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News Releases

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

News Releases

Record Count of Bighorn Sheep

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s 2025 bighorn sheep survey, completed by recounting lambs in March, revealed a record 378 bighorn sheep in the badlands of western North Dakota, up 8% from 2024 and 10% above the five-year average. The 2025 survey was the fifth record count in the past six years.

Brett Wiedmann, Department big game biologist, said 104 rams, 234 ewes and 40 lambs were counted. Not included are approximately 40 bighorn sheep in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and bighorns introduced to the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in 2020.

The northern badlands population increased by 8% from 2024 and was the highest count on record. The southern badlands population remained near its lowest level since bighorns were reintroduced there in 1966.

“Adult rams were near record numbers, but the ewe count surpassed the previous record by an impressive 14%,” Wiedmann said. “Lamb recruitment and winter survival of lambs were both unfortunately well below average.”

Wiedmann said numerous lambs were observed with clinical signs of pneumonia during the summer survey, which was likely the primary contributor to the poor lamb recruitment observed in 2025.

According to Department veterinarian, Logan Weyand, it is not uncommon to experience episodes of low lamb survival when a population of bighorn sheep is exposed to certain pathogens. 

“We know from annual disease testing that the state’s population of bighorn sheep has not cleared bacteria introduced in 2014 that predisposes bighorn lambs to pneumonia, so highly variable rates of lamb recruitment in recent years are not surprising,” he said.

Department biologists count and classify all bighorn sheep in late summer, and then recount lambs the following March, as they approach one year of age to determine recruitment.

Currently, about 500 bighorn sheep comprise the populations managed by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, National Park Service and the Three Affiliated Tribes Fish and Wildlife Division.

A bighorn sheep hunting season is tentatively scheduled for 2026. The status of the season will be determined Sept. 1, following the 2026 summer population survey.

Game and Fish issued eight licenses in 2025, and the Three Affiliated Tribes Fish and Wildlife Division issued two licenses, one to a tribal member and the second to a non-tribal member selected from the Department’s pool of applicants. All hunters were successful in harvesting rams.

2025 Deer Season Summarized

A total of 36,353 North Dakota deer hunters took approximately 20,877 deer during the 2025 deer gun hunting season, according to a post-season survey conducted by the state Game and Fish Department.

Game and Fish made available 42,300 deer gun licenses last year. Overall hunter success was 57%, with each hunter spending an average of 4.9 days in the field.

Hunter success for white-tailed deer was 53% for antlered and 45% for antlerless whitetails.

Mule deer license holder success was 82% for antlered and 82% for antlerless mule deer.

Hunters with any antlered or any antlerless licenses generally harvest white-tailed deer, as these licenses are predominantly in units with mostly whitetails. Though, mule deer made up a greater proportion of the harvest in the Slope and Missouri River hunting units. Any antlered hunters had a success rate of 65%, while any antlerless hunters had a success rate of 56%.

Game and Fish issued 11,598 gratis licenses in 2025, and 9,453 hunters harvested 4,452 deer for a success rate of 47%.

A total of 797 muzzleloader licenses were issued, and 665 hunters harvested 215 white-tailed deer (102 antlered, 113 antlerless). Hunter success was 32%.

A total of 27,341 archery licenses (24,553 resident, 2,494 nonresident white-tailed deer, 294 nonresident any deer) were issued in 2025. In total, 22,944 bowhunters harvested 6,610 deer (5,590 whitetails, 1,020 mule deer) for a success rate of 29%.

The department is in the process of determining recommendations for licenses in 2026. In addition to harvest rates and winter aerial surveys, Game and Fish staff monitor other population indices to determine license numbers, including depredation reports, hunter observations, input at advisory board meetings, and comments from the public, landowners and department field staff.

Advisory Board Meetings Announced

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department Advisory Board will host public meetings this spring at eight locations across the state.

These public meetings provide citizens with an opportunity to discuss fish and wildlife issues and ask questions of their district advisors and agency personnel.

The district 7 meeting in Bismarck will be streamed live on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.

View Meeting Schedule

Whooping Crane Migration

Whooping cranes are migrating and sightings will increase as they make their way through North Dakota over the next several weeks. Anyone seeing these endangered birds as they move through the state should report sightings so the birds can be tracked.

The whooping cranes that do travel through North Dakota are part of a population of about 550 birds on their way from wintering grounds in Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas.

Whoopers stand about 5 feet tall and have a wingspan of about 7 feet from tip to tip. They are bright white with black wing tips, visible only when the wings are outspread. In flight, they extend their long necks, while their long, slender legs extend behind the tail. Whooping cranes typically migrate singly, or in groups of two to three birds, and may be associated with sandhill cranes.

Other white birds such as snow geese, swans and egrets are often mistaken for whooping cranes. The most common misidentification is pelicans, because their wingspan is similar and they tuck their pouch in flight, leaving a silhouette similar to a crane when viewed from below.

Anyone sighting whoopers should not disturb them, but record the date, time, location and the birds' activity. Observers should also look for and report colored bands, which may occur on one or both legs. Whooping cranes have been marked with colored leg bands to help determine their identity.

Whooping crane sightings should be reported to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offices at Lostwood, 701-848-2466; Audubon, 701-442-5474; the North Dakota Game and Fish Department in Bismarck, 701-328-6300; or to local game wardens across the state. Reports help biologists locate important whooping crane habitat areas, monitor marked birds, determine survival and population numbers, and identify times and migration routes.

Caution Urged Near Bridge Project on Missouri River

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.

BNSF Bridge Project

New State Record Yellow Perch

A 3-pound yellow perch caught March 1 by Wisconsin angler Alan Hintz is the new state record, according to North Dakota Game and Fish Department personnel.

Hintz caught the 16.5-inch perch through the ice in the Pelican Bay area on Devils Lake.

The previous record of 2 pounds, 15 ounces, also from Devils Lake, was set in 1982 by Kyle Smith of Carrington.

Record ND Perch

Spring Mule Deer Survey Begins

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. 

Elk, Moose, Bighorn Sheep Apps Due

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

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.

2026-28 Fishing Regulations Set

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

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. 

Game Wardens Association Offers Scholarships

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.