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News Releases

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

News Releases

Hunter Education Classes

Individuals interested in taking a hunter education class in 2017 are reminded to register early as most classes are held the first few months of the calendar year.

To register for a hunter education course, students need to sign up online at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov. Many classes will be added over the next several weeks, and the rest will be added throughout the year as they are finalized.

After accessing the Buy and Apply link, 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.

Individuals interested in receiving a notice by email when each hunter education class is added can click on the “subscribe to news and alerts” link found below the news section on the Game and Fish home page. Check the box labeled “hunter education” 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.

 

Watchable Wildlife Checkoff on State Tax Form

North Dakota citizens with an interest in supporting wildlife conservation programs are reminded to look for the Watchable Wildlife checkoff on the state tax form.

The state income tax form gives wildlife enthusiasts an opportunity to support nongame wildlife like songbirds and birds of prey, while at the same time contributing to programs that help everyone enjoy all wildlife.

The checkoff – whether you are receiving a refund or having to pay in – is an easy way to voluntarily contribute to sustain this long‑standing program. In addition, direct donations to the program are accepted any time of year.

To learn more about Watchable Wildlife program activities, visit the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov.

Nonresident Any-Deer Bow Licenses

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will have 382 any-deer bow licenses available to nonresidents in 2017.

The deadline for applying is March 1. A lottery will be held if more applications are received than licenses available. Any remaining licenses after March 1 will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants can apply together as a party. A separate check is required for each application.

The nonresident any-deer bow application is available at the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov. The application must be printed and sent in to the department.

The number of nonresident any-deer bow licenses available is 15 percent of the previous year’s mule deer gun license allocation. The Game and Fish Department issued 2,550 mule deer licenses in the 2016 deer gun license lottery. 

 

Wildlife Feeding Concerns

North Dakota is experiencing winter conditions that have many citizens concerned about stress on wildlife.

Kevin Kading, private land section leader for the State Game and Fish Department, said harsh winters often generate conversations and questions about feeding wildlife, particularly deer and pheasants.

“The Department does not promote winter feeding and does not have a winter feeding program,” Kading said. “We recognize that many people care deeply about wildlife and it can be difficult to watch nature play out, but feeding operations, good intentions and all, can actually do more harm for wildlife than good.”

Supplemental winter feeding does not benefit entire populations, Kading said. Individual and smaller groups of animals may receive some benefit from feeding, but feeding can also result in negative consequences such as congregating animals, drawing animals in from long distances and away from good winter cover, increased predation, disease concerns, spreading of noxious weeds and feeding costs.

“Poorly conducted feeding operations can actually kill more animals than what they are intended to help,” Kading said. “For example, feeding animals on or near roadways can lead to wildlife-vehicle collisions. Providing feed such as corn, which is high in sugar and starch, can lead to acidosis, rumentis and ultimately death. And even individuals with the best of intentions, who start feeding wildlife early in winter, often end up quitting due to the amount of time and expense required, which can result in the loss of animals that become dependent on the feed.”

Wildlife rarely die from starvation in severe winters, Kading said, but it’s not uncommon for animals to die in these extreme conditions from exposure to cold weather. Therefore, Game and Fish promotes habitat development that can provide critical winter thermal cover, and food plots should be considered and planted near adequate winter cover.

“One alternative to feeding wildlife is for individuals, landowners or wildlife clubs to plow open areas of harvested grain or row crop fields to allow animals to gain access to waste grains,” Kading said. “These areas are also the first areas to melt off when we get a break in the weather.” 

 

Habitats Workshop Feb. 9-10 in Bismarck

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department and Missouri River Educational Cooperative are sponsoring a wildlife conservation and resource management workshop for teachers, environmental educators and anyone else who works with youth.

“Habitats of North Dakota” is scheduled Feb. 9-10 at the Game and Fish Department’s main office in Bismarck. The five North Dakota habitats – wetlands, badlands, prairie, woodlands and riparian – will be studied, with the North Dakota Studies Habitats curriculum used as textbooks.

The fast-paced workshop offers a hands-on approach educators can use in their classrooms and on field trips, and in discussing classroom and curriculum integration. All supplies are provided. Preregistration is required.  

Curriculum materials are suitable for both elementary and secondary teachers. Workshop instructor Sherry Niesar has a master’s degree in wildlife science and teaches many educator workshops in the region.

To register for the workshop, contact Carrie Ziegler, MREC, at 701-751-4041, or email carrie.ziegler@mrecnd.org. A $100 registration fee for materials, lunch and refreshments is required.

To register for graduate credit, visit UND’s website at http://educators.und.edu/workshop/?id=TL.HABITATS.ND. The cost for graduate credit is $50.

Game and Fish Looking for Info on Apparent Deer Poaching Incident

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is seeking information through the Report All Poachers hotline on an apparent deer poaching that occurred this past fall near the ND Highway 1806 bridge over the Cannonball River in Morton County.

Chief Game Warden Robert Timian said Game and Fish obtained a video of the incident recently, and is releasing it to the public and media in an effort to get more information on this event, and to try to identify the individuals involved in an apparent illegal killing of a whitetail buck. The video is available for viewing and download on the Game and Fish Department’s YouTube channel.

Based on current information, Timian says the incident took place during the fall of 2016, likely on the north side of the Cannonball River west of the ND Highway 1806 bridge over the Cannonball, in the vicinity of the Dakota Access Pipeline protest camps.

This raw, unedited video is approximately 7 minutes long and shows several individuals entering the river to retrieve a whitetail buck that was struggling in the river, and dragging it to shore where the deer was killed.

Anyone with information on the possible identity of any individual in this video, or any other information, is urged to call the Report All Poachers hotline at 800-472-2121; contact the Game and Fish enforcement division directly at 701-328-6604; or email swinkelman@nd.gov. RAP calls are anonymous, and can lead to rewards for information that leads to convictions.

 

Wildlife Stressed, Snowmobile Riders Stay Clear

With significant snow storms dropping record to near-record snowfall on much of the state the past several weeks, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department reminds snowmobile enthusiasts to stay clear of wildlife and its habitat so animals do not suffer additional stress.

Wildlife chief Jeb Williams said North Dakota’s wildlife population has already suffered significantly this winter.

“Any undue stress makes it worse,” Williams said.

Snowmobiles cannot be used to flush, chase or pursue wildlife. Running snowmobiles near, through or around winter habitat such as thickets, cattails and wooded areas may inadvertently scare wintering wildlife, causing them additional stress or injury.

Snowmobiles can be used off an established trail while fox or coyote hunting, but chasing a coyote through cover or across an open field on a snowmobile is illegal.

Williams said Game and Fish is concerned about the state’s wildlife, especially since it is still early in winter.

“Pheasants seem to be doing okay in some areas, but no doubt suffered losses in other areas,” Williams said. “What this winter will mean in terms of pheasant hunting opportunities next fall is hard to tell. The rest of the winter will be very telling, and good nesting conditions in spring will be critical.”

Reports of dying or dead deer are not uncommon in tough winters, and this holds true this winter as well. Mostly fawns and older deer are affected by the cold and wind. In addition, heavy snow cover prevents deer from accessing their usual food sources, which can result in deer dying because of grain overload – a result of deer switching their natural diet to a diet comprised mostly of corn and/or other grains.

Observers witnessing harassment or chasing of wildlife are encouraged to call the Report All Poachers hotline at 800-472-2121.

Riders are encouraged to use snowmobile trails and avoid situations that could disturb wildlife. Information on the North Dakota trail system is available at the Snowmobile North Dakota website at snowmobilend.org. 

 

Hunting and Fishing Legislation on Game and Fish Website

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will once again track hunting and fishing issues during the 2017 legislative session.

Interested outdoor enthusiasts can follow proposed outdoors-related bills by logging onto the Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov.

A brief description of each bill will be included, along with the bill sponsor and hearing schedule. To view each bill in its entirety, click on the hot-linked bill number. 

Jim Job Named Wildlife Officer of the Year

Jim Job, North Dakota Game and Fish Department district game warden stationed in Devils Lake, is the state’s 2016 Wildlife Officer of the Year. Job was honored recently by the Shikar-Safari Club International, a private conservation organization that annually recognizes outstanding wildlife officers in each state.

In a nomination letter sent to Shikar-Safari, chief warden Robert Timian said Job’s district is home to some of the most renowned fishing and hunting opportunities in the nation.

“Warden Job’s hard working efforts do not go unnoticed throughout his district,” Timian said. “Whether he is on patrol by vehicle, boat, all-terrain vehicle or snowmobile, his dedication and enthusiasm for his chosen profession as a game warden serves as an excellent example to others. He is most deserving of this recognition.” 

 

Doug Howie Named Game and Fish Employee of the Year

Doug Howie, assistant private land coordinator for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department in Bismarck, received the agency’s Director’s Award for professional excellence during the Department’s annual meeting Dec. 8 in Bismarck.

Terry Steinwand, Game and Fish director, said Howie is known for his professionalism and resourcefulness. “Doug’s commitment to the Department’s private lands program has been exemplary for 30 years,” Steinwand said.

Howie was recognized for his role in administering the Private Land Open to Sportsmen program. “He has developed policies and procedures, manages statewide and district budgets and issues landowner payments,” Steinwand added. “Doug’s knowledge helps steer the direction of the program, and his dedication has helped it become one of the most successful access programs in the country.”

 

Game and Fish Recognizes Employee Efforts

North Dakota Game and Fish Department Director Terry Steinwand recently honored a number of employees with performance-based awards. Steinwand presented the following awards at the department’s annual staff meeting Dec. 8.

John Mazur, hunter education coordinator, Bismarck, received the Special Projects award, given to an individual who implemented a successful new project. Mazur was recognized for his efforts with successfully refining the hunter education program. “John took the concept of a hunter education instructor academy and made it a reality,” Steinwand said. “He created a volunteer instructor academy team, field days and a pilot mentoring program. He was able to accomplish this because of our well-trained and dedicated volunteer staff.”

Bill Jensen, big game biologist, Bismarck, received the Solid Foundation award, presented to staff who demonstrate exemplary work in their field. Jensen was recognized for his passion for wildlife conservation. “Bill’s professionalism, integrity, attitude and work ethic serves as an exemplary model for all employees,” Steinwand said. “He continually strives to use the best available science to help guide wildlife management, and is a go-to source for big game management in North Dakota.”

Stephanie Tucker, game management section leader, Bismarck, received the Public Outreach award, presented to an employee for showing a significant effort, ability or accomplishment in interacting with the public while promoting the Department’s programs. Tucker was recognized for her work involved with furbearer issues. “Stephanie does an outstanding job in communicating with all entities in a professional manner,” Steinwand said. “She is well spoken, highly informed and extremely courteous while working with landowners, legislators, hunters and trappers.”

Jerry Weigel, fisheries production and development section leader, Bismarck, was presented with the Innovations award, which recognizes staff for implementing a process to improve Department goals and objectives. Weigel was recognized for his statewide efforts in fish distribution. “One of Jerry’s career accomplishments has been his ability to integrate improvements to our existing program, and it’s because of his innovation, extreme interest and dedication to our overall fish culture program,” Steinwand said.

Greg Hastings, district game warden, Jamestown, was named North Dakota’s Boating Officer of the Year. Chief warden Robert Timian said Hasting’s district boasts several man-made and natural lakes that are home to many anglers and recreational boat operators. “Warden Hastings is skilled in the detection, apprehension and prosecution of boaters who are operating while operating under the influence,” Timian said. “He is dedicated to making sure his boaters are operating in a safe manner while still enjoying the outdoors.”

Game and Fish Seeks Information

North Dakota Game and Fish Department law enforcement officers are searching for information related to the likely illegal possession and taking of a mule deer buck and an antlerless whitetail pictured recently on social media at a location that appears to be in or near the pipeline protest camp in southern Morton County.

Anyone with information should contact the Game and Fish enforcement office in Bismarck at 701-328-6604.