NORTH DAKOTA OUTDOORS MAGAZINE

Working With Partners

Ron Wilson

The welcoming committee on this day in early September at Engel’s Point Wildlife Management Area in Nelson County include three white-tailed deer, a scattered and skittish collection of mourning doves and a dozen or so unidentifiable ducks sitting a football field away on Stump Lake.

In short order, the wild critters, both seen and unseen, melt into the native forest and elsewhere as 40 or so humans gather to celebrate the 265-acre addition to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s public land portfolio.

The property, made up of wetland and grassland habitat, native forest and cropland that will be converted to grass, was donated years ago by the late Orville Engel of Nelson County to today’s owner, the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District. The Game and Fish Department’s role in this convergence of partners, which also includes Nelson County, is to manage the WMA.

“The North Dakota Game and Fish Department takes a lot of pride in working with partners in projects like this,” said Jeb Williams, Department director. “Working with partners is how we function now and into the future.”

Williams said that while we talk about agriculture and energy being the main economic drivers in the state, hunting, fishing and other outdoor pursuits on both public and private lands are certainly a cylinder in that economic engine.

“You can envision duck hunters spending time out here on this property, not to mention early morning bowhunters and others who will go into town, into the Friends & Neighbors Café to enjoy a nice breakfast, fill up with gas, all those different things that trickle down into the economy,” he said.

(from left) Cody Johnson, Jeb Williams, Duane DeKrey and Steve Forde

Engel’s Point WMA was dedicated in early September to a crowd of about 40 people, including (from left) Cody Johnson, Nelson County Commission chairman, Jeb Williams, Game and Fish Department director, Duane DeKrey, Garrison Diversion Conservancy District manager, and Steve Forde, Nelson County Commission vice chairman.

Brian Prince, Department wildlife resource management supervisor in Devils Lake, said when Game and Fish committed to manage the property, a hurdle that needed to be cleared was public access.

“The Department required access to the site, which meant that a road was needed to be repaired in order to get the public to the site,” Prince said. “That actually took an extended period of time due to some permitting issues and things like that. It was roughly a four-year process to bring this project to completion.”

The wait was worth it.

“Engel’s Point Wildlife Management Area is our newest wildlife management area in northeast North Dakota. There’s native grassland on it. There’s planted grassland. There are wetlands. There’s also some woody oak habitat along the shoreline as well, which makes it really good wildlife habitat,” Prince said. “My crew and I have been seeing lots of deer sign on the site. I’ve even seen sharp-tailed grouse and other upland game birds and Stump Lake has phenomenal waterfowl hunting in the fall.”

Duane DeKrey, Garrison Diversion Conservancy District general manager, said when he first visited the land eight years ago, he knew it was a problematic piece of property because of a collapsed barn, vacant house, and a noxious weed issue.

“Once I saw the property and saw the liability issues with it, I started thinking right away about what we were going to do. And I would say it was a good five- to six-year process from beginning to end for Garrison Diversion,” DeKrey said. “Eventually, we engaged with Game and Fish and came up with the plan that you see here today, which is the highest and best use for the property. The public should love this place. We’ve got fishing on one side. We’ve got upland game hunting on one side. We’ve got tree stand areas for hunting deer. What more could they ask for?”

While some improvements have already been made to Engel’s Point WMA, Prince said there is more work to be done.

“We are currently working on fencing the property and installing two parking areas. In the future, we’re hoping to add more grassland habitat to the tract and decrease the number of cropland acres,” he said. “And we have also been working on the noxious weed component that’s out here. Leafy spurge has infested a large portion of the site, and we have released some spurge beetles to combat that invasion. The district also began a chemical control program to address Canada thistle issues.”

Prince added that the Department is also working with Nelson County on their desires for the WMA, which include a bench on the point, mowed trail from the west shoreline of Stump Lake and the ability to maintain a boat dock.

“Engel’s Point is just a gem in our district. We’re looking forward to improving on that and just serving the public with another WMA in our wildlife management area system,” Prince said.

Return to North Dakota Outdoors October 2023 Edition