NORTH DAKOTA OUTDOORS MAGAZINE

2025 Legislative Review

Deputy Director Scott Peterson

Every other year in North Dakota, our elected officials gather in Bismarck to propose, review, debate, and ultimately vote on legislation that will set the course for the state and its citizens.

Some of those bills are also related to how the North Dakota Game and Fish Department delivers services to its customers.

That is partly why we closely track those bills and provide input or testimony as needed or appropriate.

Once bills are formally introduced, we sit down and discuss those bills and determine if they have a nexus to the Department and its customers based on their merit.

A decision is then made to either take a position of support, opposition, or to remain neutral and simply provide relevant information when requested.

As the curtain fell on the 69th legislative assembly, it’s important to take a step back, as we always do, and assess how the session went from the standpoint of the Department’s customer base.

We began the session by tracking as many as 20 bills that had the potential to affect, either directly or indirectly, how the Department conducts business into the future.

Of course, not all bills ultimately become law.

And, as is always the case, some bills generated more scrutiny and discussion than others.

The Department makes every attempt to represent our customer base when considering our position on all bills.

However, that base is oftentimes divided on their specific perspective of legislation so it can be virtually impossible to represent all individual interests in a way that satisfies everyone.

That’s partly why we encourage people to get involved in the legislative process.

That process in North Dakota is built around, and encourages, citizen participation.

Understanding this, it’s important to make your opinions known to your respective lawmakers.

Father and son with son's first deer

In hindsight, I would say that our customers fared fairly well in this past session.

What I base that on is the people who make up our customer base will likely not notice an appreciable difference in hunting, fishing, and trapping regulations as they continue to enjoy the outdoors in our great state for at least the next two years.

Passed

HB 1017 – Appropriates $114,864,690 to the Game and Fish Department for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027.
HB 1082 – Defines farmed elk as mammals of the North American elk genus and species (cervus canadensis) confined in a manmade enclosure designed to prevent escape.
HB 1094 – Nonprofit organizations eligible to apply for special allocation big game hunting licenses for fundraising must be exempt from federal income taxation under section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19), and must contribute at least 20% of the net proceeds of any raffle of a license to a conservation-related project.
HB 1147 – A resident disabled veteran who has at least a 50% service-connected disability qualifies for the $3 combined general game, habitat, small game and furbearer license.
HB 1174 – The Department may establish educational and community outreach programs to promote public understanding of fisheries and wildlife management and promote interest in pursuing careers in fields employed by the Department, including by job shadowing of field activities.
HB 1260 – Fifteen percent of the total mule deer gun licenses made available in the current year must be made available as nonresident any-deer bow licenses.
HB 1412 – The director shall provide that each application for a deer lottery license contain the option for an unsuccessful applicant to donate the license fee to the Private Land Open To Sportsmen program.
HB 1470 – Increases the fees of some hunting and fishing licenses, and changes hunting guide and outfitter requirements.
HB 1598 – An individual, while hunting big game or small game, other than waterfowl or cranes, may not use a motor-driven vehicle on any land other than an established road or trail without the written permission of the landowner, unless that individual has reduced a big game animal to possession.
SB 2137 – The Department may not adopt a rule or implement a policy prohibiting or restricting the use of supplemental feed on private property for hunting a big game animal. Has a sunset clause of July 31, 2029.
SB 2155 – The number of pronghorn gratis licenses issued may not exceed one-half of the any pronghorn licenses available. In addition, if the individual is unsuccessful in the landowner lottery, that application may be included in a lottery for remaining licenses.
SB 2216 – A waterfowl habitat restoration electronic stamp is required for every resident and nonresident to hunt waterfowl at a fee of $5. In addition, creates a waterfowl habitat improvement fund for improving and restoring waterfowl habitat and supporting youth hunting programs.
SB 2245 – Allows the hunting of waterfowl from a floating craft without a motor propelled exclusively by paddle, oars or pole; or with a motor if the craft is at rest and the motor has been turned off.
SB 2309 – Allows the statewide antlerless white-tailed youth deer license to be issued as an antlerless license through governor’s proclamation.

Failed

HB 1236 – Hunting and fishing license fees and application fees may be used only for departmental programs and administration unrelated to chronic wasting disease.
HB 1237 – A nonresident may purchase a nonresident upland and small game license to hunt upland and small game, except waterfowl, during the entire upland and small game hunting seasons. In addition, eliminates the nonresident 14-day or two 7-day small game licenses.
HB 1325 – The director shall keep a record of and make available to the public all positive detections of chronic wasting disease for four years, including a microscopic slide of the prion and necropsy report.
SB 2168 – An individual may not hunt or pursue game within 440 yards of a building, occupied structure, or storage structure without the consent of the property owner.
SB 2197 – An individual over the age of 75 may use a crossbow during the bow season.
SB 2199 – A resident disabled veteran who has a 100% service-connected disability is entitled to receive an additional bonus point when applying for a deer license issued by lottery.

Return to North Dakota Outdoors May 2025 Edition