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News Releases

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

News Releases

Boat North Dakota Course

North Dakota state law requires youth ages 12-15 who want to operate a boat or personal watercraft by themselves with at least a 10-horsepower motor must pass the state’s boating basics course.

The course is available for home-study by contacting the North Dakota Game and Fish Department at 701-328-6300, or ndgf@nd.gov. Two commercial providers also offer the course online, and links to those sites are on the boat and water safety education page on the Game and Fish website at gf.nd.gov.

While the home-study course is free, there is a fee to take it online. The online provider charges for the course, not the Game and Fish Department. The fee remains with the online provider.

The course covers legal requirements, navigation rules, getting underway, accidents and special topics such as weather, rules of the road, laws, life saving and first aid. 

Register for Game Warden Exam

Individuals interested in taking the exam to select candidates for district game warden positions must register by July 10. Exams are scheduled for 10 a.m. Central time at the following locations:

  • July 17 – Game and Fish office, Williston.
  • July 18 – Game and Fish office, Bismarck.
  • July 19 – Cass County Sheriff’s Department, Fargo.

Applicants must register by submitting an online application through the North Dakota State Job Openings website.

Applicants must be at least 21, have a bachelor’s degree at time of hire or an associate degree with either 2 years of law enforcement or wildlife experience, have a valid driver’s license and a current North Dakota peace officer license, or eligible to be licensed. Candidates must successfully complete a comprehensive background check and must not have a record of any felony convictions.

Salary through training is $5,120 per month. For more information, see the district game warden testing announcement on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.

Deer Application Deadline

The deadline for submitting applications for the 2024 deer gun season is June 5.

Applicants for regular deer gun, gratis, youth and muzzleloader can apply online through the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website at gf.nd.gov.

A general game and habitat license is required when applying. If the applicant has not already purchased the 2024-25 license, it will be added to their cart at checkout. The applicant has the option of having the general game and habitat license refunded if their deer license is not drawn in the lottery.  

Gratis applications received on or before the regular deer gun lottery application deadline will qualify for an any-legal-deer license. As per state law, gratis applications received after the deadline will be processed based on licenses remaining after the lottery.

Angler Snags Record-Tying Paddlefish

Tyler Hughes of Mandan snagged a record-tying 131-pound paddlefish on May 3 in the Yellowstone River southwest of Williston.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has confirmed that Hughes 74-inch paddlefish ties the record from 2016 by Grant Werkmeister of Williston.

The two fish are the heaviest caught and documented in North Dakota.

The season was open to the harvest of paddlefish from May 1-15.  

Camping Restriction Lifted for Memorial Day

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will lift the Tuesday-Wednesday no-camping restriction for Memorial Day week, which will allow overnight camping May 28-29 on those WMAs that otherwise have this two-day restriction in place.

A complete list of WMA regulations is available on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.

Fishing for Free June 1-2, 2024

North Dakota residents who want to give fishing a try can fish for free June 1-2.

That is the state’s free fishing weekend, when all residents 16 and older can fish any North Dakota water without a license. Residents 15 and younger do not need a fishing license at any time of year.

The weekend provides a great opportunity to try fishing for the first time or take someone new.

Information on regulations, where to fish and what equipment is needed  is available on the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website at gf.nd.gov.

Leave Baby Animals Alone, Watch for Deer

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department offers a simple message to the well-intentioned who want to rescue what appear to be orphaned baby animals this time of year: don’t touch them. Whether it is a young fawn, duckling, cottontail rabbit or a songbird, it is better to leave them alone.

Often, young animals are not abandoned or deserted, and the mother is probably nearby. Young wildlife are purposely secluded by adults to protect them from predators.

Anytime a young wild animal has human contact, its chances of survival decreases significantly. It’s illegal to take wild animals home, and captive animals later returned to the wild will struggle to survive without possessing learned survival skills.

The only time a baby animal should be picked up is if it is in an unnatural situation, such as a young songbird found on a doorstep. In that case, the young bird can be moved to the closest suitable habitat.

Citizens should also steer clear of adult wildlife, such as deer or moose that might wander into urban areas. Crowding stresses animals and can lead to a potentially dangerous situation.

In addition, motorists are reminded to watch for deer along roadways. During the next several weeks young animals are dispersing from home ranges, and with deer more active during this time, the potential for car‑deer collisions increases.

2023 Upland Game Seasons Summarized

North Dakota’s 2023 pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse and gray partridge harvests were up from 2022, according to the state Game and Fish Department.

Upland game biologist RJ Gross said the overall harvest was likely a result of more hunters, more trips and more birds in the population.

“Despite enduring one of the highest snowfall totals in history (winter 2022-23), we anticipated an increase in upland bird harvests based on increases in all our metrics (number of birds, broods, brood size and age ratio) during our late summer roadside counts,” Gross said.

Last year, 53,819 pheasant hunters (up 5%) harvested 319,287 roosters (up 11%), compared to 51,270 hunters and 286,970 roosters in 2022.

Counties with the highest percentage of pheasants taken were Hettinger, Divide, Burleigh, Williams and Stark.

A total of 21,512 grouse hunters (up 5%) harvested 67,710 sharp-tailed grouse (up 8%), compared to 20,461 hunters and 62,640 sharptails in 2022.

Counties with the highest percentage of sharptails taken were Divide, Hettinger, Williams, McLean and Bowman.

Last year, 20,313 hunters (up 6%) harvested 67,481 gray partridge (up 24%). In 2022, 19,125 hunters harvested 54,553 partridge.

Counties with the highest percentage of gray partridge taken were Stark, McLean, Hettinger, Williams and Divide.

Fish Challenge Open

North Dakota is home to a wide variety of fish species and the state Game and Fish Department fisheries division works hard to stock waters across the state for angler enjoyment.

To encourage exploration of the state’s fisheries, anglers fishing in North Dakota are invited to complete the third annual Fish Challenge.

New this year, anglers can choose to complete the Rough Fish Challenge by catching a bullhead, carp and sucker.

In addition, anglers can complete last year’s Sportfish Challenge by catching a bluegill, walleye, bass and trout, or the inaugural Classic Challenge requiring a northern pike, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and channel catfish.

Either way, the process is simple – snap a photo of each and submit your entry on the North Dakota Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov, now through Aug. 15.

Anglers who complete a challenge will receive a decal and certificate.

Mule Deer Survey Completed

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department completed its annual mule deer survey, and results indicate western North Dakota’s mule deer population is 1% higher than last year but 4% below the long-term average.

Biologists counted 2,047 mule deer in 286.3 square miles. The overall mule deer density in the badlands was 7.1 deer per square mile.

Bruce Stillings, department big game management supervisor, said mule deer densities remained the same compared to 2023 following last year’s record low fawn production, reduced gun harvest and a mild winter in 2023-24.

“The 2024 spring survey results were largely influenced by the 2022-23 record-setting harsh winter, which resulted in mule deer does being in poor body condition last spring and record low fawn production in 2023,” Stillings said. “This past mild winter with higher survival helped offset lack of fawns from the previous two years, which led to mule deer populations being similar to last year.”

Biologists are encouraged that last winter’s mild conditions could result in higher fawn production this summer, leading to an increased population in 2025.

Biologists counted 1,735 mule deer in the aerial survey in October to determine demographics in the badlands. The ratio of 57 fawns per 100 does was the lowest recorded since the survey began in 1964, and similar to fawn production in 2011 and 2012 (59/100) following the extreme winters of 2008-10. The 39 bucks per 100 does was similar to 2022 (40/100) and the long-term average (43/100). 

The spring mule deer survey assess mule deer abundance in the badlands. It is conducted after snow melt and before trees begin to leaf out, providing the best conditions for aerial observation of deer. Biologists have completed aerial surveys of the same 24 study areas since the 1950s.

The fall aerial survey, conducted specifically to study demographics, covers 24 study areas and 306.3 square miles in western North Dakota. Biologists also survey the same study areas in spring of each year to determine deer abundance.

Paddlefish Snagging Season to Close to Additional Harvest

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department announced today that the state's 2024 paddlefish snagging season will close May 15 to any additional harvest to provide long-term protection of the paddlefish population.  

An additional snag-and-release extended season will begin May 16 and run through May 21. Paddlefish snaggers with unused tags can continue snagging during the additional snag-and-release season but must release all fish immediately. If a snagger has already used their tag on a harvested paddlefish, they are not allowed to participate in the additional snag-and-release period.

Snag-and-release will be open in that area of the Missouri River starting on the north shore from the Confluence boat ramp, then east (downstream) to the pipeline crossing (river mile 1577), and on the south shore from the Confluence with the Yellowstone River, then east (downstream) to the pipeline crossing (river mile 1577). 

Paddlefish snagging is allowed from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central time during each day of the additional six-day season. The use or possession of a gaff on snag-and-release days is illegal.

May Highlights Safe Boating

A week-long national safe boating public awareness campaign is May 18-24, an annual event that serves to educate boaters and water users heading into summer.

A boat should have enough U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets on board for all passengers. North Dakota law requires all children ages 10 and younger to wear a personal flotation device while in boats of less than 27 feet in length. The law also requires all personal watercraft users to wear a life jacket, as well as anyone towed on skis, tubes, boards or other similar devices.

However, state law allows an individual engaged in barefoot skiing or surfing to wear a wet suit (a life preserver must be on board the towing vessel), and a person who is at least 16 years of age can windsurf or boardsail without wearing a PFD.

Water users should make sure to wear life jackets that are the appropriate size and in good condition. Failure to wear a personal flotation device is the main reason people lose their lives in water recreation accidents.

Water skiers and tubers should wear a life jacket with four nylon straps rather than one with a zipper, because straps are stronger than zippers upon impact with water. Anglers and people paddling a canoe, kayak or paddleboard should opt for a PFD that is comfortable enough to wear for an entire outing.

It is also important that children wear a PFD while swimming. Swimmers should know the water’s depth, as serious injuries can occur from diving. Large objects hidden below the water’s surface can lead to significant injury.

North Dakota boaters are also reminded that marine VHF radios are an important part of boat safety that should not be improperly used by operators. These radios are intended for boat operators in distress and facing an emergency.

Regulations to help ensure safe boating this summer are found in the North Dakota Boat and Water Safety Guide.