Buffaloberry Patch

Partnership is Key to WMA Addition

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has added 255 acres to an existing wildlife management area south of Washburn in McLean County. The addition was dedicated on May 10, 2017.

Called Painted Woods WMA, the original area of 585 acres, just upstream of where Painted Woods Creek flows into the Missouri River about six miles south of Washburn, was purchased by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in 1988. Game and Fish then assumed primary management of the area.

The recent project came about after several flood events in recent years inundated private farmland along Painted Woods Creek.

After mitigating those flood events, the McLean County Commission and Water Board approached Game and Fish to possibly partner in a project designed to alleviate flooding that occurs at the lower end of the Painted Woods Creek watershed.

Eventually the county, Game and Fish and several other wildlife groups, forged an agreement for purchase with the adjacent landowner that was

supported by the county, nearby landowners, and other agricultural and wildlife interests.

The proposed acquisition was approved by the state Natural Areas Acquisition Advisory Committee and former Governor Jack Dalrymple in spring 2016.

Game and Fish will manage the land. The county will begin constructing the flood control features as soon as possible. Game and Fish is also going to develop a small fishing lake on the new property, as well as develop other wildlife habitat.

Spring Breeding Duck Numbers Tallied

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s 70th annual spring breeding duck survey conducted in May showed an index of 2.95 million birds, down 15 percent from last year.

Mike Szymanski, Department migratory game bird supervisor, said even though the index is below 3 million for the first time since 1994, it still stands 23 percent above the long-term average (1948-2016) and is the 24th highest on record.

“Fortunately, we still have a lot of ducks,” Szymanski said.

Survey results indicate canvasbacks (up 23 percent), pintails (up 5 percent) and redheads (up 2 percent) increased from their 2016 estimates, while shovelers were unchanged. Mallards were fairly stable (down 5 percent), while ruddy ducks showed the largest decrease (down 36 percent).

All other ducks were 16-28 percent below last year’s numbers. However, most species, with the exception of pintails, blue-winged teal and ruddy ducks, were well-above the 69-year average.

The number of temporary and seasonal wetlands was higher than last year, as figures show the spring water index was up 78 percent. However, Szymanski said that is misleading.

“Last year’s water index was very low during our survey, and was followed by a lot of rain in late spring,” he said. “When you combine that with winter snow melt, the temporary and seasonal wetlands had water during the survey, but were struggling to hang on.”

Szymanski said because of habitat concerns, it looks like there might be a struggle to produce ducks, with the exception of the northeast portion of the state and to a lesser degree the northern tier.

Szymanski said there were also areas struggling to attract pairs of ducks where he expected to see better numbers.

“There was a fair bit of water in bigger basins, but those larger water areas aren’t attractive to ducks, as they look for smaller wetlands, and those were drying up.”

The water index is based on basins with water, and does not necessarily represent the amount of water contained in wetlands or the type of wetlands represented.

Szymanski said the July brood survey will provide a better idea of duck production and insight into expectations for this fall.

“And as we have seen in recent years, a lot depends on bird movements before and during hunting seasons, and weather patterns during the migration,” he said.

Pronghorn and Swan Apps

Hunting license applications for fall pronghorn and swan seasons will be on the Game and Fish Department’s website (gf.nd.gov) and at vendors in mid-July.

The pronghorn application deadline is August 2, followed by the swan deadline August 16.

Watchable Wildlife Photo Contest Open

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual Watchable Wildlife Photo Contest is now open, and the deadline for submissions is October 2.

The contest has categories for nongame and game species, as well as plants/insects. An overall winning photograph will be chosen, with the number of place winners in each category determined by the number of qualified entries.

Contest entries are limited to digital files submitted on disk or via email. Contestants are limited to no more than five entries. Photos must have been taken in North Dakota.

By submitting an entry, photographers grant permission to Game and Fish to publish winning photographs in North Dakota OUTDOORS magazine, on the Department’s website, gf.nd.gov, as well as the agency social media channels.

Photo disks should be sent to Watchable Wildlife Photo Contest, C/O Patrick T. Isakson, North Dakota Game and Fish Department, 100 N. Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck, ND 58501-5095.

Send emailed digital photos to photocontest@nd.gov. Photographers will need to supply the original image if needed for publication.

Photo disks will not be returned. All entries must be accompanied by the photographer’s name, address, phone number and email address if available. Other information such as photo site location and month taken are also useful.

Game and Fish at State Fair

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will host thousands of visitors to its Conservation and Outdoors Skills Park July 21-29 at the State Fair in Minot.

Visitors will be treated to an array of activities, exhibits and useful information as the park is open from 1-7 p.m. daily. Pathways to Hunting, Fishing, Trapping and Archery are major attractions where interested kids and adults can participate in each outdoor activity.

In addition to hands-on outdoor learning opportunities, the area offers a live fish display, furbearer exhibit and native prairie plantings. Two information centers staffed by Game and Fish Department personnel bookend the Conservation and Outdoors Skills Park, which is located on the north end of the state fairgrounds near the State Fair Center.

ANS Compliance Checks

Jim Job, North Dakota Game and Fish Department warden, Devils Lake, visits with anglers getting ready to launch their boat on Devils Lake at Grahams Island State Park during an aquatic nuisance species compliance check in June. Job said the enforcement division is conducting more road checks this year and are also being more aware of boats going down the road. The top ANS violation, Job said, is boats being trailered down the road with their drain plugs still in.

Rugby Student Captures State High School Clay Target Title

Seth Jaeger of Rugby broke every target he shot at to win the 2017 North Dakota State High School League Clay Target championship, held June 17 at the Shooting Park near Horace.

High school trap shooting is a fast-growing activity in North Dakota, and the 2017 state tournament attracted more than 600 entrants, more than 200 over the 2016 total.

Each competitor shot three rounds at 25 targets per round, and Jaeger compiled a perfect score of 75 to take the high gun varsity male and overall high gun titles.

Gabby Fischer of Grand Forks Central broke 71 targets to claim the high gun varsity female title, while West Fargo Sheyenne captured the team title. Top individual and team scores are as follows:

High Gun Varsity Male

• First, Seth Jaeger, Rugby, 75; second, Ordale Morstad, Munich, 73 (tie-breaker); third Devin Klingbeil, Central Cass, 73 (tie-breaker).

High Gun Junior Varsity Male

• Blake Didier, Valley City, 72; Matt Lyter, Valley City, 70; Josh Hudson, Richland, 69.

High Gun Novice Male

• Levi Gilbertson, Kindred, 69 (tie-breaker); Sam Mehus, Valley City, 69; George Ringuette, Barnes County North, 64.

High Gun Varsity Female

• Gabby Fischer, Grand Forks Central, 71; Kelsey Stumvoll, Garrison, 70; Kyla Radomski, Rugby, 65.

High Gun Junior Varsity Female

• Emma Mielke, Valley City, 67; Kathleen Gilbertson, Enderlin, 65; Megan Mathison, Fargo Shanley, 63.

High Gun Novice Female

• Joncy Mastel, Wahpeton, 69; Emma Jordet, Grand Forks Red River, 62; Alex Houser, Garrison, 59.

Team Totals

• West Fargo Sheyenne, 361; Grand Forks Central, 356; Devils Lake 352; Fargo Oak Grove, 351; Valley City, 350.

Game and Fish Pays $644,000 in Property Taxes

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department recently paid more than $644,000 in taxes to counties in which the Department owns or leases land. The 2016 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 they received. Tax payment for Foster County was not available at the time of publication.

County	Tax Due	County	Tax Due	County	Tax Due
Adams	$184.05	Grand Forks	$16,610.77	Pierce	$2,819.98
Barnes	5,709.88	Grant	1,218.87	Ramsey	16,503.19
Benson	4,538.30	Griggs	95.71	Ransom	1,706.58
Billings	279.06	Hettinger	4,690.83	Richland	16,283.26
Bottineau	5,336.06	Kidder	10,446.68	Rolette	41,699.00
Bowman	2,316.12	LaMoure	9,734.65	Sargent	18,222.08
Burke	1,119.99	Logan	331.63	Sheridan	66,788.36
Burleigh	29,138.98	McHenry	1,841.03	Sioux	297.28
Cass	7,244.52	McIntosh	9,138.74	Slope	1,424.09
Cavalier	28,911.28	McKenzie	33,604.23	Stark	4,680.48
Dickey	13,399.83	McLean	101,583.15	Steele	7,778.54
Divide	1,757.60	Mercer	15,952.71	Stutsman	4,916.05
Dunn	6,529.46	Morton	18,735.44	Towner	2,229.33
Eddy	6,488.04	Mountrail	8,101.21	Walsh	11,063.61
Emmons	4,396.03	Nelson	5,998.82	Ward	101.87
Foster	N/A	Oliver	2,996.67	Wells	68,884.87
Golden Valley	165.55	Pembina	16,161.38	Williams	3,843.12

Hunting Guide and Outfitter Test Set

The next guide and outfitter written examination is August 12 at 1 p.m. at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department office in Bismarck. The test is given periodically to anyone interested in becoming a hunting guide or outfitter in the state.

In addition to passing a written exam, qualifications for becoming a guide include a background check for criminal and game and fish violations; certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and standard first aid; and employment by or contract with a licensed hunting outfitter.

Hunting outfitter eligibility requirements include the guide qualifications, as well as an individual must have held a hunting guide license for two years; and must have proof of liability insurance.

Interested individuals are required to preregister by calling the Game and Fish Department’s enforcement office at 701-328-6604.