Paddlefish Tags Online

Mon, 04/03/2023

North Dakota’s paddlefish snagging season opens May 1, and snaggers should note the sale and distribution of paddlefish tags are similar to last year.

Paddlefish tags are available for purchase online at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov, at license vendors, and during normal business hours at Game and Fish Department offices in Bismarck, Dickinson, Jamestown, Devils Lake, Lonetree (Harvey) and Williston.

Snaggers buying tags online or at a vendor should plan accordingly and allow for a few days delivery as tags are distributed through the mail.

Whooping Crane Migration

Mon, 04/03/2023

Whooping cranes are in the midst of their spring migration and sightings will increase as they make their way through North Dakota over the next several weeks. Anyone seeing these endangered birds as they move through the state should report sightings so the birds can be tracked.

The whooping cranes that do travel through North Dakota are part of a population of about 500 birds on their way from wintering grounds in Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas to nesting grounds at Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada, a distance of about 2,500 miles.

Whoopers stand about 5 feet tall and have a wingspan of about 7 feet from tip to tip. They are bright white with black wing tips, which are visible only when the wings are outspread. In flight, they extend their long necks forward, while their long, slender legs extend out behind the tail. Whooping cranes typically migrate singly, or in groups of 2-3 birds, and may be associated with sandhill cranes.

Other white birds such as snow geese, swans and egrets are often mistaken for whooping cranes. The most common misidentification is pelicans, because their wingspan is similar and they tuck their pouch in flight, leaving a silhouette similar to a crane when viewed from below.

Anyone sighting whoopers should not disturb them, but record the date, time, location and the birds' activity. Observers should also look for and report colored bands, which may occur on one or both legs. Whooping cranes have been marked with colored leg bands to help determine their identity.

Whooping crane sightings should be reported to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offices at Lostwood, 701-848-2466; Audubon, 701-442-5474; the North Dakota Game and Fish Department in Bismarck, 701-328-6300; or to local game wardens across the state. Reports help biologists locate important whooping crane habitat areas, monitor marked birds, determine survival and population numbers, and identify times and migration routes.

Mountain Lion Late Season Closes in Zone 1

Tue, 03/28/2023

Mountain lion hunting during the late season in Zone 1 is closed after the harvest limit of seven total cats was reached. 

The mountain lion season in Zone 2, which is the rest of the state outside Zone 1, has no harvest limit and is open through March 31.

Game and Fish Pays Property Taxes

Mon, 03/27/2023

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department recently paid more than $729,000 in taxes to counties in which the department owns or leases land. The 2022 in-lieu-of-tax payments are the same as property taxes paid by private landowners.

 The Game and Fish Department manages more than 200,000 acres for wildlife habitat and public hunting in 51 counties. The department does not own or manage any land in Traill or Renville counties. 

Following is a list of counties and the tax payments received. 

Report Bald Eagle Nest Sightings

Mon, 03/27/2023

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is asking for help locating active bald eagle nests.

Conservation biologist Sandra Johnson said the department is looking for locations of nests with eagles present, not individual eagle sightings.

Eagles lay eggs in early to mid-March, which hatch about a month later. Johnson said it’s easy to distinguish an eagle nest because of its enormous size.

Nearly 350 active bald eagle nests can be found in 47 of the 53 counties in the state. Historically, Johnson said nests were found along river corridors, but that’s not the case today, as bald eagles will nest in trees in the middle of pastures, fields or anywhere near a food source.

Nest observations should be reported online at the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov. Observers are asked not to disturb the nest, and to stay a safe distance away. Johnson said foot traffic may disturb the bird, likely causing the eagle to leave her eggs or young unattended.

Elk, Moose, Bighorn Sheep Apps Due March 29

Mon, 03/27/2023

Elk, moose and bighorn sheep applications must be submitted online before midnight, March 29.

Applicants can apply by visiting My Account at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov.

Elk, moose and bighorn sheep lottery licenses are issued as once-in-a-lifetime licenses in North Dakota. Hunters who have received a license through the lottery in the past are not eligible to apply for that species again.

Grant Application to Assist R3 Efforts

Mon, 03/20/2023

Wildlife, shooting, fraternal and nonprofit civic organizations can submit an application for the Encouraging Tomorrow’s Hunters program, a North Dakota Game and Fish Department grant program developed to assist in the recruitment, retention and reactivation of hunters.

The program supports projects and events that provide a positive environment to develop the skills and confidence needed to create lifelong, conservation-minded hunting and shooting sports participants.

Application deadline is May 1.

The maximum grant allowed is $3,000. The program currently helps fund approximately 40 club and organization events and projects each year, with an average grant of $1,550.

Funds help cover event expenses, including promotional printing; event memorabilia such as shirts, caps or vests; ammunition and targets; and eye and ear protection.

Past funding has enabled groups to conduct learn-to-hunt events, or sponsor trap and other shooting events, including archery and rifle shooting. Game and Fish has separate grant programs that support National Archery in the Schools Program and high school trapshooting teams.  

Clubs or organizations interested in applying should note the grant process, application, and records requirements. For more information, including a grant application, visit the Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov, or contact Cayla Bendel, department R3 coordinator, at 701-220-3461.

Elk, Moose, Bighorn Sheep Applications Online

Thu, 03/16/2023

Elk, moose and bighorn sheep applications are available online at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov. The deadline for applying is March 29.

A total of 603 elk licenses are available to hunters this fall, an increase of 40 from last year.

Licenses in units E1E and E1W increased due to a stable to increasing elk population. Licenses in elk units E2, E3, E4 and E6 remain the same as in 2022. 

A total of 257 moose licenses are available, a decrease of 147 from last year. 

Licenses in units M6 and M8 remain the same as the moose population appears to be stable with good hunter success in these units. Licenses in M5 increased slightly due to a stable population and several consecutive years with all hunters successful in this unit. Licenses in M9, M10 and M11 are reduced due to an observed decrease in the population from winter aerial surveys, a decrease in hunter success and a winter tick outbreak the previous spring that impacted the population in these areas. Moose units M4 and M1C will remain closed due to a continued downward population trend in the northeastern part of the state. 

A bighorn sheep hunting season is tentatively scheduled for 2023, depending on the sheep population. The status of the bighorn sheep season will be determined Sept. 1, after summer population surveys are completed. 

Bighorn sheep applicants must apply for a license at the same time as moose and elk, but not for a specific unit. Once total licenses are determined for each unit in late summer, the bighorn lottery will be held and successful applicants contacted to select a hunting unit.

Because the bighorn sheep application fee is not refundable as per state law, if a bighorn season is not held, applicants would not receive a refund.

Elk, moose and bighorn sheep lottery licenses are issued as once-in-a-lifetime licenses in North Dakota. Hunters who have received a license through the lottery in the past are not eligible to apply for that species again.

2023-24 Licenses Needed April 1

Wed, 03/15/2023

North Dakota anglers, trappers and hunters are reminded that new licenses are required beginning April 1.

Licenses can be purchased online by visiting the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. Once the license is processed, hunters and anglers will have the option to print a hard copy and/or download the license to a smart phone or mobile device, which is helpful when asked to show proof while hunting or fishing in rural areas that lack cellular service.

Licenses can also be purchased at more than 140 vendor locations throughout the state. The 2023-24 small game, fishing and furbearer licenses are effective April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024. 

Nonresident Any-Deer Bow Licenses

Mon, 03/13/2023

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will have 862 any-deer bow licenses available to nonresidents in 2023.

Applicants can apply online beginning March 15 on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov. The deadline to apply is April 15. 

Up to five hunters can apply together as a party. A lottery will be held if more applications are received than licenses available. A total of 1,836 people applied in 2022. 

The number of nonresident any-deer bow licenses available is 15% of the previous year’s mule deer gun license allocation.

Grant Supports High School Trap League

Mon, 03/13/2023

Local clubs or communities interested in receiving a grant to support a high school trap shooting team must have the application in before April 1. Existing teams that have received a grant in the past are not eligible.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department offers a grant of up to $1,000, with funds designed to purchase gear such as eye and hearing protection, vests, shell bags and magnetic barrel rests.

Interested applicants can print out the high school trap league grant application online at the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.

For more information, contact Game and Fish education section leader Marty Egeland at 328-6612, or email megeland@nd.gov.

Game and Fish Volunteers Recognized

Mon, 03/13/2023

Volunteer instructors for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department were recently recognized at the annual banquet in Bismarck.

Gary Knotts, Fargo, was recognized as Hunter Education Instructor of the Year and Heather Retzer, Wahpeton, was named Volunteer of the Year. Minot instructors Jon Hughes, Justin Hughes and Harold Capaci were recognized as Team of the Year.

Thirty-year service awards were presented to Richard Bahm, Mandan; James Borkowski, Bottineau; Myron Brager, Finley; Joseph Haas, Lidgerwood; Robert Haglund, Minot; Doyle Roeder, Bismarck; Dale Veselka, Tower City; Curtis Walen, Carrington; and Merle Weatherly, Jamestown.

Recognized for 25 years of service were Burns Bailey, Moffit; Mark Berg, Nortonville; Matthew Evans, Stanley; William Gauslow, Wahpeton; Larry Leier, Hague; Mike Marquette, Cogswell; Bradley Moser, Medina; Scott Sigette, Devils Lake; Melisa Toepke-Peterson, Fargo; Beverly Turbiville, Dickinson; and Leonard Wysocki Jr., Grafton.

Honored for 20 years of service were Janice Bishop, Kathryn; Doug Hintzman, Kulm; Justin Houghton, Steele; Peggy Knotts, Fargo; Joe Lautenschlager, Berthold; Jeffrey Lemer, Anamoose; Robert Miller, Oakes; Mark Pfeifer, Lidgerwood; and Scott Wagner, Casselton.

Fifteen-year service awards were presented to Roger Decker, Belfield; Michael Feener, Fargo; Mike Graue, Devils Lake; Terry Huwe, Menoken; Casey Martin, Bismarck; Michael Myers, Dickinson; Timothy Nelson, Harvey; John Paulson, Bismarck; Randy Schock, Bismarck; Penny Slagle, Williston; and Joe Tuchscherer, Rugby.

Ten-year active instructors recognized were Lena Bohm, Mohall; Kaya Engen, Bismarck; Jose Figueroa-Diaz, Fargo; David Hammond, Abercrombie; Clint Johnson, Carrington; Nicholas Krump, Grand Forks; Jason Sauer, Glen Ullin; Kristofer Schmidt, Velva; and Eric Viall, Ray.

Recognized for five years of service were Charles Betts, Minot; James Decker, Bismarck; Michael Deville, New Town; Seth Engelstad, Walhalla; Bernard Ficek, Bismarck; Clarence Gilstad, Ashley; Michael Goroski, Wahpeton; Michael Hamling, Hankinson; Katrina Haugen, Minto; Wayne Henderson, Edgeley; Isaac Hendrickson, Agate; Nathan Hill, Wahpeton; Jesse Kalberer, Bismarck; Jeanette Kieper, Bismarck; Trevor Larsen, Bowdon; Howdy Lawlar, Watford City; Bruce Leiseth, Jamestown; Arlyce Malarkey, Bismarck; Michael Malarkey, Bismarck; Brian Miller, Heaton; Jeremy Mohl, Williston; Dustin Newman, Watford City; Albert Olson, Bismarck; Frank Rohloff, Grand Forks; Scott Rupert, Des Lacs; Ethan Shulind, Grand Forks; Danielle Siverhus-Dinger, Oakes; Timothy Smith, Burlington; and Lori Wertz, Fargo. 

Two-year active instructors recognized were Arvid Anderson, Pick City; Brayden Barnhart, Dickinson; Nicholas Berry, Waterloo, Iowa; Baron Blanchard, Bismarck; Nat Bornsen, Larimore; Dan Brown, Williston; Penny Brown, Williston; Larry Derr, Glenburn; Myron Gunderson, Medina; Phillip Hatcher, Valley City; Jesse Herman, Gwinner; Karna Johnson, Fargo; Jimmy Jones, Williston; Amanda Korynta, Fargo; Matthew Liebel, Williston; Kaia Mahrer, Rutland; Adam Miller, Bismarck; Cedric Monson, Bismarck; Rob Owens, Hillsboro; Kalob Poitra, Belcourt; Scott Redding, Burlington; Michael Schirado, Linton; Rachel Spear, Drake; Heather Stabler, Watford City; Barbara Tessier, Belfield; Chris Tischaefer, Butte; Jessica Ware, Kenmare; and Jeff Winslow, Williston.