Youth Conservation and Leadership Summer Camp Opportunity
The North Dakota Waterfowl Brigade summer camp is June 3-7 at the 4-H Center in Washburn.
The five-day camp is a hands-on immersive learning experience for youth ages 13-17 designed to educate participants about the importance of wetland ecosystems, waterfowl biology, flock dynamics, shooting skills and safety, stewardship, public speaking, leadership development and more.
The deadline to apply is March 15.
NDWTFL is a program of Texas Brigades, a Texas-based 501(c)(3) focused on educating and empowering adolescents to become conservation ambassadors.
The next guide and outfitter written examination is March 30 at 1 p.m. at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department office in Bismarck. Preregistration is required no later than March 22 by calling the Department’s enforcement office at 701-328-6604.
In addition to passing a written exam, qualifications for becoming a guide include a background check for criminal and game and fish violations, certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and standard first aid, and employment by or contract with a licensed hunting outfitter.
Hunting outfitter eligibility requirements include the guide qualifications, as well as an individual must have held a hunting guide license for two years and must have proof of liability insurance.
The test is given periodically to anyone interested in becoming a guide or outfitter in the state.
Watchable Wildlife Checkoff on State Tax Form
North Dakotans interested in supporting wildlife conservation programs should look for the Watchable Wildlife checkoff on the state tax form.
The state income tax form gives wildlife enthusiasts an opportunity to support nongame wildlife like songbirds and birds of prey, while at the same time contributing to programs that help everyone enjoy all wildlife.
The checkoff – whether you are receiving a refund or having to pay in – is an easy way to voluntarily contribute to sustain this long‑standing program. In addition, direct donations to the program are accepted any time of year.
To learn more about Watchable Wildlife program activities and to view the winning entries in the 2023 photo contest, featured in the January issue of North Dakota OUTDOORS, visit the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov.
Spring Turkey Season Set
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is offering 8,137 wild turkey licenses for the 2024 spring hunting season, 725 more than last year.
Thirteen of the 22 hunting units have more spring licenses than last year and eight remain the same. Unit 21 (Hettinger and Adams counties) is again closed due to the lack of turkeys.
Spring turkey applicants can apply online at the Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov.
The deadline for applying is Feb. 14.
A general game and habitat license is required when applying. Applicants have the option of having the general game and habitat license refunded if their turkey license is not drawn in the lottery.
In addition, hunters 16 and older must possess a small game license, or combination license.
First-time spring turkey hunters 15 or younger are eligible to receive one spring license valid for any open unit. To be eligible, the youth hunter must be 15 or younger on opening day of spring turkey season and has never received a spring turkey license in North Dakota.
The spring turkey season opens April 13 and continues through May 19.
Record Number of Geese Tallied in Survey
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual midwinter waterfowl survey in early January was a record breaker.
During the aerial midwinter survey, one of the longest running coordinated migratory bird surveys in North America, biologists counted more than 300,000 Canada geese.
“Our old record was about 222,000 Canada geese, so we blew that out of the water,” said Mike Szymanski, Department migratory game bird management supervisor.
Compared to last year when winter came early and stayed late, there was a lot more open water along the Missouri River System to hold birds. Last winter, for example, Lake Sakakawea iced over on Dec. 18, making it one of the earliest dates for freeze up in recent years.
“We had a really nice December … a lot of areas were almost 10 degrees above average for the entire month of December,” Szymanski said. “There was a lot of open water under nice conditions, with no feeding limitations on the birds. That translated into our wintering waterfowl estimates. Last year, we really didn't need to survey any of Lake Sakakawea because of early freeze up. But this year the lake was open from about the Van Hook Arm down to the dam and the U.S. Highway 83 causeway.”
Interestingly, biologists counted more than 9,000 snow geese during the survey.
“That was kind of surprising. We've always had some snow geese here and there, but most years we have zero,” Szymanski said. “To have sizable numbers like that is pretty interesting.”
Also, biologists typically see around 5,000 to 10,000 mallards during the survey. During this year’s midwinter count, the tally jumped to 43,000 birds.
While that sounds like a sizeable increase, Szymanski said the number of mallards tallied, in the grand scheme of things, was simply a drop in the bucket when it comes to continental populations.
“We really don’t have that many mallards in North Dakota during the midwinter survey,” he said.
All states in the Central Flyway participate in the midwinter survey during the same time frame to reduce the possibility of counting birds more than once.
“What we learn in the surveys is used primarily to estimate some of the species that we don't have very good breeding count estimates for, especially arctic nesting birds,” Szymanski said. “It also helps paint a picture of waterfowl distributions, kind of in the middle of hunting season for some of the wintering states. And also changes in wintering distributions over time.”
Tree stands, blinds, steps, and other personal items such as cameras, must be removed from all wildlife management areas by Jan. 31.
Items not removed by then are considered abandoned property and are subject to removal and confiscation by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.
Hunters Urged to Participate
North Dakota hunters receiving a survey this winter are encouraged to help with wildlife management by completing the survey online or returning it to the state Game and Fish Department.
Big game, small game, waterfowl, swan, turkey and furbearer questionnaires are being sent to randomly selected hunters.
It is important hunters complete and return the survey, even if they did not hunt. The harvest survey allows Game and Fish to evaluate the hunting season, to determine the number of hunters, amount of hunting activity and size of the harvest.
A follow-up survey will be mailed to those not responding to the first survey.
Earth Day Patch Contest
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual Earth Day Patch Contest is, in part, an effort to heighten the awareness about the environment in North Dakota and beyond.
Students who participate will develop a patch design using five colors incorporating an aspect of Earth Day such as environmental awareness, respect Earth, water quality, wildlife, or habitat conservation in North Dakota.
The contest is open to students in grades K-12. Winners are chosen from three grade categories (K-4, 5-8 and 9-12). Each winner will receive an outdoor kit, which includes a pair of binoculars and field guides. The grand prize patch design winner is chosen from one of the three winning age categories.
In addition, the grand prize winner will have their design displayed on the recognition patch, be featured in North Dakota OUTDOORS and on the Game and Fish website. Contest entry deadline is March 1.
Details about the contest can be found on the department’s website at gf.nd.gov. For additional information, contact Sherry Niesar, Earth Day Patch Contest coordinator, at 701-527-3714 or email sniesar@nd.gov.
Hunter Education Classes
If you were born after 1961, are 12 years or older, you must take an in-person or home study certified hunter education course before you can get a firearm or bowhunting license in North Dakota.
Understanding this, especially if you have your sights set on hunting this fall, now is not the time to drag your feet. Most in-person courses are from January through May.
Individuals interested in taking a hunter education class in 2024 must click on the education link at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. To register for a class, click on “enroll” next to the specific class, and follow the simple instructions. Personal information is required. Classes are listed by city and can also be sorted by start date. Classes will be added throughout the year as they become finalized.
Individuals interested in receiving a notice by email or SMS text message when each hunter education class is added, can click on the “subscribe to news and alerts” link below the news section on the Game and Fish home page. Check the box labeled “hunter education” under the education program updates.
Children must turn 12 during the calendar year to take the home study course, and age 11 during the calendar year to take the traditional in-person class.
Bobcat Zone 2 Closed
Bobcat hunting and trapping in Zone 2 is closed after the zone’s predetermined harvest limit of eight has been reached. Zone 2 is land east of U.S Highway 83.
The bobcat season in Zone 1 has no harvest limit and is open through March 15.
Fish House Regulations
Any fish house left unoccupied on North Dakota waters must be made of materials that allow it to float. In addition, fish houses do not require a license.
Other fish house regulations include:
Occupied structures do not require identification. However, any unoccupied fish house must have an equipment registration number issued by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, or the owner’s name, and either an address or telephone number, displayed on its outside in readily distinguishable characters at least 3 inches high.
Fish houses may not be placed closer than 50 feet in any direction to another house without consent of the occupant of the other fish house.
All unoccupied fish houses must be removed from all waters after midnight, March 15.
Individuals required to possess a valid fishing license (age 16 and older) to darkhouse spearfish must first register online at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov.
Darkhouse spearing is allowed for all anglers with a valid fishing license and for youth under age 16.
Northern pike and nongame fish are the only legal species statewide, while walleye can be speared at Stump Lake and the Devils Lake complex south of U.S. Highway 2 and the Missouri River System (including lakes Oahe and Sakakawea and the Missouri River) up to the first tributary bridge.
Spearers and anglers are reminded that materials used to mark holes must be in possession as soon as a hole greater than 10 inches in diameter is made in the ice.
All waters open to hook and line fishing are open to darkhouse spearing except:
East Park Lake, West Park Lake, Lake Audubon – McLean County
North Dakota Game and Fish Department