News and Updates

News Release Archives - March 2002

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New Regulation Puts Restriction on Importing Baitfish | Bighorn Sheep Auction License Brings $32,000 | Sharp-tailed Grouse Observation Blinds to Open | Web Site Tracks Neck-banded Snow Geese | New Fishing License Required April 1; Changes Made in Regulations | Bighorn Sheep, Elk and Moose Regulations Set; Applications Available March 11 | Department Evaluates 2001 Deer Gun Season

New Regulation Puts Restriction on Importing Baitfish (3/27/02)
A regulation change in the 2002-2004 North Dakota fishing proclamation restricts importing live bait or baitfish into the state. The new regulation applies to minnows and other live baitfish, worms, nightcrawlers, wax worms, leeches and insects.

Effective April 1, anglers who want to import or bring live bait into the state must obtain a valid North Dakota bait vendor's license; otherwise, anglers must purchase all live bait in North Dakota.

The purpose of this regulation, according to Greg Power, fisheries biologist for the State Game and Fish Department, is to provide better control against unintentional introduction of aquatic nuisance species. "These species are becoming more of a threat," Power said, "especially in out-of-state bait originating from the east and south."

This new regulation will affect primarily nonresidents who previously would bring live bait with them when coming to North Dakota. Similarly, residents may not buy live bait out-of-state and bring it back into North Dakota without a bait vendor's license.

"Monitoring 300 bait vendors," Power continued, "is much easier than making sure some 34,000 nonresident anglers who fish in North Dakota possess legal bait that is free of exotic species such as zebra mussel."

Nonresident anglers who are still ice fishing in April should take special notice of this regulation, Power noted, because all live insects and invertebrates such as wax worms and freshwater shrimp that were brought into the state will now be illegal.

Bighorn Sheep Auction License Brings $32,000 (3/27/02)
Roger Donahue from New Hampshire paid $32,000 for North Dakota's 2002 bighorn sheep auction license at the March 16 Minnesota-Wisconsin Chapter of the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep annual meeting in Minneapolis. In comparison, last year's license sold for $39,000.

The Minnesota-Wisconsin chapter is a strong supporter of bighorn sheep management efforts in North Dakota, according to Bruce Stillings, big game biologist for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Dickinson. "They helped fund a population ecology study that involved radio-collaring 28 bighorns in the badlands, and were instrumental in the south Bullion transplant," Stillings said. "They are excited to see their dollars at work in North Dakota, and that enthusiasm was reflected during the auctioning of the license."

License sale proceeds, along with an additional grant of $25,000, will be used to enhance management of North Dakota's bighorn sheep. The grant and license auction are part of a five-year agreement, signed in 1999, between the department and Minnesota-Wisconsin conservation group.

In addition to the license the chapter auctioned a three-day bighorn viewing trip for $1,300. The proceeds were also donated to sheep projects in North Dakota.

Sharp-tailed Grouse Observation Blinds to Open (3/20/02)
Several national wildlife refuges and a state wildlife management area will offer sharp-tailed grouse observation blinds for public use this spring. The blinds are popular with wildlife photographers and others interested in watching the spring courtship rituals of sharp-tailed grouse.

Grouse blinds have received widespread interest in previous years and are available by reservation only. Those locations offering blinds usually start taking reservations for late March or early April, weather permitting. Peak grouse dancing activity usually occurs from mid-to-late April or early May.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is providing an observation blind at the Lonetree Wildlife Management Area southwest of Harvey. Reservations can be made by calling (701) 324-2211. One blind is available.

Contact the following national wildlife refuges for information on blind reservations:

• Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge, 8315 Hwy. 8, Kenmare, ND 58746; phone (701) 848-2722.
• Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge, Box 578, Kenmare, ND 58746; phone (701) 385-4046.
• Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 12000 353rd St. SE, Moffit, ND 58560; phone (701) 387-4397.
• Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge, 7745 11th St. SE, Pingree, ND 58476; phone (701) 285-3341.
• Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, 17705 212th Ave. NW, Berthold, ND 58718; phone (701) 468-5467.
• Audubon National Wildlife Refuge, 3275 11th St. NW, Coleharbor, ND 58531; phone (701) 442-5474.

Web Site Tracks Neck-banded Snow Geese (3/20/02)
The Canadian Wildlife Service recently launched a web site designed to encourage public inquiry on collared lesser snow geese and Ross's geese. The web page is part of an international project aimed at conservation of Arctic geese and their habitat.

People who harvest neck-banded snow or Ross's geese in spring or fall, or observers who can identify numbers on neck bands, can now report those numbers online and receive immediate feedback on where and when birds were collared.

During summer 2001 biologists banded more than 5,000 lesser snow geese on nesting grounds in the eastern Arctic, about 1,000 in the central Arctic, and 800 in the western arctic. Birds nesting in the eastern and central arctic are part of the Mid-continent Population that migrates through North Dakota each spring and fall.

Combined with birds collared in previous years, the Mid-continent Population probably has more than 30,000 snow and Ross's geese wearing neck bands, according to Mike Johnson, North Dakota Game and Fish Department migratory game bird management supervisor.

New Fishing License Required April 1; Changes Made in Regulations (3/13/02)
North Dakota anglers are reminded that new fishing licenses for the 2002-2003 season are required starting April 1.

April 1 also begins a new two-year regulation period, and those regulations contain a number of changes anglers should take note. Following is a summary of changes in the 2002-2004 fishing proclamation.

• Yellow perch, bluegill and crappie have a daily limit of 35 and possession limit of 175.
• The restriction of one walleye over 18 inches within the daily limit on Lake Oahe and the Missouri River below Garrison Dam has been removed.
• Paddlefish season will be open May 1 through May 31.
• Paddlefish snagging is legal only from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT
• An approximate eight mile stretch of the Missouri River above Williston has been closed to paddlefish snagging.
• The "designation" of Special Fish Management Areas was deleted.
• McDowell Dam, Velva Sportsmen's Pond and Kettle Lake remain closed to fishing from November 1 through March 31 of each fishing year.
• Langdon City Pond was removed from the no live baitfish lakes.
• Darkhouse spearfishing shall be legal December 1 through February 28 of each fishing year.
• It shall be illegal to import from another state or country any live bait without a valid license.
• Underwater spearfishing and open water bow fishing and spearing are no longer allowed in December.

Game Wardens Association to Give Scholarship (3/13/02)
The North Dakota Game Wardens Association has one $300 scholarship available for students entering college in fall 2002 who enroll in fisheries or wildlife management with an emphasis on law enforcement. Applicants must be North Dakota residents and have maintained a 3.25 grade point average. The scholarship will not be awarded until student shows proof of enrollment in college.

Applications are available from North Dakota Game and Fish Department employees Barb Schell, 328-6604 and Lynelle McGregor, 654-7475 ext. 0. Applications must be postmarked no later than May 1, 2002

New Furbearer License Needed April 1 (3/13/02)
A new furbearer license is required for North Dakota hunters and trappers beginning April 1, according to Carrie Whitney, licensing supervisor for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

The 2002-2003 furbearer license is effective April 1 to March 31, 2003. The dates for the furbearer license, Whitney noted, coincide with fishing season.

Bighorn Sheep, Elk and Moose Regulations Set; Applications Available March 11 (3/6/02)
Regulations have been established and applications will be available March 11 for this year's bighorn sheep, elk and moose seasons, according to Randy Kreil, wildlife chief for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Deadline for submitting applications is March 20, 2002.

The bighorn sheep regular season dates are Sept. 20 - Oct. 20. Bow season runs from Sept. 13 - Oct. 20. Four licenses are available for 2002. Three licenses are issued by lottery and one license is auctioned through the Minnesota-Wisconsin Chapter of the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep.

Unit B4, north of Interstate 94, is the only open bighorn sheep hunting unit. The department is continuing its efforts in investigating and monitoring the decline of bighorn sheep in the badlands south of Interstate 94. Bighorn sheep from the northern badlands have been translocated to areas south of Interstate 94 and are being closely monitored.

A total of 201 elk licenses are available in 2002, up six from last year. Bow season dates for units E1 and E2 are Aug. 30 - Sept. 29. Regular season dates are as follows: Unit E3, Aug. 9-25; Unit E4, Aug. 9-15 early, Aug. 16-25 late; Unit E1, Oct. 4-27; and Unit E2, Oct. 4 - Nov. 3, and Nov. 15 - Dec. 15.

Units E2 and E3 have the following changes from last year: the west ½ of T148N, R98W has been added to the qualifying area for landowner preference licenses in Unit E2; and six additional licenses are available in Unit E3, bringing the number of licenses in that unit to 20.

One noteworthy change involves Unit E4. The 10 antlerless-elk-only licenses added in 2001 are being eliminated due to low hunter success rates. These 10 licenses will be added to the "any elk" licenses in Unit E4, leaving the same number of licenses in the unit as last year.

The moose season has 135 licenses available, the same as last year. Bow season dates for all moose units are Aug. 30 - Sept. 29. Regular season dates for units M1C, M4, M8, M9 and M10 are Oct. 4-27. Regular season dates for units M5, M6 and M7 are Nov. 22 - Dec. 15.

Boundaries for units M6 and M9 have been changed from last year to include areas where moose are expanding their range and to more clearly define the unit boundaries.

Applications for these seasons will be available from game and fish offices, county auditors and license vendors. Persons can also apply online at the game and fish internet website, gf.nd.gov/. Regular application fees apply and no service charge is added.

Mailed applications must be postmarked no later than midnight March 20. Applicants are urged to mail early because some post offices use the following day's postmark if mailed after regular hours.

Nonresidents are eligible to apply for one bighorn sheep license in the lottery. They compete with residents for licenses with no guarantee a license will be issued to a nonresident. Nonresidents must submit a nonrefundable $100 application fee when sending in bighorn applications. If a nonresident is drawn, the license fee is $500.

Bighorn sheep, moose, and elk lottery licenses are issued on a once-in-a-lifetime basis. Persons who are drawn may not apply again in the lottery for that species. "While North Dakotans are truly fortunate to have these once in a lifetime hunting opportunities, the low number of licenses and high level of interest means most people who apply will never get a license," Kreil said.

Persons lucky enough be drawn for a license have no guarantee of harvesting an animal, Kreil cautions. "In the case of elk, less than half the applicants who receive a license will harvest an animal," he added. "Elk hunting in North Dakota is incredibly hard work and success rates are much lower than our resident hunters are used to. Therefore it's important that any person applying for an elk license be prepared for a physically challenging and potentially unsuccessful hunt."

Department Evaluates 2001 Deer Gun Season (3/6/02)
North Dakota deer hunters had another successful fall with an overall harvest of 77,000 deer, according to Roger Johnson, big game biologist for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Devils Lake.

The harvest success rate of 77 percent during the 2001 season was one percent higher than in 2000. "We have had high success rates the past two years because of a high deer population," Johnson said, "and second season license holders are filling their tags."

The department issued 15,560 second season licenses last year, with 14,621 hunters harvesting 11,041 deer, a success rate of 75.5 percent. "Add that with the regular season harvest and you understand why the total harvest of 77,000 deer was so high," Johnson said.

The 2001 deer gun regular season harvest survey provided the following statistics.

• The department allocated a record 106,350 deer gun licenses for the 2001 season, compared to 88,350 during 2000.
• The average hunter spent 3.5 days afield.
• Overall hunter success for whitetail bucks was 77 percent.
• Anterless whitetail success was 77 percent.
• Mule deer buck success was 84 percent.
• Mule deer doe success was 83 percent.
• The 77,000 deer harvested during the 2001 regular gun season compared to 62,600 in 2000.
• Muzzleloader season success rate was 51 percent.
• Youth deer season hunters had an overall success rate of 64 percent. Youth hunters had a 47 percent success rate during the youth only season, and a 79 percent success rate during the regular deer gun season.

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