Fireworks Prohibited on WMAs, Camping Restrictions Lifted for Holiday
Outdoor enthusiasts should note 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 compatible with these objectives. Only activities that would not disrupt the intentions of how these areas are managed are encouraged, and fireworks are not compatible.
In addition, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department will lift the Tuesday-Wednesday no-camping restriction for the Fourth of July holiday week, which will allow overnight camping July 1-2 on those WMAs that otherwise have this two-day restriction.
Guide and Outfitter Exam Scheduled
The next guide and outfitter written examination is Aug. 16 at 1 p.m. at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department office in Bismarck. Preregistration is required no later than Aug. 8 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, and an individual must have held a hunting guide license for two years and must have proof of liability insurance.
Riverdale Angler’s Whitefish Breaks Record
Lonnie Liebel caught a new state record lake whitefish that had been in the books for more than 40 years.
The Riverdale angler reeled in his 9-pound, 3-ounce whitefish on June 2 from the Garrison Dam Tailrace in the Missouri River.
The previous record of 8 pounds, 11 ounces was established in 1984 by Bill Mitzel, a Bismarck angler who was also fishing the tailrace.
Breeding Duck Numbers Decline Again
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s 78th annual spring breeding duck survey conducted in May showed an index of about 2.66 million birds, down from 2.9 million in 2024 and 3.4 million in 2023.
The 2025 breeding duck index was the 33rd highest on record and exceeded the long-term (1948-2024) average by 7%, according to Mike Szymanski, Department migratory game bird supervisor.
“Things are continuing to decline a little bit as far as duck populations go. The mallard population estimate was down 26% from last year and is the lowest estimated mallard breeding population on our survey since 1993,” Szymanski said. “Blue-winged teal, green-winged teal and pintails also had significant population declines, whereas the declines for gadwall, shovelers and ruddy ducks were not as significant. We did have a few species – wigeon, canvasbacks, redheads and lesser scaup – that showed increases from last year on our survey.”
Szymanski said there are a few things factoring into the declines, including poor wetland conditions for early migrating species like mallards and pintails. Many of these birds, which arrived in North Dakota before the nourishing rains in May, likely spurned the state because of dry conditions and headed to search for breeding areas farther north. Also, the decline in breeding duck numbers has a lot to do with the loss of CRP and perennial grasses on the landscape used for nesting cover by ducks.
“We've lost so much grass on the landscape that it makes it really hard for duck populations and other ground-nesting birds to do well,” Szymanski said. “One metric we look at is going back to 1994 to 2016 when we had really good wetland conditions and a lot of grass, a lot of CRP on the landscape. Our total duck population is now down 34% from that time period's average, and our mallard breeding population in North Dakota is down 57% from that average. Those are pretty significant declines.”
Like in year’s past, Szymanski and crew covered more than 1,800 miles of transects counting wetlands and waterfowl down to the species and social grouping on both sides of the road. This spring, the wetland count was the 52nd highest on record but was down 38% from last year.
“We do our survey based on phenology and migration ecology of ducks coming through the state and this year it happened to be timed before we got quite a bit of rain later in May. So, not having much snow melt in the spring, our wetland counts were down quite a bit,” he said. “Conditions were pretty dry and that affected how ducks settled in the state. The western third of the state was very dry and then the eastern two thirds of the state was still quite dry, but a little bit better when we ran the survey.”
Szymanski reiterated that for duck populations to rebound in North Dakota and provide good opportunities for hunters, more grass and water are needed.
“North Dakota is the duck factory of the United States and North America. We have a lot of folks relying on us to produce ducks, not just our hunters here in North Dakota, but hunters all across the Central and Mississippi flyways,” he said. “When we have poor production in North Dakota, other folks feel it as well. Unfortunately, the direction we're going right now is smaller and smaller fall flights.”
As always, Szymanski cautions waterfowl hunters about reading too much into our survey numbers just yet. He said that while the Mid-continent duck populations aren’t what they once were, we’ll know more once the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service releases their fall survey area results sometime in early fall.
“And we’ll see how July goes when we do our duck brood survey,” he said. “Wetland conditions are a little bit improved from where they were in early May, but they're still not great. We likely would have had disastrous production if we didn’t get the rain we got. Hopefully, having some fair wetland conditions going into June will help us out and get a little duck production this year.”
Casey Anderson Appointed Deputy Director
Jeb Williams, Game and Fish Department director, announced the appointment of Casey Anderson to the agency’s deputy director position.
Anderson has been with the Department for 24 years, seven years as assistant wildlife division chief, and for the last four years he led the wildlife division as chief. He replaces Scott Peterson who spent 40 years with the agency, the last 11 as deputy director.
“Casey Anderson brings a combination of field and administrative experience, strong leadership, and an unwavering commitment to North Dakota’s fish and wildlife resources,” Williams said. “His ability to communicate with both the public and staff, coupled with a lifelong passion for our state, makes him exceptionally well-suited to step into the deputy director position.”
Anderson started with the agency in 2001 as a wildlife seasonal in Riverdale, building fences, spraying noxious weeds and whatever else needed attention in the district.
“I believe in the outdoors experience and benefiting from the quality of life that comes with being outdoors in North Dakota,” Anderson said. “By taking this position, I want to help maintain those experiences we get in the outdoors for all North Dakota citizens.”
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.
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.
Free Fishing Weekend
North Dakota residents who want to give fishing a try can fish for free June 7-8.
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.
Those who didn’t apply last year will lose accrued points by not applying or purchasing a point this year.
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.
SWAP Comment Period
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department encourages public comment on the revision of its 2015 State Wildlife Action Plan.
The SWAP is North Dakota's guiding document for the conservation and restoration of at-risk species and their habitats, with a focus on preventing species from becoming endangered. It identifies species of greatest conservation need, including fish, wildlife and invertebrates.
The plan is revised every 10 years and represents a unified effort involving various stakeholders aimed at creating and implementing conservation strategies to ensure the long-term protection and sustainability of the state’s fish and wildlife.
North Dakota’s SWAP is a collaborative effort by Game and Fish staff, species experts, partner conservation groups, and state, federal and local agencies.
A draft of the plan is available on the Department’s website, gf.nd.gov, and public comments are accepted through June 30, 2025.
County Restrictions Remain on Oahe WMA
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department removed the open fire ban on Oahe Wildlife Management Area. However, this area still falls under county burn restrictions.
Oahe WMA covers more than 16,000 acres along the Missouri River south of Bismarck and Mandan within Burleigh, Emmons and Morton counties.
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.
A boat should have enough U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable 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 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 of 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 Class A and Class 1 vessels are required to have one hand, mouth or power-operated whistle audible for at least one-half mile. This regulation also applies to kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and jet skis.
In addition, 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.
North Dakota Game and Fish Department