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North Dakota Game and Fish Department

North Dakota Game and Fish Department


News Releases


Fishing for Free June 6-7



North Dakota residents who want to give fishing a try are reminded they can fish for free June 6-7.

That is the state’s free fishing weekend, when all residents age 16 and older can fish any North Dakota water without a license. Residents age 15 and under do not need a fishing license at any time of year.

Fishing regulations and information on fishing waters is available on the Game and Fish website at gf.nd.gov.

Reminders to Prevent the Spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species



North Dakota anglers, water recreationists and anyone working in lakes or streams are reminded to follow these simple regulations to help prevent the spread of aquatic nuisance species.

Know the laws, as each state and province have their own rules and regulations. North Dakota regulations include:

  • Do not import live aquatic bait.
  • Use only legal bait species.
  • Transport live bait in containers of 5 gallons or less.
  • Properly dispose of unused bait.
  • Drain water and remove vegetation from all equipment when leaving the water.
  • Remove drain plugs and keep out or open during transport.
  • Anglers may not transport live bait in water away from any Class I ANS infested water (currently the Red River, Lake Ashtabula and the Sheyenne River from Lake Ashtabula downstream to the Red River).

Clean, drain and dry any equipment (recreational or commercial) used in any water body.

  • Clean: remove plants, animals and excessive mud from trailers, hulls, motors and other equipment such as fishing gear and watersports equipment.
  • Drain: drain all water, including bilges, livewells and bait buckets.
  • Dry: allow all equipment to dry completely or decontaminate before using again. If necessary, use sponges or towels to remove excess water and allow compartments to dry.

Report any plant or animal that seems out of place.

 

Guide and Outfitter Exam Scheduled



The next guide and outfitter written examination is June 20 at 1 p.m. at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department office in Bismarck.

Preregistration is required by calling the Game and Fish Department’s enforcement office at 328-6604. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the North Dakota Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines will be followed. Details will be provided upon registration.

In addition to passing a written exam, qualifications for becoming a guide include a background check for criminal and game and fish violations; certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and standard first aid; and employment by or contract with a licensed hunting outfitter.

Hunting outfitter eligibility requirements include the guide qualifications, as well as an individual must have held a hunting guide license for two years; and must have proof of liability insurance.

The test is given periodically to anyone interested in becoming a guide or outfitter in the state.

Walleye Tagging Studies



The North Dakota Game and Fish Department continues to conduct walleye tagging studies across the state.

At Lake Sakakawea, the state’s largest fishery, Department fisheries biologists are in the second year of a four-year walleye tagging study. The goal on Sakakawea is to tag about 3,000 walleyes per year, a target fisheries biologists more than met this year when they fit 3,188 fish with metal jaw tags.

Another project was conducted at Lake Josephine in Kidder County where nearly 500 walleyes were tagged.

In both waters, the respective tagging studies will provide Department fisheries biologists with several pieces of information, including angling mortality, that will help to properly manage the fisheries and maintain good fishing into the future.

Anglers can help both tagging studies by reporting any tagged fish on the Game and Fish website at gf.nd.gov, or by calling 701-328-6300. Anglers will receive follow-up correspondence from a fisheries biologist (as soon as time permits during the busy field season) containing biological information of their fish.

 

White Suckers Only Legal in Bois de Sioux, Red Rivers



The state Game and Fish Department reminds anglers that live white suckers are not legal baitfish anywhere in North Dakota, except in the Bois de Sioux and Red rivers.

Although anglers can use live white suckers on the Bois de Sioux and Red rivers, and tributaries up to the first vehicular bridge, they are illegal elsewhere. Fathead minnows, sticklebacks and creek chubs are the only legal live baitfish outside of the Bois de Sioux and Red rivers. Dead white suckers, which have been preserved by freezing, salting or otherwise treated to inactivate reproductive capabilities, are legal bait.

The transportation of live white suckers, other than in Richland, Cass, Traill, Grand Forks, Walsh and Pembina counties, is illegal.  

Anglers are also reminded that live baitfish, or other live aquatic bait such as leeches, cannot be transported from another state into North Dakota.

 

Administrative Rules Hearing Set for June 18



The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will hold a public hearing to address proposed rule changes to North Dakota Administrative Code Title 30. The hearing is scheduled for 1:15 p.m., Thursday, June 18 at the agency’s main office in Bismarck.

The purpose and explanation of the proposed rule changes are as follows:

Chapter 30-02-02. Section 30-02-02-02. License requirements. An amendment to add requirement to have required hunting license(s) in possession and follow associated season regulations.

Chapter 30-02-10. Section 30-02-10-03. Accounting Statement. An amendment to update the due date of the standardized form and statement due to the director.

Chapter 30-02-10. Section 30-02-10-04. Performance Report. An amendment to update the applicable sections of law, the due date, and the minimum information required in the performance report to the director.

Chapter 30-03-01.1. Section 30-03-01.1-04. License limitations. An amendment to clarify that violations of state or federal game or fish laws may result in license denial, suspension or revocation.

Chapter 30-03-01.1. Section 30-03-01.1-05. Assistants covered by license.  An amendment to clarify who is not qualified to assist a licensed bait vendor.

Chapter 30-03-01.1. Section 30-03-01.1-14. Wholesale bait pond. An amendment to this section to state that each wholesale bait pond must be listed on the wholesaler’s pond application form and all ponds must be approved by the director prior to trapping.

Chapter 30-03-03. Section 30-03-03-05. Open when in use. An amendment to clarify that fish houses shall always be open for inspection when in use.

Chapter 30-03-05. Section 30-03-05-01. Fishing contest defined.  An amendment to this section to define what is considered a fishing contest.

Chapter 30-03-05. Section 30-03-05-03. Use of proceeds. An amendment to update gross proceeds and conservation fees.

Chapter 30-03-06. Section 30-03-06-01. Equipment.  An amendment to clarify equipment that shall be free of prohibited or regulated aquatic nuisance species upon leaving any water body or while in transit.

Chapter 30-04-02. Section 30-04-02-10. Animals prohibited – Exceptions. An amendment to add clarification on horseback riding on a wildlife management area.

Chapter 30-04-02. Section 30-04-02-14.2. Dogs. An amendment to update and clarify the training of gun and bird dogs on wildlife management areas and to update the fee for violation.

Chapter 30-04-03. Section 30-04-03-19. Hunt or fish records. Amendments to this section including submitting a copy to the director no later than thirty days following expiration of the license and what type of fish species was taken to include the name of the waterbody and the county.

Chapter 30-04-05. Section 30-04-05-01. Fishing, hunting and fur-bearer certificate. An amendment to this section to clarify that licenses will be included on a certificate and what information is included on a certificate.

Chapter 30-04-05. Section 30-04-05-02. License design. [Repealed]

Chapter 30-04-05. Section 30-04-05-03. Combined licenses. An amendment to this section to clarify combined licenses.

Chapter 30-04-05. Section 30-04-05-04. Moose, elk, and bighorn sheep licenses. [Repealed] 

Chapter 30-04-05. Section 30-04-05-05. Issuance of stamps. An amendment to this section to state that physical stamps are no longer issued by the department. 

Chapter 30-04-05. Section 30-04-05-06. Computer-generated licenses. An amendment to this section to clarify that all licenses are electronically generated by the department’s online licensing system and that licenses do not require a signature. 

Chapter 30-04-06. Duplicate Licenses. Amending section 30-04-06-01 regarding reissuing replacements for lost or destroyed game and fish licenses and amending section 30-04-06-02 to update the fee for each license that is to be replaced. 

Chapter 30-04-07. Section 30-04-07-01. Wildlife Replacement Values. An amendment to add Elk, Moose and Bighorn sheep, remove snapping turtles, update mussels and add fish and other aquatic species restitution values.

Chapter 30-04-07. Section 30-04-07-02. Adjustments to base values for deer. An amendment to this section to state that adjustments are calculated using the green, gross score determined by the Boone and Crockett scoring method for deer. 

Chapter 30-05-01. Section 30-05-01-02. Boat safety equipment. An amendment to update personal flotation devices.

Chapter 30-05-01. Section 30-05-01-07. Placement of regulatory signs, markers, buoys, and other warning or marking devices. An amendment to increase the fee for violating the restrictions on a sign, marker, buoy, or other warning or marking device.

The proposed rule language may be reviewed on the Department’s website at gf.nd.gov. A copy of the proposed rules may be requested by calling 701-328-6305, or emailing ndgf@nd.gov. Written or oral comments on the proposed rules must be received by June 28, 2020 for consideration.

Anyone who attends the public hearing and needs special facilities or assistance relating to a disability should contact the Game and Fish Department, at the above phone number, at least seven days before the public hearing.

Portion of Channel A Closed to Fishing



The lowest three-quarters of a mile of Channel A as it enters Devils Lake is closed to fishing effective immediately due to safety concerns as U.S. Highway 2 is under construction west of Devils Lake.

This area is closed to both shore and boat fishing, and includes where Channel A crosses Highway 2 and the train bridges. “Closed to Fishing” signs will be posted in this area.

North Dakota Game and Fish Department director Terry Steinwand said the closure is not COVID-19 related. “There are legitimate concerns from local officials about public safety, including vehicles parked illegally along the highway, as well as with people crossing the road and traversing the bridge,” Steinwand said.

The North Dakota Department of Transportation highway project consists of closing the westbound lanes of US 2 and moving traffic to be head-to-head on eastbound lanes as construction work is being done to widen the highway from Devils Lake to Church’s Ferry.

“Safety is our number one priority,” says NDDOT Devils Lake district engineer Wyatt Hanson. “We want motorists, pedestrians and construction workers to be safe in the construction area as we work to get the project completed this summer.”

This stretch of the channel will be closed to fishing indefinitely.

Local Burn Restrictions Remain on Oahe WMA



The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will remove the open fire ban on the Oahe Wildlife Management Area on Friday, May 22.

However, this area will still fall under burn restrictions implemented by Morton, Burleigh and Emmons counties, which only allows open fires, including campfires, when the fire danger rating is low or moderate. The burn ban is in effect when the rating is very high or extreme, and/or a red flag warning has been issued.

Oahe WMA covers more than 16,000 acres along the Missouri River south of Bismarck and Mandan within Burleigh, Emmons and Morton counties.

 

 

White-Nose Syndrome Attributed to Death in Bats



Little brown bats found dead in western North Dakota died of white-nose syndrome.

In early May, the Southwest District Health Unit in Dickinson contacted the North Dakota Game and Fish Department with reports of dead bats found in Medora. Six were submitted to the USGS National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisc. for analysis.

The bats all tested positive for the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, and have been confirmed with WNS, a deadly disease of hibernating bats that has caused dramatic population declines in eastern states. It is named for the powdery, white fungus that often appears around the muzzle. WNS is not known to affect humans, pets, livestock or other wildlife.

Game and Fish Department conservation biologist Patrick Isakson said the Department is working with several federal agencies to screen for Pd and WNS in North Dakota.

“This is the second time that Pd has been detected in the state, but these are the first documented deaths in bats attributed to WNS,” Isakson said, while noting it was roughly a year ago that Pd was found on a live bat within the boundary of the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site.

WNS has been confirmed in bats from 35 states and seven Canadian provinces to date.

"The discovery of white-nose syndrome in these bats signals the continued expansion of this invasive pathogen through North America,” said Jeremy Coleman, National White-nose Syndrome Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which leads the national response to WNS. "It also highlights the need for continued vigilance to track the spread of the disease and the impact it is having on native bat populations so we may better focus our conservation efforts."

State and federal agencies are asking for help to monitor the spread of this disease. Anyone seeing a dead or sick bat is asked not to handle it, but to notify health officials or state biologists who can provide further guidance.

For more information visit https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/.

May Highlights Safe Boating



A safe boating public awareness campaign held annually in May serves as a good reminder for boaters heading into summer.

A boat should have enough life jackets on board for all passengers. North Dakota law requires all children ages 10 and younger to wear a personal flotation device while in boats of less than 27 feet in length. The law also requires all personal watercraft users to wear a life jacket, as well as anyone towed on skis, tubes, boards or other similar devices. However, state law allows an individual who is at least 16 years of age to windsurf or boardsail without wearing a PFD.

Water users should make sure to wear life jackets that are the appropriate size and in good condition. Failure to wear a personal flotation device is the main reason people lose their lives in water recreation accidents.

Water skiers and tubers should wear a life jacket with four nylon straps rather than one with a zipper, because straps are stronger than zippers upon impact with water. Anglers and persons paddling a canoe or paddleboard should opt for a PFD that is comfortable enough to wear for an entire outing.

It is also important that children wear a PFD while swimming. Swimmers should know the water’s depth, as serious injuries can occur from diving. Large objects hidden below the water’s surface can lead to significant injury.

North Dakota boaters also are reminded that marine VHF radios are an important part of boat safety that should not be improperly used by operators. These radios are intended for boat operators who are in distress and facing an emergency situation.

Regulations to help ensure safe boating this summer are found in the North Dakota Boat and Water Safety Guide.

 

Administrative Rules Hearing Set for June 18, 2020



The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will hold a public hearing to address proposed rule changes to North Dakota Administrative Code Title 30. The hearing is scheduled for 1:15 p.m., Thursday, June 18 at the agency’s main office in Bismarck.

The purpose and explanation of the proposed rule changes are as follows:

Chapter 30-02-02. Section 30-02-02-02. License requirements. An amendment to add requirement to have required hunting license(s) in possession and follow associated season regulations.

Chapter 30-02-10. Section 30-02-10-03. Accounting Statement. An amendment to update the due date of the standardized form and statement due to the director.

Chapter 30-02-10. Section 30-02-10-04. Performance Report. An amendment to update the applicable sections of law, the due date, and the minimum information required in the performance report to the director.

Chapter 30-03-01.1. Section 30-03-01.1-04. License limitations. An amendment to clarify that violations of state or federal game or fish laws may result in license denial, suspension or revocation.

Chapter 30-03-01.1. Section 30-03-01.1-05. Assistants covered by license. An amendment to clarify who is not qualified to assist a licensed bait vendor.

Chapter 30-03-01.1. Section 30-03-01.1-14. Wholesale bait pond. An amendment to this section to state that each wholesale bait pond must be listed on the wholesaler’s pond application form and all ponds must be approved by the director prior to trapping.

Chapter 30-03-03. Section 30-03-03-05. Open when in use. An amendment to clarify that fish houses shall always be open for inspection when in use.

Chapter 30-03-05. Section 30-03-05-01. Fishing contest defined. An amendment to this section to define what is considered a fishing contest.

Chapter 30-03-05. Section 30-03-05-03. Use of proceeds. An amendment to update gross proceeds and conservation fees.

Chapter 30-03-06. Section 30-03-06-01. Equipment. An amendment to clarify equipment that shall be free of prohibited or regulated aquatic nuisance species upon leaving any water body or while in transit.

Chapter 30-04-02. Section 30-04-02-10. Animals prohibited – Exceptions. An amendment to add clarification on horseback riding on a wildlife management area.

Chapter 30-04-02. Section 30-04-02-14.2. Dogs. An amendment to update and clarify the training of gun and bird dogs on wildlife management areas and to update the fee for violation.

Chapter 30-04-03. Section 30-04-03-19. Hunt or fish records. Amendments to this section including submitting a copy to the director no later than thirty days following expiration of the license and what type of fish species was taken to include the name of the waterbody and the county.

Chapter 30-04-05. Section 30-04-05-01. Fishing, hunting and fur-bearer certificate. An amendment to this section to clarify that licenses will be included on a certificate and what information is included on a certificate.

Chapter 30-04-05. Section 30-04-05-02. License design. [Repealed]

Chapter 30-04-05. Section 30-04-05-03. Combined licenses. An amendment to this section to clarify combined licenses.

Chapter 30-04-05. Section 30-04-05-04. Moose, elk, and bighorn sheep licenses. [Repealed]

Chapter 30-04-05. Section 30-04-05-05. Issuance of stamps. An amendment to this section to state that physical stamps are no longer issued by the department.

Chapter 30-04-05. Section 30-04-05-06. Computer-generated licenses. An amendment to this section to clarify that all licenses are electronically generated by the department’s online licensing system and that licenses do not require a signature.

Chapter 30-04-06. Duplicate Licenses. Amending section 30-04-06-01 regarding reissuing replacements for lost or destroyed game and fish licenses and amending section 30-04-06-02 to update the fee for each license that is to be replaced.

Chapter 30-04-07. Section 30-04-07-01. Wildlife Replacement Values. An amendment to add Elk, Moose and Bighorn sheep, remove snapping turtles, update mussels and add fish and other aquatic species restitution values.

Chapter 30-04-07. Section 30-04-07-02. Adjustments to base values for deer. An amendment to this section to state that adjustments are calculated using the green, gross score determined by the Boone and Crockett scoring method for deer.

Chapter 30-05-01. Section 30-05-01-02. Boat safety equipment. An amendment to update personal flotation devices.

Chapter 30-05-01. Section 30-05-01-07. Placement of regulatory signs, markers, buoys, and other warning or marking devices. An amendment to increase the fee for violating the restrictions on a sign, marker, buoy, or other warning or marking device.

The proposed rule language may be reviewed at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, 100 N. Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck, ND 58501-5095, or on the Department’s website at gf.nd.gov. A copy of the proposed rules may be requested in writing, or by calling 701-328-6305, or emailing ndgf@nd.gov. Written or oral comments on the proposed rules must be received by June 28, 2020 for consideration.

Anyone who attends the public hearing and needs special facilities or assistance relating to a disability should contact the Game and Fish Department at least seven days before the public hearing.

Game Warden Exam Set for May 29



Individuals interested in taking the exam to select candidates for district game warden must register no later than May 27. The test is at 10 a.m., May 29, at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department's main office in Bismarck.

Applicants must register to take the exam by submitting an online application through the North Dakota State Job Openings website.

Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and have a bachelor’s degree at time of hire, have a valid driver’s license and a current North Dakota peace officer license, or be eligible to be licensed. Candidates must successfully complete a comprehensive background check and must not have a record of any felony convictions.

District game wardens enforce game and fish laws and related regulations in an assigned district and other locations as determined by the department. Wardens normally work alone under varied conditions, at all hours of the day, night and weekends. In addition to law enforcement duties, wardens assist in the areas of public relations, education programs, and hunter and boat safety education.

Salary through training for a district game warden is $4,300 per month. For more information, see the district game warden job announcement on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.