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News Releases

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

News Releases

Whooping Crane Migration

Whooping cranes are in the midst of their fall migration and sightings will increase as they make their way through North Dakota over the next several weeks. Anyone seeing these endangered birds as they move through the state should report sightings so the birds can be tracked.

The whooping cranes that do travel through North Dakota in fall are part of a population of about 500 birds on their way from nesting grounds at Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada to wintering grounds in Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, a distance of about 2,500 miles.

Whoopers stand about 5 feet tall and have a wingspan of about 7 feet from tip to tip. They are bright white with black wing tips, which are visible only when the wings are outspread. In flight, they extend their long necks forward, while their long, slender legs extend out behind the tail. Whooping cranes typically migrate singly, or in groups of 2-3 birds, and may be associated with sandhill cranes.

Other white birds such as snow geese, swans and egrets are often mistaken for whooping cranes. The most common misidentification is pelicans, because their wingspan is similar and they tuck their pouch in flight, leaving a silhouette similar to a crane when viewed from below.

Anyone sighting whoopers should not disturb them, but record the date, time, location and the birds' activity. Observers should also look closely for and report colored bands, which may occur on one or both legs. Whooping cranes have been marked with colored leg bands to help determine their identity.

Whooping crane sightings should be reported to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offices at Lostwood, 701-848-2466; Audubon, 701-442-5474; the North Dakota Game and Fish Department in Bismarck, 701-328-6300; or to local game wardens across the state. Reports help biologists locate important whooping crane habitat areas, monitor marked birds, determine survival and population numbers, and identify times and migration routes.

Report Violations with RAP

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department encourages hunters, anglers and landowners who witness a fish or wildlife violation to file a report with the Report All Poachers program.

Witnesses should report a violation by calling the RAP telephone number at 701-328-9921.

Witnesses should note the vehicle description, including make, color, license plate number and state issued. Description of the violator should also be considered.

The RAP line offers rewards – from $100 to $1,000 depending on the nature and seriousness of the crime – for information that leads to conviction of fish and wildlife law violators. Reports can also go directly to game wardens or other law enforcement agencies. Callers can remain anonymous.

Permit Required to Possess Dead Deer

North Dakota Game and Fish Department enforcement personnel are issuing a reminder that a permit is required before taking possession of a dead deer found near a road or in a field. Only shed antlers can be possessed without a permit.

Permits to possess are free and available from game wardens and local law enforcement offices.

In addition, hunters are reminded to properly dispose of dead deer. Carcass waste cannot be left on public property, including roadways, ditches or wildlife management areas. The best place to dispose of carcass waste is via a municipal solid waste landfill.

Issues Resolved, Report Banded Migratory Birds

The Bird Banding Lab sent notice that migratory bird hunters can resume reporting bird bands online at reportband.gov, after recent power outages and down servers have been fixed.

Hunters unable to report any bands while the site was down are encouraged to revisit the site as information received from hunters is critical for management of migratory game birds.

Habitats of North Dakota is Online for Educators

Educators in need of additional professional development credits should consider Habitats of North Dakota, five online-only courses available through North Dakota State University.

Select one or all: Wetlands, Badlands, Riparian, Woodlands and Prairie habitats, each is one credit. Work at your own pace and develop a list of concepts and a lesson plan that will implement the key concepts into an existing curriculum.

In addition, students are responsible for reading and reviewing text, video and supplementary materials for each habitat guide. Courses are suitable for K-12 educators.

Comprehension and critical thinking questions are incorporated throughout each of the texts. Each unit also includes vocabulary and review sections. The material meets the state life science standards for grades 3-6 and North Dakota Studies standards for grade 4. Examples of implementation projects are provided for each Habitat course.

Online classes are Oct. 15 – Nov. 30. The NDSU course fee is $50 per credit payable upon registration at https://www.ndsu.edu/dce/k-12/k12_listing.

For more information, contact Sherry Niesar at sniesar@nd.gov or 701-527-3714.

Fall Mule Deer Survey Begins

The state Game and Fish Department’s annual fall aerial mule deer survey is set for mid-October in western North Dakota. Weather permitting, the survey takes about two weeks to complete.

During the survey period, people could notice low-flying small airplanes over some parts of the badlands.

Game and Fish biologists have completed aerial surveys of the same 24 badlands study areas since the 1950s. The survey is used to collect mule deer population data for monitoring demographic trends, such as buck-to-doe and fawn-to-doe ratios.

Order 2022 OUTDOORS Calendars

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is taking orders for its 2022 North Dakota OUTDOORS calendar, the source for all hunting seasons and application dates. Along with outstanding color photographs of North Dakota wildlife and scenery, it also includes sunrise-sunset times and moon phases.

To order online, visit buy and apply at the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov., or send $4 for each, including postage and shipping, to: Calendar, North Dakota Game and Fish Department, 100 N. Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck, ND 58501-5095. Be sure to include a three-line return address with your order, or the post office may not deliver our return mail.

The calendar is the North Dakota OUTDOORS magazine’s December issue, so current subscribers will automatically receive it in the mail.

Casey Anderson Appointed Wildlife Chief

North Dakota Game and Fish director Jeb Williams has appointed 20-year department employee Casey Anderson as chief of the wildlife division.

“Casey has certainly proven himself as a leader,” Williams said. “His experience and communication skills will serve the agency well as wildlife chief.”

Anderson has been the assistant wildlife chief since 2014. He has also held private land field coordinator and biologist positions.

A native of the Turtle Lake-Mercer area in McLean County, he has a bachelor’s degree in the fish and wildlife management option of zoology from North Dakota State University.

Motorists Warned to Watch for Deer

Motorists are reminded to watch for deer along roadways this time of year because juvenile animals are dispersing from their home ranges.

October through early December is the peak period for deer-vehicle accidents. Motorists are advised to slow down and exercise caution after dark to reduce the likelihood of encounters with deer. Most deer-vehicle accidents occur primarily at dawn and dusk when deer are most often moving around.

Motorists should be aware of warning signs signaling deer are in the area. When you see one deer cross the road, look for a second or third deer to follow. Also, pay attention on roadways posted with Deer Crossing Area caution signs.

Deer-vehicle accidents are at times unavoidable. If an accident does happen, law enforcement authorities do not have to be notified if only the vehicle is damaged. However, if the accident involves personal injury or other property damage, then it must be reported.

In addition, a permit is required before taking possession of a road-killed deer. Permits are free and available from game wardens and local law enforcement.

A few precautions can minimize chances of injury or property damage in a deer-vehicle crash: 

  • Always wear your seat belt.
  • Don’t swerve or take the ditch to avoid hitting a deer. Try to brake as much as possible and stay on the roadway. Don’t lose control of your vehicle or slam into something else to miss the deer. You risk less injury by hitting the deer.

If you spot deer ahead, slow down immediately and honk your horn.

Waterfowl Book Available

Outdoor enthusiasts interested in North Dakota’s waterfowl will want to get their hands on the state Game and Fish Department’s newest book, “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.

“The Duck Factory” is an important story because of North Dakota’s longtime and continuing contribution to the world of migratory birds, migratory game bird program leader Mike 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.

PLOTS Regulations

Hunting small game, waterfowl, furbearers or big game by nonresidents is prohibited by state law on Private Land Open To Sportsmen acreage and state wildlife management areas from Oct. 9-15, the first seven days of the pheasant season. However, a new law allows nonresidents to hunt on PLOTS land they own during that week.

Starting Oct. 16, nonresidents can hunt on PLOTS and WMAs if the appropriate season is open.

In addition, leaving equipment or other provisions on a PLOTS overnight, such as tree stands, blinds, decoys, firearms, archery equipment, or trail cameras is not allowed without written permission from the landowner.

Permission from the landowner is always required for motorized vehicle access on PLOTS, such as for setting decoys in a field, unless specifically designated on the PLOTS sign.

Youth Pheasant Weekend

North Dakota’s two-day youth pheasant season Oct. 2-3 is a great opportunity to introduce a new hunter to the outdoors with limited competition and hopefully milder weather.

That’s when legally licensed residents and nonresidents 15 and younger can hunt rooster pheasants statewide. An adult at least 18 must accompany the youth hunter in the field. The adult may not carry a firearm.

Resident youth hunters must possess a fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate and general game and habitat license. Nonresident youth hunters from states that provide a reciprocal licensing agreement for North Dakota residents qualify for North Dakota resident licenses. Otherwise, nonresident youth hunters must purchase a nonresident small game license.

Hunters 12 and older need to have passed a certified hunter education course or obtain an apprentice hunter validation, which allows an individual to hunt small game for one license year without completing hunter education.

Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. The daily bag limit and all other regulations for the regular pheasant season apply. See the North Dakota 2021-22 Hunting and Trapping Guide for additional information.

And if you’re successful, visit the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s Wild Game and Fish Recipes webpage at gf.nd.gov/recipes for ideas on taking your bounty from field to fork.