrictions Lifted for Holiday

Mon, 06/27/2016

The State Game and Fish Department will lift the Tuesday-Wednesday no-camping restriction during the week of July 4 on those wildlife management areas in western North Dakota and along Lake Sakakawea that otherwise prohibit camping during those two days of the week.

This waiver will allow overnight camping July 5-6 at Bull Creek in Billings County; Alkali Creek and Spring Creek in Bowman County; Smishek Lake and Short Creek Dam in Burke County; Apple Creek in Burleigh County; Harris M. Baukol in Divide County; Killdeer Mountains in Dunn County; Camels Hump Lake in Golden Valley County; Audubon, Custer Mine, Deepwater Creek, deTrobriand, Douglas Creek and Wolf Creek in McLean County; Beaver Creek and Hille in Mercer County; Crown Butte Lake and Storm Creek in Morton County; Cedar Lake and Speck Davis Pond in Slope County; and McGregor Dam in Williams County.

However, regardless of the holiday, camping is still prohibited every day of the week at the following WMAs: Antelope Creek, Lewis and Clark, Big Oxbow, Ochs Point, Neu’s Point, Overlook, Sullivan and Tobacco Garden in McKenzie County; Van Hook in Mountrail County; and Hofflund and Trenton in Williams County.

In addition, Lewis and Clark and Trenton WMAs are closed from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise unless users are legally engaged in fishing, hunting or trapping.

Glass bottles are prohibited on all WMAs. Other camping restrictions at all WMAs are posted at entry points. Additional WMA rules and regulations are available on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.

Game and Fish Pays $581,900 in Property Taxes

Mon, 06/27/2016

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department recently paid more than $581,900 in taxes to counties in which the department owns or leases land. The 2015 in-lieu-of-tax payments are the same as property taxes paid by private landowners.

The Game and Fish Department manages more than 200,000 acres for wildlife habitat and public hunting in 51 counties. The department does not own or manage any land in Traill or Renville counties.

Following is a list of counties and the tax payments they received.

Boaters Should Check Border State and Provincial ANS Regulations

Mon, 06/20/2016

North Dakota boaters who are traveling to other states or Canadian provinces should check the aquatic nuisance species regulations of their destination to make sure they are in compliance.

While many of North Dakota’s ANS prevention regulations are similar to surrounding states and provinces, State Game and Fish Department ANS coordinator Jessica Howell says there are some subtle differences that could lead to travel interruption or citations depending on the circumstances.

"Removal of all water and vegetation, as well as pulled plugs while traveling, are generally the rule in neighboring states and provinces," Howell said, "but there are some places where 'dry' is also a requirement, meaning no residual water anywhere in the boat."

In addition, mandatory boat inspections may be required based on destination or route taken. For example, Howell said anyone pulling a boat into Canada will likely have it inspected at a border crossing, some states have inspection checkpoints along highways, and some lakes have inspectors at boat ramps. Any boats that are not in compliance will likely get delayed in their travels or be prevented from launching, Howell added.

Boaters should be aware of regulations for not only their destination, but for any states they are traveling through. More information on bordering state and provincial ANS regulations is available at the following web addresses.

• South Dakota Fish and Parks at sdleastwanted.com
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources at dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/aquatic/index.html
• Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks at fwp.mt.gov/fishing/guide/ethics
• Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment
• Manitoba Department of Sustainable Development, http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/waterstewardship/stopais/index.html

North Dakota ANS regulations are as follows:

• All aquatic vegetation must be removed from boats, personal watercraft, trailers and fishing equipment such as fishing poles, bait buckets, lures and waders before leaving a body of water. That means "vegetation free" when transporting watercraft and/or equipment away from a boat ramp, landing area or shoreline. Time out of the water needed to remove aquatic vegetation at the immediate water access area is allowed.
• All water must be drained from boats and other watercraft, including bilges, livewells, baitwells and motors before leaving a water body.
• All drain plugs that may hold back water must be removed, and water draining devices must be open, on all watercraft and recreational, commercial and construction equipment bilges and confined spaces, during any out-of-water transport of same.
• Transportation of fish in or on ice is allowed.
• Live aquatic bait or aquatic vegetation may not be transported into North Dakota.
• All legal live aquatic organisms used by anglers, including legal baitfish (fathead minnows), amphibians (salamanders and frogs), invertebrates (crayfish and leeches) and insects must be purchased and/or trapped in North Dakota.
• Anglers may not transport live bait in water away from the Red River (Class I ANS infested waters). All water must be drained from bait buckets as anglers leave the shore, or remove their boat from the water. Anglers must properly dispose of unused bait away from the river, as dumping bait in the water or on shore is illegal.
• In all other waters not infested with Class I ANS species, anglers can transport live bait in water in containers of five gallons or less in volume.

National Campaign Focuses on Boating Under Influence

Mon, 06/20/2016

North Dakota Game and Fish Department law enforcement personnel will participate in a national campaign designed to reduce the number of boaters operating under the influence.

Operation Dry Water runs June 24-26, and involves having an increased enforcement presence on the water.

"It’s an effort to raise awareness about the dangers associated with boating under the influence," said enforcement division operations supervisor Jackie Lundstrom. "With the assistance of some county and federal agencies, we will have additional officers on the water at different times of the day, especially in high traffic areas."

Water safety is a major enforcement issue for the Game and Fish Department, as the number of anglers, boaters, jet skiers and other recreationists has continued to grow during the past decade.

"With that said, our main focus is to ensure safety by providing a larger enforcement presence," Lundstrom said. "Our goal is to heighten awareness that driving a boat under the influence is the same as driving your vehicle under the influence. If you know you are too intoxicated to operate your motor vehicle, then you should not be operating your boat."

Operation Dry Water is coordinated by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard and local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

Fireworks Prohibited on Wildlife Management Areas

Mon, 06/20/2016

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department reminds citizens that possession or use of fireworks on state wildlife management areas is prohibited.

The primary objective of a wildlife management area is to enhance wildlife production, provide hunting and fishing opportunities, and offer other outdoor recreational and educational uses. Only activities that would not disrupt the intentions of how these areas are managed are encouraged, and a fireworks display is not compatible.

Excessive noise and commotion that come with fireworks disturbs wildlife, and their explosive nature is a potential source of wildfires. Chances of a wildfire developing are greatly enhanced when explosives, such as fireworks, come in contact with tall grasses in rural areas.

A complete list of the WMA regulations is available on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.