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News Releases

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

North Dakota Game and Fish Department


News Releases


Anglers Encouraged to Report Tagged Fish



North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries biologists tagged hundreds of walleyes in two North Dakota waters earlier this spring to determine exploitation and harvest in these popular fisheries.

Walleyes were fitted with jaw tags at Rice Lake, Emmons County, and Antelope Lake, Pierce County, as part of one-year studies in both waters.

Tagging fish for study purposes in North Dakota is not uncommon. For example, Department fisheries biologists are in the third year of a four-year walleye tagging study on Lake Sakakawea to look at such things as natural mortality, aging mortality and fish movements.

Fisheries biologists say it’s imperative walleye anglers report tagged fish from whatever waters they are fishing, no matter if they end up in livewells or back in the lake. Anglers are also encouraged to treat tagged walleye just like they would treat any other fish they might have caught.

If it’s a fish an angler was planning on keeping, then harvest the fish. If it’s a fish an angler was going to release, then do so, but record the tag number and leave the tag on the fish. Tagged fish can be reported on the Department’s website, gf.nd.gov, or call the Game and Fish Department’s main office in Bismarck at 701-328-6300.

Be Courteous at Boat Ramps



With some access sites unusable because of low water levels, boat ramps are likely to be more congested than usual this year. With that in mind, boaters are reminded to plan accordingly when heading to a lake or river this summer.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department receives complaints every year about overly aggressive behavior at boat ramps. A few simple reminders will help ensure a fluent transition when launching and loading a boat.

Launching 

  • Don't pull onto the ramp until your boat is ready to launch. 
  • Prepare for launching in the parking area. Remove covers, load equipment, remove tie downs, attach lines and put in drain plug before backing onto the ramp.
  • When ready, pull into line to launch. Wait your turn. Be courteous. 

Loading 

  • Don't block the loading area with your boat until your tow vehicle is ready to load. Wait until you are clear of the launch area to unload gear. 
  • As soon as your trailer is in the water, load and secure your boat to the trailer.
  • Remove boat and trailer from the water as quickly as possible. 
  • Get clear of the ramp. Pull into the parking area to finish securing your boat, unloading gear, draining all water and inspecting for and removing any vegetation. Remember to leave plugs out when transporting boat.

Database to Electronically Post Private Land Available



The 2021 state legislature passed a bill to allow electronic posting of private land, giving landowners another option for posting private property. This online database system is available to enroll lands, with the law going into effect Aug. 1, 2021.

In addition to current posting laws allowing landowners to post lands with physical signs, electronic posting adds the option to digitally post land. The digital posting system is linked to land descriptions based on county tax parcel information.

Landowners interested in posting electronically for the 2021-22 hunting season can log into My Account on the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. The deadline for landowners to digitally post land is July 15, which is necessary to make the map information available prior to the early Canada goose hunting opportunities in mid-August.

Landowners new to the site will need to create a profile, while others who have previously purchased a hunting or fishing license can proceed to the Land Parcel section at the bottom of the page.

The Game and Fish website has complete instructions for landowners to follow, along with frequently asked questions for both landowners and hunters.

Maclean Bottoms Boating Access Site Closed



The Maclean Bottoms (Gun Range) boating access site and picnic shelters are closed effective immediately due to significant river erosion of the area.

Maclean Bottoms boat ramp is located approximately 15 miles southeast of Bismarck on the Oahe Wildlife Management Area.

Access to the gun (shooting) range and the rest of the wildlife management area remains open.

North Dakota Game and Fish Department personnel will monitor the site and determine if and when the boating access site area can reopen. 

North Dakota Meadowlark Initiative RCPP Grant Selected



After engaging and enlisting partners and stakeholders last spring and summer, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department initiated the Meadowlark Initiative, a new statewide strategy to combine the efforts of conservation, agriculture and industry partners to enhance, restore and sustain native grasslands in North Dakota.

Last November, the Game and Fish Department and 13 contributing partners submitted a USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program grant proposal (MI-RCPP), seeking to leverage over $12 million partner contributions with $10 million of USDA-NRCS funding to kick-start collaborative work toward goals and objectives, encompassed in the Meadowlark Initiative.

In late April, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service announced that North Dakota’s Meadowlark Initiative RCPP was selected as one of 85 successful projects nationwide.

Together the collaborative effort focuses on two goals: 1) improve, increase and connect wildlife habitat and 2) support the sustainability of new and existing livestock ranches by offering incentives and programs to promote holistic grazing with grass-based livestock operations.

Aquatic Nuisance Species the Focus May 16-22



North Dakota has seen an increase in aquatic nuisance species in the last decade, yet the state remains in pretty good shape with the low number of waterbodies with invasive species.

Even so, public awareness about ANS, including zebra mussels, and the actions that help prevent their spread, remains a priority of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. All people who recreate on North Dakota waters, from anglers, waterfowl hunters, to pleasure boaters, play such a huge role in preventing the spread of ANS. And the way that they do this is by being informed.

Ben Holen, Game and Fish Department ANS coordinator said state, local and federal partners will join Game and Fish May 16-22 during Aquatic Nuisance Species Awareness Week in the continued educational effort of preventing the introduction and spread of ANS in North Dakota waters.

This Department’s ongoing, statewide ANS communications effort, which has been repeatedly bolstered over the years, continues and seems even more relevant today with the arrival of zebra mussels in some North Dakota waters.

Adult zebra mussels were first discovered in North Dakota in the Red River in 2015. In the last handful of years, these exotics, which cause major infrastructure problems and a variety of unwanted influences in natural underwater environments, have been discovered elsewhere in the state, Lake Ashtabula and Lake LaMoure included.

“Education is our number one priority at the Game and Fish Department because everybody plays a part and must be educated on the issue,” Holen said. “This is a citizens of North Dakota issue because aquatic nuisance species can affect citizens directly or indirectly in the state.”

Game Warden Exam Set for June 11



Individuals interested in taking the district game warden exam scheduled for June 11 are reminded to register no later than June 8 by submitting an online application through the North Dakota State Job Openings website.

The test is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the department's main office in Bismarck.

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.

Hunters, Anglers, Trappers Take Note of New Legislation



The North Dakota Game and Fish Department tracked 21 outdoors-related bills during the 2021 legislative session, nine of which were passed by both chambers and signed into law.

The following bills take effect Aug. 1. A complete list of bills is on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.

HB 1017 – Appropriates $92,368,134 to the Game and Fish Department for the biennium beginning July 1, 2021 and ending June 30, 2023. Passed House 81-13. Passed Senate 46-1.

HB 1081 – Relates to access and activities on trust lands and provides a penalty. Passed House 68-25. Passed Senate 40-7.

HB 1113 – Requires written permission from the owner of the property, or an individual authorized by the owner, to place bait for the purpose of attracting wildlife and to install camera/video equipment that must have identification. In addition, provides a penalty. Passed House 94-0. Passed Senate 47-0.

HB 1218 – Nonresidents who own land in North Dakota may hunt during the first seven days of the pheasant season on land they enroll in the PLOTS program. Passed House 92-0. Passed Senate 46-1.

HB 1221 – Adds clarification to section 47-05-17 of century code, relating to an exemption from prohibition against severing hunting rights from surface estates. Passed House 65-26. Pass Senate 45-2.

HB 1242 – An individual who was issued an apprentice hunter validation license in 2020-21 may receive another. Passed House 91-0. Passed Senate 45-2.

HB 1411 – An individual may use an artificial light to pursue on the individual’s premises at any time throughout the year any predatory animal attempting to destroy property. Passed House 92-2. Passed Senate 47-0.

SB 2036 – Legislative management shall continue to study the electronic land access database and application during the 2021-22 interim and expand it to all counties. Passed Senate 45-2. Passed House 91-2.

SB 2144 – Allows the owner or an individual authorized by the owner the option to designate land as posted or closed to hunting in an online database and provides a penalty for trespass. Passed Senate 44-2. Passed House 89-3.

May Highlights Safe Boating



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

National Safe Boating Week is May 22-28, with the campaign actually kicking off May 21 with Wear Your Life Jacket at Work Day. Water recreationists are encouraged to snap a picture while at work and share it on social media with the hashtags #lifejacket2work and #safeboating.

A boat should have enough U.S. Coast Guard approved 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 people paddling a canoe, kayak 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.

Paddlefish Snagging Season Closes to Additional Harvest



Effective Sunday, May 9, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department has closed the state's 2021 paddlefish snagging season to any additional harvest to provide long-term protection of the paddlefish population.  

An additional seven-day snag-and-release season will begin Monday, May 10 and run through Sunday, May 16. Paddlefish snaggers with an unused paddlefish tag can continue snagging during the additional snag-and-release season but must release all fish immediately. If a snagger has already used their tag on a harvested paddlefish, they are not allowed to participate in the additional snag-and-release period.

Snag-and-release will be open only in that area of the Missouri River starting on the north shore from the Confluence boat ramp then east (downstream) to the pipeline crossing (river mile 1577), and on the south shore from the Confluence with the Yellowstone River then east (downstream) to the pipeline crossing (river mile 1577).

Paddlefish snagging is allowed only from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central Time during each day of the additional seven-day season. The use or possession of a gaff on snag-and-release days is prohibited.

Deer Season Set, Apply Online



North Dakota’s 2021 deer season is set, with 72,200 licenses available to hunters, 3,150 more than last year.

In total, any-antlered licenses increased by 1,500 from last year, any-antlerless by 1,250, antlered whitetail by 100, antlerless whitetail by 100, antlerless mule deer by 200 and antlered mule deer licenses remained the same.

In addition, muzzleloader licenses increased by 60 and restricted youth antlered mule deer licenses remained the same.

As stated in the 2021-22 chronic wasting disease proclamation, hunters harvesting a deer in units 3A1, 3A2, 3B1, 3F2, 4B and 4C cannot transport the whole carcass outside of the unit, with the exception that hunters can transport the whole deer carcass between adjoining CWD carcass restricted units.

Also in the CWD proclamation, it is unlawful for an individual to hunt big game over bait, or place bait to attract big game for the purpose of hunting, in deer hunting units 3A1, 3A2, 3A3, 3A4, 3B1, 3C west of the Missouri River, 3E1, 3E2, 3F1, 3F2, 4A, 4B and 4C.

A deer carcass or boned-out meat must be accompanied by the head to the final place of stor­age, with the following exception: tag as currently required, then take two pictures using a cell phone with location, date and time stamp turned on. One picture of the entire animal at the kill site with tag attached, and a second picture of a clo­seup of the tag so that tag information is readable. If you leave the deer head in the field at the kill site, after taking pictures and saving them, the ear or antler with the tag attached must be cut off and accompany the meat or carcass while in transport. The photographs of the tagged deer must be shown to any game warden or other law enforcement officer upon request.

North Dakota’s 2021 deer gun season opens Nov. 5 at noon and continues through Nov. 21.

Applicants for regular deer gun, gratis, youth and muzzleloader can apply online through the Game and Fish Department’s website at gf.nd.gov.

The deadline for applying is June 2. 

Applicants should note that a general game and habitat license is required when applying for a deer license. If the applicant has not already purchased one for the 2021-22 season, the license will be added to their cart upon checkout. The applicant has the option of having the general game and habitat license refunded if their deer license is not drawn in the lottery.  

Gratis applicants who have previously applied online will automatically have their land description carried forward to this year’s application. However, any changes with land descriptions from last year’s application must be made prior to submitting the 2021 application.

Gratis applications received on or before the regular deer gun lottery application deadline will qualify for an any-legal-deer license. As per state law, gratis applications received after the deadline will be processed based on licenses remaining after the lottery. Generally, only antlerless licenses remain.

Total deer licenses are determined by harvest rates, aerial surveys, depredation reports, hunter observations, input at advisory board meetings, and comments from the public, landowners and department field staff.

Spring Mule Deer Survey Complete



The North Dakota Game and Fish Department completed its annual spring mule deer survey in April, and results indicate western North Dakota’s mule deer population is similar to last year and 21% above the long-term average.

Biologists counted 2,671 mule deer in 306.3 square miles during this year’s survey. Overall mule deer density in the badlands was 8.7 deer per square mile.

Big game management supervisor Bruce Stillings said he is encouraged with current mule deer densities across the badlands.

“But we are concerned that mule deer are beginning the summer with poor rangeland conditions due to the extreme drought across the western part of the state, which could negatively affect fawn survival,” Stillings said. 

The spring mule deer survey is used to assess mule deer abundance in the badlands. It is conducted after the snow has melted and before the trees begin to leaf out, providing the best conditions for aerial observation of deer. Biologists have completed aerial surveys of the same 24 study areas since the 1950s.