Caution Urged Near Bridge Project on Missouri River

Fri, 03/27/2026

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department, under U.S. Coast Guard authority, has created an idle speed only and navigational safety zone near an ongoing bridge construction project on the Missouri River.

With spring’s early ice out, March 30 will mark the start of an idle speed only area and a navigation channel through the Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railroad bridge project. The navigational channel will be marked with green and red floating buoys to direct the public to the navigable area through the construction zone. The navigational channel will change locations when phase two of the construction season starts, which is anticipated to be sometime in June.   

Additionally, the project area will be marked with multiple types of lighted floating buoys and encloses an area from the west bank north of the project staging area, to the east bank, and then following the east bank south approximately 1,500 feet and back to the river’s west bank.

The “No Boats” buoys are located north and south of the active construction barges and have yellow flashing lights for nighttime visibility. The solid, white light “Idle Speed Only” buoys indicate where the idle speed zone starts and operate day and night.

The cautions are in place to protect people and boat traffic during the construction project and operate during the open water months on the Missouri River near Bismarck-Mandan. Also, river users operating paddlecraft, such as canoes and kayaks, are encouraged to exit the river upstream or downstream of the navigational safety zone.

A violation of the regulatory buoys is subject to a fine under North Dakota Administrative Code.

Elk, Moose, Bighorn Sheep Apps Due

Mon, 03/23/2026

Elk, moose and bighorn sheep applications must be submitted online before midnight, March 25.

Applicants can apply by visiting My Account at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov.

Elk, moose and bighorn sheep lottery licenses are issued as once-in-a-lifetime licenses in North Dakota. Hunters who have received a license through the lottery in the past are not eligible to apply for that species again.

2026 Waterfowl Hunting Season

Mon, 03/23/2026

North Dakota’s waterfowl season opens for residents Sept. 26, while nonresidents may begin hunting waterfowl Oct. 5.

The resident-only portion of the season has been extended from seven days in previous years to nine days in 2026. This change, which was first presented to the public starting summer 2025, provides additional early season opportunities for resident hunters.

The zones and overall season structure for nonresident hunters will remain the same as the 2025 hunting season.

The North Dakota 2026-27 Hunting and Trapping Guide will be available this summer and will provide further details on the waterfowl hunting season.

Spring Mule Deer Survey Begins

Mon, 03/23/2026

The state Game and Fish Department’s annual spring aerial mule deer survey is scheduled for April 1–24 in western North Dakota and typically takes about two weeks to complete, weather permitting.

During the survey period, people could notice low-flying small airplanes over some parts of the badlands.

Game and Fish biologists have completed aerial surveys of the same 24 badlands study areas since the 1950s. The purpose of the survey is to determine a population index to assess mule deer abundance in the badlands. 

2026-28 Fishing Regulations Set

Mon, 03/16/2026

North Dakota’s 2026-28 fishing proclamation is set, with regulations effective April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2028. New fishing licenses are required April 1.

Anglers can find the North Dakota 2026-28 Fishing Guide online at the state Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov, or at Game and Fish Department offices and license vendors throughout the state.

Noteworthy regulation changes include:

• Allows for the use of white sucker as legal live baitfish on the Missouri River System, Lake Audubon, Devils Lake and Stump Lake. Suckers remain legal in the Red and Bois de Sioux rivers.
• Allows for the harvest of chinook salmon with the reinitiation of a snag­ging season. Also, allows for the harvest of salmon with archery and spearing equipment during the new snagging season.
• Requirement to register before participating in darkhouse spearfish­ing eliminated.
• White bass daily and possession limits increased to 30 and 60, respectively.

The 2026-27 fishing licenses can be purchased online by visiting the Game and Fish website starting March 15.

2026-27 Licenses Needed April 1

Mon, 03/16/2026

North Dakota anglers, hunters and trappers should note that new licenses are required beginning April 1.

Licenses can be purchased online by visiting the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. Once the license is processed, hunters and anglers will have the option to print a hard copy and/or download the license to a smart phone or mobile device, which is helpful when asked by a game warden to show proof while hunting or fishing in rural areas that lack cellular service.

Licenses can also be purchased at more than 80 vendor locations throughout the state. The 2026-27 small game, fishing and furbearer licenses are effective April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. 

Deadline to Remove Fish Houses

Mon, 03/09/2026

Unoccupied fish houses must be removed from all waters beginning March 15.

Fish houses may be used after March 15 if they are removed daily.

In addition, anglers are encouraged to look around and clean up the site if any trash is found left behind.

Game Wardens Association Offers Scholarships

Mon, 03/09/2026

The North Dakota Game Wardens Association is sponsoring scholarships for the fall semester for higher education students interested in majoring in wildlife law enforcement or a related field.

Applications must be submitted by email to ndgamewardens@gmail.com no later than May 1.

2025 Big 3 Harvest Statistics

Thu, 03/05/2026

North Dakota Game and Fish Department harvest statistics show overall success for the 2025 season was 100% for bighorn sheep, 87% for moose and 62% for elk.
 

Bighorn Sheep

The Department issued eight bighorn sheep licenses, one of which was an auction license. The Three Affiliated Tribes Fish and Wildlife issued two licenses in 2025, one to a tribal member and one to a Game and Fish Department applicant. All 10 hunters were successful.

Moose

The Department issued 292 moose licenses last year. Of that total, 281 hunters harvested 245 animals – 147 bulls and 98 cows/calves. Harvest for each unit follows:

Elk

The Department issued 1,021 elk licenses last year. Of that total, 929 hunters harvested 576 elk – 280 bulls and 296 cows/calves. Harvest for each until follows:

Elk, Moose, Bighorn Sheep Applications Online

Wed, 03/04/2026

Elk, moose and bighorn sheep applications are available online at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov. The application deadline is March 25.

A total of 1,062 elk licenses are available to hunters this fall, an increase of 102 from last year.

A total of 296 moose licenses are available, which remains the same as last year.

A bighorn sheep hunting season is tentatively scheduled for 2026, depending on the sheep population. The status of the bighorn sheep season will be determined Sept. 1, after summer population surveys.

Bighorn sheep applicants must apply for a license at the same time as moose and elk, but not for a specific unit. Once total licenses are determined for each unit in late summer, the bighorn lottery will be held and successful applicants will be contacted to select a hunting unit.

Because the bighorn sheep application fee is not refundable as per state law, if a bighorn season is not held, applicants would not receive a refund.

Elk, moose and bighorn sheep lottery licenses are issued as once-in-a-lifetime licenses in North Dakota. Hunters who have received a license through the lottery are not eligible to apply for that species again.

Department Launches Explorer Program

Mon, 03/02/2026

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is launching a new program to expose high school aged students to what goes on inside and outside the agency’s walls.

The Explorer Program, for students ages 16-18, is designed to engage and mentor youth interested in pursuing a career in natural resources, conservation, law enforcement, and other fields within the Department.

“The program is a great opportunity for students interested in a career in natural resources or the many other things we do at the Game and Fish Department,” said Bill Haase, Department wildlife division chief. “Selected participants will get hands-on experience with wildlife, habitat management, fisheries, enforcement and public outreach.

Haase said the Explorer Program is not only a win for students with designs on following a collegiate path to someday become, say, a fisheries biologist or a game warden, it's also a win for the agency.

“We started the program, in part, as a way for the Game and Fish to recruit future staff,” he said. “Many of the people who currently work for our agency started as seasonal employees. This program will expose students to our careers and possibly become seasonal employees for us and hopefully become permanent staff someday.”

To be selected for the Explorer Program, Haase said applicants start by filling out an application on the Department’s website at gf.nd.gov. Applicants will also need to provide a letter of reference from a counselor or teacher.

The deadline to apply is March 22.

More details about the program, such eligibility, core program activities and expectations, can also be found on the Department’s website.

Game and Fish Offers Wildlife Food Plot Seed

Mon, 03/02/2026

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is once again offering free seed for the 2026 growing season to landowners interested in planting wildlife food plots for pheasants and other wildlife species.

Rather than a traditional corn or sunflower food plot, Game and Fish is offering a seed mix that provides increased plant diversity, including flowering plants from spring through fall, which will attract insects, the major diet component of pheasant chicks. Additionally, the mix will provide needed cover during spring and summer, as well as a winter food source.

This food plot campaign does not require a department Private Land Open To Sportsmen contract, however, participating landowners are encouraged to allow reasonable public access. This could mean simply providing permission to hunters from time to time, utilizing custom dates in electronic posting, putting up “Ask Before You Enter” signs around the area, or not posting the surrounding land. Additionally, participating landowners cannot charge a fee for hunting.

The department will provide enough seed to cover up to a maximum 5-acre planting at no cost to the landowner.

Landowners interested in receiving the seed must sign up online by April 3. Seed will be available in May at Game and Fish offices in Bismarck, Jamestown, Devils Lake, Harvey, Dickinson, Williston and Riverdale.

Game and Fish private land biologists can provide technical assistance on food plot location and site preparation.

Landowners interested in additional financial incentives may be considered for the PLOTS program. More information is available by contacting a private land biologist at any Game and Fish office, or email privatelands@nd.gov.