Buffaloberry Patch

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s 75th annual spring breeding duck survey conducted in May showed an index of nearly 3.4 million birds, up 16% from last year.

Migratory game bird supervisor Mike Szymanski said the index was the 23rd highest on record and stands 38% above the long-term (1948-2021) average.

Indices for most individual species, with the exception of green-winged teal, gadwall, wigeon and blue-winged teal, increased from 2021. Mallards were up 58% from 2021 and represented the 25th highest count on record. The ruddy duck index increased 157%, shovelers and pintails increased 126% and 108%, respectively, and other increases ranged from 4% for scaup to 69% for canvasbacks. Decreases from the 2021 index were observed for green-winged teal (-42%), gadwall (-36%), wigeon (-10%) and blue-winged teal (-4%).

“It’s important to note that some of our statewide increases in species counts might not reflect broader-scale population trends, especially for pintails,” Szymanski said. “The abnormally wet conditions in the state are likely holding a higher percentage of breeding pintails than normal. We’re coming off a very dry year that resulted in low reproduction, range-wide, for many species.”

The number of temporary and seasonal wetlands was substantially higher than last year, as figures show the spring water index is up 616%, the largest single year increase on record for the survey. 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. Consistent precipitation and cool weather leading up to the survey left a lot of water on the landscape in ditches and intermittent streams.

“Besides being our 75th consecutive survey year, this was an interesting survey, as we’ve gone back and forth between wet and dry conditions over the past couple of years,” Szymanski said. “We actually had our second highest wetland index in the state, which is largely made up of water that’ll dry up fairly quickly. But ponds that are important for brood-rearing habitat have rebounded nicely as well.

“A lot can change between May and hunting season, so we’ll get a few more looks from our July brood index and our September wetland count,” he added. “But duck production should be a little bit better this year than it was last year due to a stronger breeding effort. However, we continue to lose grass in upland nesting sites that will diminish reproductive potential for ducks in the state. Despite expected low Canada goose production this year due to the harsh conditions in April, we did have a record number of geese on breeding territories, so hunting opportunities for those birds should be pretty good again this year.”

Wildlife conservationists in North Dakota and elsewhere applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act in June, lauding the landmark legislation as the most significant investment in wildlife conservation in a generation.

If approved by the Senate, RAWA will provide unprecedented levels of funding for states, along with tribal nations, to conserve and recover imperiled wildlife and plant species.

According to the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, RAWA would strengthen the nation’s conservation legacy by dedicating $1.3 billion annually for state-level conservation and $97.5 million to tribal nations to recover and sustain healthy fish and wildlife populations. The funds will be used to accelerate the recovery of the more than 12,000 species of greatest conservation need across the country by implementing strategies identified in each state’s federally approved State Wildlife Action Plan.

If approved as is, it’s estimated that North Dakota could receive about $15 million annually in dedicated wildlife funding.

Jeb Williams, North Dakota Game and Fish Department director, said that while RAWA passing the House was momentous, he understands the hurdles the bill must clear to become reality.

“The Senate will now be the next step in the process and discussion continues amongst leadership on the importance of this funding,” he said.

Wildlife managers, Williams said, understand that listing a species as federally threatened or endangered may restrict or intensify certain actions on private and public lands. The cost of protection or restoration of a listed species is often far greater than preventing or stemming the decline in the first place.

“We have 115 species of conservation priority in North Dakota and the backbone of RAWA is to give extra attention to those species so they don’t become threatened or endangered,” he said. “Recovering America’s Wildlife Act is a state wildlife grant on steroids and the funding will certainly provide us the opportunity in North Dakota to keep that from happening.”

A bow fisherman from Bismarck has set a new bow/spear state record.

Mitch Estabrook arrowed a 60-pound, 8-ounce buffalo from Heart Butte Reservoir on May 16. It broke the previous record by 3 pounds, taken at Heart Butte Reservoir in 2017 by Derek Larson of Mandan.

Buffalo are a native fish sometimes confused with nonnative and invasive common carp. North Dakota Game and Fish Department records indicate that Estabrook’s fish is the largest weighed in the state that was not a paddlefish or pallid sturgeon.

Archery Hunters Plan for Licenses

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department reminds archery hunters to plan accordingly and allow for time to receive their bow tag in the mail as hunters will not receive their tag immediately after purchase.

Bow licenses can still be purchased at license vendors, but like last year the tag will arrive by postal mail, not over the counter while the customer waits. This applies while purchasing a bow license at a license vendor, or at the Game and Fish Department’s main office in Bismarck.

The bow tag will be mailed the next business day after the bow license is purchased. All archery hunters must have the bow tag in their possession before hunting.

Bow licenses can also be purchased online by visiting My Account.

Cami Wight, North Dakota Game and Fish Department lab technician (pictured) and Ryan Herigstad, Department game management technician, set cubby sets for pine martens across the Turtle Mountains in June as part of a three-year study with Michigan State University.

The goal of the study, which is in its first year, is to help assess prevalence, distribution and genetic variance of pine martens in the Turtle Mountains.

The cubby sets were baited with beaver meat, salmon oil was used as lure on the base of the tree, and sticky pads were strategically placed to collect marten hair samples.

Cameras were also placed at each site.

Anglers can help fisheries managers by reporting information on tagged fish.

Most tagged fish in North Dakota, except salmon, will have either a metal tag on the jawbone or a small tag attached near the dorsal fin. Tagged salmon have their adipose fin removed and also have a microscopic, coded wire tag embedded in their head. Anglers are asked to drop their tagged salmon heads off at Game and Fish offices in Riverdale or Bismarck so that biologists can remove the tag and read it.

North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries biologists say it’s imperative anglers report tagged fish from whatever waters they are fishing in, no matter if they end up in livewells or back in the lake. Anglers are also encouraged to treat tagged fish just like they would treat any other fish they might have caught. Anglers practicing catch-and-release should record the tag number before releasing the fish.

Anglers are asked to record the tag number and report that along with the date and location the fish was caught, approximate size and whether the fish was harvested or released. Tagged fish can be reported online, or call the Department’s main office in Bismarck at 701-328-6300.

Pronghorn Survey

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual aerial pronghorn survey began in early July and will determine pronghorn abundance, herd demographics and fawn production.

This data, which was not available at publication, is used to set the number of licenses for the fall hunting season.

The North Dakota Cooperative Fur Harvester Education Program is hosting fur harvester education classes on Aug. 2, 4, and 6 at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department in Bismarck and Oct. 6, 7, and 8 at the Velva Wildlife Club in Velva.

Fur harvester education classes are 16 hours in length, free, voluntary, and cover topics associated with trapping and fur hunting. Much of the instruction includes hands-on experience with traps and equipment commonly used for harvesting furbearers and properly caring for the pelts.

Successful completion of this training provides certification, which is recognized by other states where mandatory trapper education training is required. Participants can enroll for either of these classes online.

The North Dakota Cooperative Fur Harvester Education Program is also hosting a Using Cable Devices in North Dakota training seminar on Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Velva Wildlife Club.

The seminar is free and available to anyone who would like information and experience using cable devices. All aspects of cable device construction, care, use, ethics, responsibility, and legal requirements are covered. Much of the instruction includes hands-on field application and set construction. Preregistration is required by contacting Rick Tischaefer at 701-460-1055.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department offers a simple message to the well-intentioned who want to pick up and rescue what appear to be orphaned baby animals this time of year: don’t touch them. Whether it is a young fawn, duckling, cottontail rabbit or a songbird, it is better to leave them alone.

Often, young animals are not abandoned or deserted, and the mother is probably nearby. Young wildlife are purposely secluded by adults to protect them from predators.

Anytime a young wild animal has human contact, its chance of survival decreases significantly. It’s illegal to take wild animals home, and captive animals later returned to the wild will struggle to survive without possessing learned survival skills.

The only time a baby animal should be picked up is if it is in an unnatural situation, such as a young songbird found on a doorstep. In that case, the young bird can be moved to the closest suitable habitat.

Citizens should also steer clear of adult wildlife, such as deer or moose that might wander into urban areas. Crowding stresses animals and this can lead to a potentially dangerous situation.

In addition, motorists are reminded to watch for deer along roadways. During the next several weeks young animals are dispersing from home ranges, and with deer more active during this time, the potential for car deer collisions increase.