North Dakota Game and Fish Department
North Dakota’s river otter trapping season is closed immediately. The statewide season’s predetermined harvest limit of 25 has been reached.
Only North Dakota residents were eligible to participate, with a season limit of one otter per trapper.
Andrew Dahlgren, North Dakota Game and Fish Department district game warden stationed in Edgeley, is the state’s 2021 Wildlife Officer of the Year and Boating Officer of the Year.
Dahlgren was honored recently by Shikar-Safari Club International, a private conservation organization that annually recognizes outstanding wildlife officers in each state. In a nomination letter sent to Shikar-Safari, chief warden Scott Winkelman said Dahlgren’s district is one of the busier outdoor recreation use areas in southeastern North Dakota.
“Warden Dahlgren’s district includes numerous lakes and public use areas that provide hunting, fishing and boating opportunities. The varied opportunities attract a plethora of outdoor enthusiasts to the area,” Winkelman said. “He is an accomplished investigator who thoroughly follows up on complaints and reports of possible illegal activities within his district.”
While Dahlgren spends a considerable amount of time in summer patrolling waters within his own district, Winkelman said he is often found assisting other wardens with boat patrols and ramps checks on neighboring lakes and reservoirs.
“Warden Dahlgren is very skilled in the detection, apprehension and prosecution of boaters who are operating while under the influence of drugs or alcohol,” Winkelman said. “He has made numerous arrests for operating a vessel while intoxicated using techniques he has developed from his own patrol experiences. He serves the department and citizens of North Dakota in an outstanding manner.”
The 2022 North Dakota OUTDOORS calendar is available for ordering online at the state Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov.
The calendar features outstanding color photographs of North Dakota wildlife and scenery, and includes season opening and application deadline dates, sunrise-sunset times and moon phases.
Calendars are also available via mail order. Send $3 for each, plus $1 postage, to: Calendar, North Dakota Game and Fish Department, 100 N. Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck, ND 58501-5095.
The calendar is the North Dakota OUTDOORS magazine’s December issue, so current subscribers should have already received it in the mail.
Anglers are encouraged to refer to the North Dakota 2020-22 Fishing Guide or the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website for winter fishing regulations, plus fishing questions and answers.
Some winter fishing regulations include:
North Dakota’s free ice fishing weekend is Dec. 25-26.
Resident anglers may fish that weekend without a license. All other winter fishing regulations apply.
Fishing regulations and information on fishing waters is available on the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website at gf.nd.gov.
Winter anglers are reminded that any fish house left unoccupied on North Dakota waters must be made of materials that will allow it to float.
Other fish house regulations include:
Anglers should refer to the North Dakota 2020-22 Fishing Guide for other winter fishing regulations.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department and North Dakota Department of Agriculture are again opening the Coyote Catalog, a statewide effort designed to connect committed hunters and trappers with landowners who are dealing with coyotes in their areas.
Landowners can sign up on the Department of Agriculture website, nd.gov/ndda/.
Hunters and trappers can sign up at the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.
Anyone who registered for the Coyote Catalog in the past must register again to activate their names on the database.
Throughout winter, hunters or trappers may receive information on participating landowners, and they should contact landowners to make arrangements.
Landowners experiencing coyote depredation of livestock should first contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services.
The Coyote Catalog will remain active through March 31.
For more information, contact Ryan Herigstad at Game and Fish, 701-595-4463 or rherigstad@nd.gov; or Colby Lysne, at the Department of Agriculture, 701-390-7515 or clysne@nd.gov.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department annually provides its best estimate for opening dates to help hunters prepare for hunting seasons.
Dates become official when approved by governor’s proclamation. Tentative opening dates for 2022 include:
| Season | Tentative Open Date |
|---|---|
| Spring Turkey | April 9 |
| Dove | September 1 |
| Deer and Pronghorn Bow, Mountain Lion | September 2 |
| Sharptail, Hun, Ruffed Grouse, Squirrel | September 10 |
| Youth Deer | September 16 |
| Youth Waterfowl | September 17 |
| Early Resident Waterfowl | September 24 |
| Youth Pheasant, Regular Waterfowl | October 1 |
| Pronghorn Gun | October 7 |
| Pheasant, Fall Turkey | October 8 |
| Mink, Muskrat, Weasel Trapping | October 22 |
| Deer Gun | November 4 |
| Deer Muzzleloader | November 25 |
North Dakota’s darkhouse spearfishing season opens on most state waters whenever ice-up occurs. Legal fish are northern pike and nongame species.
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.
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:
Anglers and spearers should refer to the 2020-22 North Dakota Fishing Guide for more information.
Nonprofit organizations eligible to receive big game hunting licenses in 2022 must have the application submitted to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department no later than Jan. 1.
North Dakota state law provides direction for the Game and Fish director to allocate big game hunting licenses to eligible organizations. Under this directive, up to two elk, moose and pronghorn licenses, and 10 white-tailed deer licenses, can be issued to organizations to use for fundraising.
Eligible organizations must be exempt from federal income taxation under section 501(c)(3), and must provide a copy of the letter from the Internal Revenue Service to that effect. In addition, organizations must be active and in good standing with the office of the North Dakota Secretary of State.
Successful lottery applicants must agree to donate at least 10% of the net proceeds of any license fundraiser to a conservation-related project, such as hunting access, conservation education, habitat development or shooting range management.
Organizers planning fishing tournaments, including ice fishing contests this winter, must submit an application along with fishing tournament regulations to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department at least 30 days prior to the start of the event.
The 30-day advance notice allows for review by agency staff to ensure the proposed tournament will not have negative biological consequences, or conflicts with other proposed tournaments for the same location and/or time.
Fishing tournaments may not occur without first obtaining a valid permit from the department.
Looking for a gift for a waterfowl hunter this holiday season? You might want to check out the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s “The Duck Factory – A History of Waterfowl in North Dakota.”
Authored by Mike Jacobs and Erik Fritzell, the 213-page, soft-cover publication in full color traces the history of waterfowl species and their habitats in North Dakota.
Migratory game bird program leader Mike Szymanski said there is a lot of interesting information about the interactions with people and waterfowl in North Dakota.
“This book is appealing to both waterfowl hunters and people interested in history,” Szymanski said. “It has a lot of really cool, old photos of hunting scenes and historical figures.”
“The Duck Factory” is an important story because of North Dakota’s longtime and continuing contribution to the world of migratory birds, Szymanski said. “North Dakota is the most important state for breeding ducks,” he added. “The contribution of ducks from North Dakota into the fall flight is unmatched by any other state, and its importance to duck hunters cannot be understated. Describing the history of waterfowl in North Dakota was a story that we felt was certainly worth telling.”
The book is sold only online for $24.99, including shipping, on the Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov, by clicking on Buy and Apply, and then Shop.
