NORTH DAKOTA OUTDOORS MAGAZINE

E-Stamp Needed to Hunt Waterfowl

Cayla Bendel

Those of you looking to put eyes to skies for flocks of waterfowl this fall — be they greenheads, honkers, buffies or even Hollywoods — will notice an additional $5 waterfowl habitat restoration electronic stamp is required effective Aug. 1.

The stamp is a result of Senate Bill 2216 that came out of North Dakota’s 69th legislative gathering that wrapped up in May. The bill states the electronic stamp is required for residents and nonresidents to hunt waterfowl in the state. It also created a new fund called the Waterfowl Habitat Improvement Fund. The money generated from the stamp will be deposited into the fund and “may be expended for improving or restoring waterfowl habitat and supporting youth hunting programs.”

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Sean Cleary, Bismarck, and Reps. Glenn Bosch, Bismarck and Todd Porter, Mandan, was largely brought to life by the newly formed North Dakota Waterfowl and Agriculture Association. NDWAA formed in the spring of 2024 and according to their website, is “dedicated to fostering sustainable waterfowl hunting and agriculture in North Dakota.” They advocate for balanced hunting opportunities and regulations that safeguard farmers’ interests.

The Game and Fish Department remained neutral on the bill, though Casey Anderson, Department deputy director, acknowledges it offers both financial benefits and data improvements for the agency.

Under the current system, state wildlife managers have no great way of tracking resident waterfowl hunters as a small game license or combination license both allow, but are not specific to waterfowl hunting, and the federally mandated duck stamp can be purchased in any state, at other license vendors, or even local post offices.

The new North Dakota electronic stamp more accurately depicts resident waterfowl hunting participation and streamlines the Department’s waterfowl hunting harvest survey efforts, while contributing about $500,000 a biennium into the Waterfowl Habitat Improvement Fund. This is one of those efforts where hunters and landowners want to improve hunting opportunities and give back to the resource they are pursuing.

Duck hunters with decoy and boat

North Dakota now joins seven of 10 states in the Central Flyway that require a state-specific waterfowl stamp.

If you’ve spent any time in stubble fields or sloughs in the last few years, it’s no secret things have changed. In 2024, North Dakota had about 44,000 waterfowl hunters in the state, 28,000 of which were nonresidents limited to their two 7-day periods, and about 16,000 resident hunters, according to agency estimates.

It’s not uncommon for hunters to spend the night in pickups to ensure field access the following morning, send out scouting groups of five or more vehicles in hopes of securing just one spot to hunt or to lock up permission for multiple fields to save birds for consecutive days.

Likewise, wildlife managers hear from landowners about dozens of calls rolling in past sunset during peak migration, disputes over hunting permission, and conflicts over who got there first.

Needless to say, it’s competitive out there.

And for good reason. North Dakota is a special place for waterfowl connoisseurs. Not only does the state claim the name “duck factory” for our disproportionate contribution to duck production, but the state is one of the first stops during the fall migration. And anyone who has had the pleasure of witnessing those dark shadows weave their way into the decoys before legal shooting or heard the sounds of the prairie on a cold October day, would understandably go to great lengths to continue to experience just that.

However, it’s a bit of a misconception that North Dakota has more waterfowl hunters than ever out there. In 1975, there were 73,000 waterfowl hunters in the state, the highest year on record, with 67,000 residents and 6,000 nonresidents.

The difference is habitat availability and hunting strategies have changed. North Dakota once had 5 million acres of wetlands but has since lost 60% of those. The resulting loss of wetlands, many of which were semi-permanent wetlands, changes concentrations of waterfowl. Ten little ponds and one big pond that hold the same amount of water are two very different things to a duck and duck hunters.

Farms are larger, and therefore land ownership is more disproportionately distributed amongst fewer landowners. If a hunter had permission from a singular landowner, it may have been for 160 to 640 acres but today could mean thousands. And the hunt for decoying birds in a field feed has drastically grown in popularity, likely contributed to by the many industries who benefit from such a gear-intensive strategy.

“There used to be hundreds of people that sat along Lake Audubon and pass-shot birds, they called it the ‘firing line,” Anderson said.

And, of course, there is access. One could even argue it’s a component exacerbated by all the others, less habitat and fewer landowners to grant permission makes the areas with habitat and those who are willing much more in demand.

All of this combined has contributed to growing concerns about the future of waterfowling in North Dakota. And much of it lies at the core of the creation of NDWAA and Senate Bill 2216.

While limiting nonresident hunters is often suggested to address some of these dynamics, it’s a difficult thing for the Department to assess, especially under the current licensing. And wildlife managers must keep in mind; the state is flush with avid hunters who also like to travel elsewhere. And like everything the Department does, it’s a balance.

The full solution likely lies at the interface of waterfowl habitat improvements, wetland conservation, and private landowner relationships and partnerships. But coming together for the future of this special heritage is certainly a great start.

While some hunters don’t quite have whistling wings on the mind yet, there are certainly die-hards counting the days to Aug. 15. Thus, if you’re a resident and you’ve already purchased your small game or combination license, be sure to get the new e-stamp on the Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov, before heading afield.

And why an electronic stamp? It’s because it’s less of an administrative burden and follows closely with the new federal duck stamp move to electronic, easing enforcement concerns and hunter compliance.

“The waterfowl habitat restoration electronic stamp will ultimately help us better understand and manage the resource and thereby hunting opportunities,” Anderson said.

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