2011 Fall Wild Turkey Hunting Guide

1. 2011 Fall Season, Dates, Times, Open areas

2. Eligibility

Who May Apply - Only North Dakota residents are eligible to apply in the first lottery. If licenses remain after the first lottery, state law allows nonresidents to apply at a fee of $80.

Hunter Education Requirement - Persons born after December 31, 1961, must complete a certified state or provincial hunter education course in order to purchase a North Dakota hunting license. Exceptions: Persons who hunt only on land they own or operate, and persons under age 12 (those under age 12 may hunt if they have an appropriate license and are under direct supervision of a parent or guardian). In addition, individuals who are 16 years of age and older who have not taken the hunter education course to be issued an apprentice hunter validation that enables them to hunt small game for one license year. Contact the Game and Fish Department for details.

Minimum Age - There is no minimum age for hunting turkeys, but all hunters under age 15 afield with firearms must be under direct supervision of a parent, guardian or adult authorized by their parent or guardian.

3. Licenses

General - Licenses are issued by weighted lottery after the number of gratis licenses is deducted from the total available. The deadline for submitting regular lottery applications was June 30.

Gratis - Gratis licenses are available to North Dakota residents owning, or leasing for agricultural purposes and actively farming or ranching, at least 160 acres of land located in an open hunting unit, and are valid only upon land described on the application and subsequently the license.

Other Licenses Required - Hunters, regardless of age, must also possess a fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate ($1 for residents and $2 for nonresidents), and a general game and habitat license ($13). In addition, resident hunters age 16 and older must possess a small game license ($6) or a combination license ($32) before hunting wild turkeys. (Gratis license holders exempt.) Stamps must be affixed to the back of a fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate. Stamps and licenses must be signed in ink.

5. Bag Limit

Each license holder may take and possess one wild turkey of any sex or age per license, not to exceed 15 licenses per
person. Party hunting is not allowed.

Know your wild turkey

6. Tagging Requirements

Immediately after a turkey is taken, the hunter must indicate the date of kill by cutting out the appropriate month and day from the tag provided with the license, and attach it around the leg of the turkey in an exact manner as illustrated on back of tag to prevent its removal. It is not legal to possess or transport a turkey unless it is properly tagged. The tag shall remain with the carcass until it is packaged as food. No person may reuse or attempt to reuse any tag issued. All used tags must be kept in possession until the meat is consumed or disposed of.

7. Transportation

License holders must accompany their wild turkey during transportation, except that it may be shipped by licensed public carrier in receipt of proper bill of lading.

9. Aircraft and Motor Driven Vehicles

• Aircraft may not be used to drive, concentrate, rally, raise, stir up, spot, or disturb game.
• Motor-driven vehicles may not be used to pursue game.
• It is illegal to shoot with bow and arrow or firearm while in or on a motor-driven vehicle.
• It is illegal to carry a firearm in or on a motor-driven vehicle with a shell in the chamber. The entire cylinder of a revolver is considered the chamber, requiring the revolver to be completely unloaded. It is illegal to carry any muzzleloader in or on a motor-driven vehicle with a percussion cap on the nipple or powder in the flash pan.
• Motor-driven vehicles may only be used on established roads or trails. Except for persons having a special disability permit, no person may use a motor-driven vehicle while in the process of hunting turkeys or aid another in the process of hunting turkeys, including travel to and from the hunting location unless the motor-driven vehicle is on an established road or trail. Exception: a landowner or a lessee who actively farms or ranches the land, or a person having written permission from the landowner or lessee, may use a motor-driven vehicle off of an established road or trail to hunt turkeys except during the deer gun season.
• Motor-driven vehicles may not be used off established roads and trails on state wildlife management areas, federal waterfowl production areas, and any other areas where motor-driven vehicles are restricted.
• Established roads or trails do not include temporary trails made for agricultural purposes.
• No person may use motor-driven vehicles on North Dakota Game and Fish Department Conservation PLOTS (Private Land Open To Sportsmen) property without permission from the landowner. These areas have been entrusted to the public for walking access through written agreements by private landowners. The boundaries of these properties are identified by large yellow triangular signs.

10. Areas Closed to Hunting

Federal or state properties such as refuges, sanctuaries, military installations, parks and historic sites posted no trespassing or hunting are closed to hunting wild turkeys.

When hunting near the boundaries of closed refuges, sanctuaries, military installations, parks or historic sites, make sure you are familiar with any retrieval restrictions that may apply.

11. Posting and Trespass

• Only the owner or tenant, or an individual authorized by the owner, may post land by placing signs alongside a
  public highway or boundary giving notice that no hunting is permitted on the land. The name of the person posting the land must appear on each sign in legible characters. The signs must be readable from outside the land and must be placed conspicuously and not more than 880 yards apart. On land entirely enclosed by a fence or other enclosure, posting of signs at or on all gates through the fence or enclosure constitutes a posting of all the enclosed land.
• Hunting on posted lands without permission from the owner or tenant is illegal and punishable by suspension of hunting, fishing, and trapping privileges for a period of at least one year.
• Any person may enter upon legally posted land (without a firearm or bow) to recover game shot or killed on land where he/she had a lawful right to hunt.
• It is illegal to hunt in unharvested cereal and oilseed crops, including sprouted winter wheat, alfalfa, clover and other grasses grown for seed, without the landowner’s consent, regardless of whether the land is posted or not.
• It is illegal to deface, take down or destroy posting signs.
• Failure to close gates upon exit or entry is a criminal violation punishable by forfeiture of hunting licenses.

15. Licenses Available by Unit

A maximum of 25 turkey licenses will be issued for a concurrent experimental turkey season for the city of Bismarck and specific surrounding areas. Licenses are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to those licensed to bow hunt deer within the city limits of Bismarck. Licenses are available at the Game and Fish headquarters in Bismarck after a person has received a valid city archery permit.

A maximum of 30 turkey licenses will be issued for a concurrent experimental turkey season for the USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Lab in Mandan. These licenses will be available at the Game and Fish Department once a person first obtains a permit from USDA-ARS.

16. Hunting by Nontribal Members on ND Indian Reservations

If an individual hunts exclusively on Indian lands within an Indian reservation, a tribal license is required and a state hunting license is not required. Hunting on nontribal lands within an Indian reservation requires a state hunting license. Game taken legally with a tribal license within an Indian reservation may be possessed and transported anywhere in North Dakota.

Portions of some units are located on Indian reservations. Contact reservation tribal offices for more information.

• Fort Berthold - Game and Fish Department, 404 Frontage Road, New Town, ND 58763, (701) 627-4760.
• Standing Rock - Game and Fish Department, Box D, Fort Yates, ND 58538, (701) 854-7236.
• Turtle Mountain - Department of Natural Resources, Box 570, Belcourt, ND 58316, (701) 477-2600.
• Spirit Lake - Fish and Wildlife Department, Box 359, Fort Totten, ND 58335, (701) 766-4221.

19. Map of Open Hunting Units