National Campaign Focuses on Boating Under the Influence
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will again participate in Operation Dry Water as part of a nationally coordinated effort to increase knowledge about the dangers of boating under the influence. The goal is to reduce the number of accidents and deaths associated with alcohol and drug use on our waterways.
Operation Dry Water weekend, June 30-July 2, is the national weekend of heightened enforcement effort directed at boating under the influence laws and recreational boater outreach.
While informing and educating boaters about the hazards and negative outcomes associated with boating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a year-round effort, on ODW weekend the Game and Fish Department’s game wardens will be focused on the water informing boaters about safe boating practices, and removing impaired operators from the water.
“Alcohol impairs judgment and reaction time on the water just as it does when driving a car, even more so because of the added stressors of sun, heat, wind, noise and the vibrations of the boat,” said Jackie Lundstrom, the Game and Fish Department’s enforcement division operations supervisor. “Everyone wants to have a great summer on the water, and to do that you’ve got to stay safe and stay sober while underway.”
Tips to staying safe on the water:
· Boat sober. Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in recreational boater deaths. Alcohol and drugs use impairs a boater’s judgment, balance, vision and reaction time.
· Wear your life jacket. 85 percent of drowning victims nationwide were not wearing a life jacket.
· Take a boating safety education course. 71 percent of deaths nationwide occurred on boats where the operator had not received boating safety instruction.
Fireworks Prohibited on Wildlife Management Areas
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department reminds citizens that possession or use of fireworks on state wildlife management areas is prohibited.
The primary objective of a wildlife management area is to enhance wildlife production, provide hunting and fishing opportunities, and offer other outdoor recreational and educational uses. Only activities that would not disrupt the intentions of how these areas are managed are encouraged, and a fireworks display is not compatible.
Excessive noise and commotion that come with fireworks disturbs wildlife, and their explosive nature is a potential source of wildfires. Chances of a wildfire developing are greatly enhanced when explosives, such as fireworks, come in contact with tall grasses in rural areas.
A complete list of the WMA regulations is available on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.
Women Invited to Hike Maah Daah Hey Trail
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has openings for Hike the Maah Daah Hey Trail, a Becoming an Outdoors-Woman event scheduled for July 15-16.
This workshop is designed for women with previous hiking or backpacking skills, or who are in good physical condition. Participants will hike a 13-mile portion of the trail near the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Activity is strenuous due to rough terrain. The $30 fee includes group gear and transportation to and from the CCC Campground. Each participant must provide their own personal gear and meals.
Women interested in attending the workshop must enroll online at the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov. More information is available by contacting Brian Schaffer at 701-328-6312, or email ndgf@nd.gov.
Spring Breeding Duck Numbers Tallied
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s 70th annual spring breeding duck survey conducted in May showed an index of 2.95 million birds, down 15 percent from last year.
Migratory game bird supervisor Mike Szymanski said even though the index is below 3 million for the first time since 1994, it still stands 23 percent above the long-term average (1948-2016) and is the 24th highest on record.
“Fortunately, we still have a lot of ducks,” Szymanski said.
Survey results indicate canvasbacks (up 23 percent), pintails (up 5 percent) and redheads (up 2 percent) increased from their 2016 estimates, while shovelers were unchanged. Mallards were fairly stable (down 5 percent), while ruddy ducks showed the largest decrease (down 36 percent). All other ducks were 16-28 percent below last year’s numbers. However, most species, with the exception of pintails, blue-winged teal and ruddy ducks, were well-above the 69-year average.
The number of temporary and seasonal wetlands was higher than last year, as figures show the spring water index is up 78 percent. However, Szymanski said that is misleading.
“Last year’s water index was very low during our survey, and was followed by a lot of rain in late spring,” he added. “When you combine that with winter snow melt, the temporary and seasonal wetlands had water during the survey, but were struggling to hang on. It’s been quite dry since we did the survey, and once again those wetlands are dry.”
Szymanski said because of habitat concerns, it looks like there might be a struggle to produce ducks, with the exception of the northeast portion of the state and to a lesser degree the northern tier.
“We’ve lost a lot of nesting cover since 2007, and now we are going into summer without much water,” he said. “I just don’t think the ducks will have very good production in a lot of areas.”
Szymanski said there were also areas struggling to attract pairs of ducks where he expected to see better numbers. “There was a fair bit of water in bigger basins, but those larger water areas aren’t attractive to ducks, as they look for smaller wetlands, and those were drying up.”
The water index is based on basins with water, and does not necessarily represent the amount of water contained in wetlands or the type of wetlands represented.
Szymanski said the July brood survey will provide a better idea of duck production and insight into expectations for this fall.
“And as we have seen in recent years, a lot depends on bird movements before and during hunting seasons, and weather patterns during the migration,” he said.
Watchable Wildlife Photo Contest Open
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual Watchable Wildlife Photo Contest is now open, and the deadline for submissions is Oct. 2.
The contest has categories for nongame and game species, as well as plants/insects. An overall winning photograph will be chosen, with the number of place winners in each category determined by the number of qualified entries.
Contest entries are limited to digital files submitted on disk or via email. Contestants are limited to no more than five entries. Photos must have been taken in North Dakota.
By submitting an entry, photographers grant permission to Game and Fish to publish winning photographs in North Dakota OUTDOORS magazine, and on the Department’s website, gf.nd.gov.
Photo disks should be sent to Watchable Wildlife Photo Contest, C/O Patrick T. Isakson, North Dakota Game and Fish Department, 100 N. Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck, ND 58501-5095.
Send emailed digital photos to photocontest@nd.gov. Photographers will need to supply the original image if needed for publication.
Photo disks will not be returned. All entries must be accompanied by the photographer’s name, address, phone number and email address if available. Other information such as photo site location and month taken are also useful.
Hunting Guide and Outfitter Test Set
The next guide and outfitter written examination is Aug. 12 at 1 p.m. at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department office in Bismarck. The test is given periodically to anyone interested in becoming a hunting guide or outfitter in the state.
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.
Interested individuals are required to preregister by calling the Game and Fish Department’s enforcement office at 328-6604.
Traveling Boaters Should Check Border State, Provincial ANS Regulations
North Dakota boaters who are traveling to other states or Canadian provinces should check the aquatic nuisance species regulations of their destination to make sure they are in compliance.
While many of North Dakota’s ANS prevention regulations are similar to surrounding states and provinces, state Game and Fish Department ANS coordinator Jessica Howell says there are some subtle differences that could lead to travel interruption or citations depending on the circumstances.
“Removal of all water and vegetation, as well as pulled plugs while traveling, are generally the rule in neighboring states and provinces,” Howell said, “but there are some places where ‘dry’ is also a requirement, meaning no residual water anywhere in the boat.”
Mandatory boat inspections may be required based on destination or route taken. For example, Howell said anyone pulling a boat into Canada will likely have it inspected at a border crossing. Some states, including Montana, have inspection checkpoints along highways, and some lakes have inspectors at boat ramps. Any boats that are not in compliance will likely get delayed in their travels or be prevented from launching, Howell added.
In addition, Howell said boats on Canyon Ferry or Tiber reservoirs in Montana will need to be decontaminated when leaving. “There is a greater chance of being stopped for inspection in Montana because of zebra mussel findings,” she said.
Boaters should be aware of regulations for not only their destination, but for any states they are traveling through. More information on bordering state and provincial ANS regulations is available at the following web addresses.
· All aquatic vegetation must be removed from boats, personal watercraft, trailers and fishing equipment such as fishing poles, bait buckets, lures and waders before leaving a body of water. That means "vegetation free" when transporting watercraft and/or equipment away from a boat ramp, landing area or shoreline. Time out of the water needed to remove aquatic vegetation at the immediate water access area is allowed.
· All water must be drained from boats and other watercraft, including bilges, livewells, baitwells and motors before leaving a water body.
· All drain plugs that may hold back water must be removed, and water draining devices must be open, on all watercraft and recreational, commercial and construction equipment bilges and confined spaces, during any out-of-water transport of same.
· Transportation of fish in or on ice is allowed.
· Live aquatic bait or aquatic vegetation may not be transported into North Dakota.
· All legal live aquatic organisms used by anglers, including legal baitfish (fathead minnows), amphibians (salamanders and frogs), invertebrates (crayfish and leeches) and insects must be purchased and/or trapped in North Dakota.
· Anglers may not transport live bait in water away from the Red River (Class I ANS infested waters). All water must be drained from bait buckets as anglers leave the shore, or remove their boat from the water. Anglers must properly dispose of unused bait away from the river, as dumping bait in the water or on shore is illegal.
· In all other waters not infested with Class I ANS species, anglers can transport live bait in water in containers of five gallons or less in volume.
Wilton Mine Shooting Range Closed until Further Notice
The public shooting range at Wilton Mine Wildlife Management Area is closed until further notice because of a fire danger caused by dry ground conditions.
The Schmidt Bottoms and MacLean shooting ranges remain open. However, shooters are advised to use caution because of the hot, dry conditions.
Wilton Mine WMA is approximately two miles east of Wilton
Schmidt Bottoms is located 13.4 miles south of Mandan on ND Highway 1806.
MacLean Bottoms is two miles south of ND Highway 1804, approximately 15 miles southeast of Bismarck.
Deer Gun Application Deadline is June 7
North Dakota deer hunters are reminded the deadline for submitting applications for the 2017 gun season is June 7. Hunters are encouraged to apply online at the state Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov.
The deadline applies to muzzleloader, regular gun, gratis and nonresident landowner, and youth antlered mule deer applications (specifically for antlered mule deer in units 3B1, 3B2, and 4A-4F).
Nonresidents may apply for North Dakota deer licenses only through the Game and Fish website.
A new law passed by the North Dakota State Legislature allows youth who turn age 11 before the end of the calendar year to receive a whitetail doe license valid for only the youth deer hunting season. Therefore, 10-year-olds who turn age 11 in 2017 are eligible to receive an antlerless whitetail license. Hunter education is not required until the youth turns age 12.
State law requires residents age 18 or older to prove residency on the application by submitting a valid North Dakota driver’s license number or a North Dakota nondriver photo identification number. Applications cannot be processed without this information.
Gratis applications received on or before the regular deer gun lottery application deadline (June 7) will be issued 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 – generally only antlerless licenses remain.
The application deadline for regular statewide youth deer licenses is Sept. 1.
Summer Safety on the Water
Failure to wear a personal floatation device is the main reason people lose their lives in water recreation accidents.
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.
A new law passed this spring by the North Dakota State Legislature allows an operator of a personal watercraft to tow an individual on water skis, a kneeboard or an inflatable craft without an observer, if the watercraft is equipped with a mirror on each side. In addition, the bill allows an individual who is at least 16 years old to windsurf or boardsail without wearing a PFD, and prohibits water skiing and surfboarding from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.
Water users should make sure to wear life jackets that are the appropriate size, and in good condition. It is also important that children wear a PFD while swimming.
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 or persons paddling a canoe should opt for a PFD that is comfortable enough to wear for an entire outing.
Swimmers should know the water’s depth as serious injuries can occur from diving into water. Large objects hidden below the water’s surface can lead to significant injury.
North Dakota boaters also are 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 who are in distress and facing an emergency situation.
Event Set for Potential Fishing Education Volunteers
In conjunction with North Dakota’s Free Fishing Weekend, the state Game and Fish Department is holding a special event for potential fishing education volunteers on Saturday, June 3 at the agency’s Bismarck headquarters office.
“We are looking for volunteers for a variety of programs,” Jeff Long, Game and Fish fishing education coordinator said. “We will have some current volunteers helping public visitors to our fishing pond that day, so it’s a good time for potential volunteers to stop out and see what it’s all about.”
Volunteers will be available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to provide basic supervision, like baiting hooks and removing fish. The event is open to the public, and poles and bait are provided to people who don’t have their own equipment.
Because it is Free Fishing Weekend, resident adults age 16 and over do not need a fishing license if they want to participate.
The fishing pond at the Game and Fish headquarters at 100 N. Bismarck Expressway is open to public fishing from sunrise to sunset daily.
For more information, contact Long at 328-6322, or email jrlong@nd.gov.
Be Courteous at Boat Ramps
North Dakota boaters are reminded to exercise patience and plan accordingly when heading to a lake or river this summer.
The state Game and Fish Department receives a number of complaints every year about overly aggressive behavior at boat ramps. A few simple reminders will help ensure a fluent transition when launching and loading a boat.
Launching
Don't pull onto the ramp until your boat is ready to launch.
Prepare for launching in the parking area. Remove covers, load equipment, remove tie downs, attach lines and put in drain plug, before backing onto the ramp.
When ready, pull into line to launch. Wait your turn. Be courteous.
It takes at least two people to efficiently and courteously launch a boat: one to handle the boat and one to take care of the tow vehicle.
Loading
Don't block the loading area with your boat until your tow vehicle is ready to load. Wait until you are clear of the launch area to unload gear.
As soon as your trailer is in the water, load and secure your boat to the trailer.
Remove boat and trailer from the water as quickly as possible.
Get clear of the ramp. Pull into the parking area to finish securing your boat, unloading gear, draining all water and inspecting for and removing any vegetation. Remember to leave plugs out when transporting boat.
North Dakota Game and Fish Department