White Suckers Only Legal in Bois de Sioux, Red Rivers
The state Game and Fish Department reminds anglers that live white suckers are not legal baitfish anywhere in North Dakota, except for the Bois de Sioux and Red rivers.
Although anglers can use live white suckers on the Bois de Sioux and Red rivers and tributaries up to the first vehicular bridge, they are illegal elsewhere. Fathead minnows, sticklebacks and creek chubs are the only legal live baitfish outside of the Bois de Sioux and Red rivers. Dead white suckers which have been preserved by freezing, salting or otherwise treated to inactivate reproductive capabilities are legal bait.
Anglers are also reminded that live baitfish, or other live aquatic bait such as leeches, cannot be transported from another state into North Dakota.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is closing the state's 2017 regular paddlefish snagging season, effective at 9 p.m. Central Daylight Time, on Monday, May 8.
Snaggers are reminded that Sunday, May 7 and Monday, May 8 are snag-and-release only days, and in order to participate they must not have already used their tag on a harvested paddlefish.
The 2016-18 fishing proclamation allows for the Game and Fish director to close the snagging season early if it appears the harvest will exceed 1,000 paddlefish.
“Another repeat where snaggers this year have been extremely successful,” said Greg Power, fisheries chief. Power added that a significant proportion of this year’s harvest so far consists of females, which further necessitates the early season closure. The 2017 paddlefish harvest season of four days equals last year as the shortest on record.
An additional four-day snag-and-release season will begin Tuesday, May 9 and run through Friday, May 12. Paddlefish snaggers with an unused paddlefish tag can continue snagging during the additional snag-and-release season, but must release all fish immediately.
Snag-and-release is legal only in that area of the Missouri River starting on the north shore from the Confluence boat ramp then east (downstream) one-half mile, and that area of the Missouri River starting on the south shore from the Confluence with the Yellowstone River then east (downstream) one-half mile (both areas will have boundary signs).
Paddlefish snagging is allowed only from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (CDT) during each day of the additional four-day season. The use or possession of a gaff on snag-and-release days is illegal.
Hunters, Anglers Take Note of New Legislation
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department tracked 28 outdoors-related bills during the 2017 legislative session, 11 of which were passed by both chambers and signed into law.
The following bills take effect Aug. 1, unless the bill includes an emergency clause which indicates it is already in effect.
HB 1017 – Appropriates $83,277,498 to the Game and Fish Department for the biennium beginning July 1, 2017, and ending June 30, 2019. Passed house 72-13. Passed Senate 44-1.
HB 1025 – Provides a guideline for the Director to allocate big game hunting licenses to eligible organizations, and turkey hunting licenses for individuals receiving hunting expeditions from a nonprofit organization. Passed House 84-6. Passed Senate 45-0.
HB 1150 – Allows a resident of North Dakota, who does not want to receive a hunting license issued by lottery, to purchase a bonus point for a fee that is the same as the respective license. The fee is allocated to the Game and Fish Department’s Private Land Open To Sportsmen program. Passed House 90-0. Passed Senate 44-0.
HB 1204 – Reduces the age from 16 to 12 to qualify for an apprentice hunter validation license; allows youth who turn age 11 before the end of the calendar year to receive a whitetail doe license valid only for the youth hunting season without having taken the hunter education course; repeals the eagle language on state law, however, eagles remain protected under federal regulations. Passed House 83-2. Passed Senate 47-0.
HB 1207 – Allows Game and Fish to seize tangible property presumed abandoned on state game refuges, real property leased or managed by the Game and Fish Department, and state game or fish management areas. After 90 days, the Director may dispose of seized, unclaimed, tangible property presumed abandoned, or order it be turned over to the North Dakota Wildlife Federation to be sold for the highest price obtainable. The sale proceeds, after expenses of the seizure and sale are deducted, must be remitted to the North Dakota Wildlife Federation Report All Poachers fund. A report of the sale, supported by proper vouchers covering all deductions made for expenses, must be filed for the record with the Director. Passed House 84-4. Passed Senate 46-0.
HB 1367 – An operator of a personal watercraft is not required to have an observer on board while towing an individual on water skis, kneeboard or an inflatable craft if the personal watercraft is equipped with a mirror on each side with an unobstructed field of vision to the rear; allows an individual who is at least 16 years old to windsurf or boardsail without wearing a personal flotation device; prohibits water skiing or surfboarding between one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. Includes emergency clause. Passed House 87-5. Passed Senate 44-3.
HB 1419 – Gives the Director the option to establish a shooting sports grant program, which may be made available to schools, clubs and organized youth groups. Passed House 85-3. Passed Senate 41-4.
SB 2239 – Repeals the annual inspection of all watercraft used for hire. Includes emergency clause. Passed House 89-2. Passed Senate 47-0.
SB 2284 – A vendor who sells hunting and fishing licenses may add a 3 percent service fee to the total transaction. The service fee does not apply to license purchases or applications made through the Game and Fish Department website. Passed House 91-3. Passed Senate 46-0.
SB 2308 – Allows a fish house and a coyote snare to be identified by a registration number provided by the Game and Fish Department. Previously, the trapper or angler needed to display their name or telephone number. This new law provides a registration number as another option for identifying fish house and snare ownership. Passed House 90-2. Passed Senate 47-0.
SB 2318 – Requires the pheasant hunting season to open no later than October 12. In 2017, the season is tentatively set to open October 7. Passed House 81-10. Passed Senate 46-0.
New State Record Carp
Derek Barnick’s catch on April 21 is the first entry to North Dakota’s list of state record fish in 2017. The Tappen angler took a 31 pound, 9 ounce common carp from Lake Etta-Alkaline with a bow and arrow.
The 36-inch fish broke the old record of 31 pounds taken by Austin Loberg of Thompson from the Sheyenne River in 2003.
Moose and Elk Lotteries Held, Bighorn Sheep in September
North Dakota’s moose and elk lottery results are available online at the state Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov.
Applicants can find individual results by clicking “my account” under the buy and apply link.
Successful applicants will receive a letter the week of May 15, stating the license will be mailed after the successful applicant submits the correct license fee.
The bighorn sheep lottery is scheduled in September, after summer population surveys are completed and total licenses are determined. Once the lottery is held, successful applicants will be contacted to select a hunting unit.
Scholarships Available for Students
The North Dakota Game Wardens Association, Ray Goetz Memorial Fund and Kupper Chevrolet are providing $1,600 in scholarships to a graduating high school senior or current higher education student, majoring in fisheries, wildlife management or law enforcement.
Applicants must be North Dakota residents, and have maintained a 3.25 grade point average. The scholarship will be awarded this fall upon proof of enrollment.
Applications are available by contacting the North Dakota Game Warden’s Association, P.O. Box 3581, Minot, ND 58702; or by email at btupdike@nd.gov. Applications must be postmarked no later than May 15, 2017.
Missouri River Safety Day May 18
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department and Townsquare Media are sponsoring Missouri River SPLASH – a recreation and boating safety event for everyone who enjoys the Missouri River.
The event is Thursday, May 18 in Mandan from 3-6 p.m. at Moritz Sport and Marine. Displays, hands-on activities, demonstrations, regulations, registrations and prizes are included.
The event is free, and people of all ages are invited to attend.
State law requires youngsters ages 12-15 who want to operate a boat or personal watercraft with at least a 10 horsepower motor to first pass the state’s Boat North Dakota safety course. In addition, some insurance companies give adult boat owners who pass the course a discount on boat insurance.
The Boat North Dakota safety course is free and available at the Game and Fish Department.
Game and Fish to Provide Cleaning Service during 2017 Paddlefish Snagging Season
For this year, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department will provide a free cleaning service for snaggers who harvest a paddlefish.
The cleaning service will operate from 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. on harvest days out of North Star Caviar’s station at the Confluence.
Snaggers who clean their own fish are responsible for properly disposing the carcass.
North Dakota’s paddlefish snagging season opens May 1. Snag-and-release of all paddlefish is required on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays. Mandatory harvest of all snagged paddlefish is required on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Paddlefish Snagging Season Opens May 1
North Dakota’s paddlefish snagging season opens May 1 and is scheduled to continue through the end of May. However, depending on the overall harvest, an early in-season closure may occur with a 24-hour notice issued by the state Game and Fish Department.
Although there are no regulation changes from last year, snaggers should note that North Star Caviar, which in previous years would clean all legally taken paddlefish in exchange for the eggs from the females, is not operating its station at the Confluence this year.
The Game and Fish Department is in the process of trying to establish an alternative fish-cleaning service at the Confluence this year. In addition to providing free cleaning paddlefish cleaning services, the Game and Fish would be able collect important biological information as well as monitor the ongoing harvest. Game and Fish will let snaggers know prior to the season opener if the fish cleaning station will be in place.
As in past years, snag-and-release of all paddlefish is required on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays. Since opening day of the 2017 snagging season falls on a Monday, that is a snag-and-release only day.
Mandatory harvest of all snagged paddlefish is required on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. On these days, all paddlefish caught must be kept and tagged immediately.
All paddlefish snagged and tagged must be removed from the river by 9 p.m. of each snagging day.
Those planning to participate during snag-and-release-only days need to have in their possession a current season, unused paddlefish snagging tag. Use or possession of gaffs is prohibited on snag-and-release-only days, and, if it occurs, during the snag-and-release extension period.
Legal snagging hours are from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. One tag per snagger will be issued. Snagging is legal in all areas of the Yellowstone River in North Dakota, and in the area of the Missouri River lying west of the U.S. Highway 85 bridge to the Montana border, excluding that portion from the pipeline crossing (river mile 1,577) downstream to the upper end of the Lewis and Clark Wildlife Management Area (river mile 1,565).
If the season closes early because the harvest cap is reached, an extended snag-and-release-only period will be allowed for up to four days immediately following the early closure, but not to extend beyond May 31. Only snaggers with a current season, unused paddlefish snagging tag are eligible to participate. Only a limited area at the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers is open to this extended season snagging opportunity.
All paddlefish snaggers must possess a paddlefish tag in addition to a valid fishing license. Cost of a paddlefish tag is $10 for residents and $25.50 for nonresidents.
Addresses and phone numbers of vendors selling tags:
Bismarck Game and Fish Office
100 N. Bismarck Expressway
Bismarck, ND 58501
701-328-6300
Sportsman’s Warehouse
925 32nd Avenue West
Williston, ND 58801
701-572-2500
Scenic Sports
1201 East Broadway
Williston, ND 58801
701-572-8696
Wal-Mart, Inc.
4001 2nd Avenue West
Williston, ND 58801
701-572-8550
Runnings Farm and Fleet
2003 3rd Avenue West
Dickinson, ND 58601
701-483-1226
Rosie's Food and Gas
204 South Main
Dickinson, ND 58601
701-483-7860
Summer BOW Set June 23-25
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program is accepting registrations for the annual summer workshop June 23-25 at the North Dakota 4-H Camp, Washburn.
Enrollment is limited to participants age 18 or older. Workshop fees of $150 cover instruction, program materials, use of equipment, all meals and lodging.
Participants can choose from a number of different activities, including archery, firearms, fishing, hunting, paddling sports, wildlife and plants, cooking and outdoor knowledge.
BOW workshops are designed primarily for women with an interest in learning skills associated with hunting, fishing and outdoor endeavors. Although open to anyone age 18 or older, the workshops are tailored primarily to women who have never tried these activities or who are beginners hoping to improve their skills.
Women interested in attending the summer workshop can view an information brochure at the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov, and print and mail an accompanying enrollment form. Registration deadline is May 17. The camp is limited to 72 participants.
More information is available by contacting Brian Schaffer at 701-328-6312.
Spring Mule Deer Survey Complete
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department completed its annual spring mule deer survey in April, and results indicate western North Dakota’s mule deer population has increased 16 percent from last year.
Biologists counted 3,349 mule deer in 306.3 square miles during this year’s survey. Overall mule deer density in the badlands was 10.9 deer per square mile, which is up from 9.4 deer per square mile in 2016.
Big game management supervisor Bruce Stillings said mule deer in the badlands have recovered nicely following the winters of 2009-11, which led to record low fawn production and a population index low of 4.6 mule deer per square mile in 2012.
“The population recovery is due to no antlerless harvest for four years combined with milder winter conditions during 2012-16, which led to good fawn production since 2013,” Stillings said. “However, the long-term health of the population will depend on maintaining high quality habitat.”
The 2017 survey results show that hunting opportunities, according to Stillings, can be increased in all badlands units except 4A, which experienced more severe winter conditions and a slight decline in mule deer numbers.
The spring mule deer survey is used to assess mule deer abundance in the badlands. It is conducted after the snow has melted and before the 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.
Fishing Access Sites on Google Maps
North Dakota angler should note that the vast majority of the more than 600 public fishing access sites in the state are now available through Google Maps.
Game and Fish Department fisheries production and development section leader Jerry Weigel said the Google Maps site is a useful tool for those using their smartphones, as users are able to access the GPS driving directions.
While users may use any number of word combinations to find what they are searching for, Weigel said the standard is as follows:
For sites with a boat ramp, type the name of the lake, plus boating access. (For Fish Creek Dam in Morton County, for example, it would be: Fish Creek Dam Boating Access.)
For sites without a boat ramp, type the name of the lake, plus fishing access. (For Makoti Lake in Ward County, for example, it would be: Makoti Lake Fishing Access.)
North Dakota Game and Fish Department