Catchable Trout, Catfish, Pike Stocked

Fri, 05/03/2019

North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries personnel have already stocked dozens of local community fisheries with catchable trout, catfish and pike, with additional lakes still to be stocked in early- to mid-May.

Approximately 10,000 11-inch rainbow trout, 600 2- to 4-pound rainbow trout, 1,200 adult catfish, 1,100 adult pike and 1,100 1- to 3-pound cutthroat trout were recently stocked in community fisheries around the state.

Fisheries production and development section leader Jerry Weigel said these stockings put catchable fish in waters that are easily accessible, and in or near communities throughout North Dakota.

“Many have fishing piers and are a great opportunity for a first-time angler to catch fish,” Weigel said. 

• Adams – Mirror Lake (catfish)
• Barnes – Hatchery Kids Pond (rainbow)
• Burleigh – Cottonwood Park Pond (pike), OWLS Pond (cutthroat, rainbow), Wilton City Pond (rainbow)
• Cass – Brooks Harbor Pond (rainbow, cutthroat), Casselton Pond (rainbow, cutthroat), Casselton Reservoir (pike), North Woodhaven Pond (rainbow)
• Eddy – New Rockford Pond (pike)
• Golden Valley – Beach City Pond (rainbow)
• Grand Forks – Turtle River (rainbow)
• McKenzie – Arnegard Dam (catfish), Watford City Park Pond (catfish, rainbow)
• McLean – Camp Loop Pond (rainbow, catfish, pike), Custer Mine (rainbow), Painted Woods Pond (rainbow), Riverdale City Pond (rainbow)
• Morton – Gaebe Pond (catfish, rainbow), Krieg’s Pond (catfish), Porsborg Dam (cutthroat, rainbow)
• Mountrail – Stanley Pond (catfish)
• Ransom – Mooringstone Pond (rainbow)
• Renville – Glenburn Pond (catfish)
• Richland – Mooreton Pond (cutthroat)
• Stark – Belfield Pond (catfish, rainbow), Dickinson Dike (catfish, rainbow)
• Stutsman – Little Britches Pond (rainbow, cutthroat)
• Ward – State Fair Pond (rainbow, catfish)
• Williams – East Spring Lake Pond (pike), West Spring Lake Pond (catfish, rainbow)

In addition to these fisheries, Game and Fish personnel will continue stocking numerous trout lakes the next few weeks, including Glenburn Pond (Renville), Hazen Creek (Mercer), Lightning Lake (McLean), Little Heart Pond (Morton), Langdon City Pond (Cavalier), Oliver County Sportsmen’s Pond (Oliver), Ryan Park Pond (Grand Forks) and Stanley Pond (Mountrail). 

Deer Season Set, Apply Online

Thu, 05/02/2019

North Dakota’s 2019 deer season is set, with 65,500 licenses available to hunters this fall, 10,350 more than last year.

In total, antlered mule deer licenses increased by 450 from last year, antlerless mule deer by 700, antlered whitetail by 700, antlerless whitetail by 1,250, "any antlered" by 3,150 and "any antlerless" by 4,100.

In addition, muzzleloader licenses increased by 184 and restricted youth antlered mule deer licenses increased by 45.

Mule deer doe licenses are available in unit 4A for the first time since 2011.

As stated in the 2019-20 chronic wasting disease proclamation, hunters harvesting a deer in units 3A1, 3B1 and 3F2 cannot transport the whole carcass, including the head and spinal column, outside of the unit, with the exception that hunters can transport the whole deer carcass between units 3A1 and 3B1 during any open deer season.

Also in the CWD proclamation, it is unlawful for an individual to hunt big game over bait, or place bait to attract big game for the purpose of hunting, in deer hunting units 3C west of the Missouri River, 3E1, 3E2, 3F1, 3F2, 3B1, 3A1, 3A2 and north of N.D. Highway 2 in unit 3A3.

North Dakota’s 2019 deer gun season opens Nov. 8 at noon and continues through Nov. 24.

Applicants for regular deer gun, youth and muzzleloader can apply online through the Game and Fish Department’s website at gf.nd.gov, or call 800-406-6409. A service fee is charged for applications made through the 800 number.

Gratis applicants must apply online – the toll-free licensing telephone number is not set up to receive gratis applications.

The deadline for applying is June 5. 

Applicants should note that those who miss two consecutive years of applying in the lottery will lose accumulated bonus points.

Applicants who do not have access to a computer or smartphone can submit the application at a public service location such as a public library, stop at a Game and Fish office, or request help from a friend, relative or neighbor.

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 – and generally only antlerless licenses remain.

Total deer licenses are determined by harvest rates, aerial surveys, depredation reports, hunter observations, input at advisory board meetings, and comments from the public, landowners and department field staff.

Boaters Reminded to Report Accidents

Mon, 04/29/2019

Regardless of how safe and cautious boaters are on the water, sometimes an accident does happen. If a boating accident involves injury, death or disappearance of a person, an accident report must be filled out and sent to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department within 48 hours of the occurrence.

If property damage exceeds $2,000, but no deaths or injuries are involved, a boat operator has five days to file a report.

A boat accident form is available at the Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov, at any Game and Fish office or by contacting a local game warden.

Missouri River Safety Day

Mon, 04/29/2019

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department and Townsquare Media are sponsoring the Missouri River SPLASH – a recreation and boating safety event for everyone who enjoys the Missouri River.

The event is Thursday, May 16 in Mandan from 2-5 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. 

Spring Mule Deer Survey Complete

Mon, 04/29/2019

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 is down from last year, but still 14 percent above the long-term average.

Biologists counted 2,454 mule deer in 298.8 square miles during this year’s survey. Overall mule deer density in the badlands was 8.2 deer per square mile, compared to 10.3 in 2018.

Although mule deer density was lower than 2018, big game management supervisor Bruce Stillings said the population is above objective and remains at a level able to support more hunting opportunities this fall.

“The 2019 spring results show that mule deer have recovered nicely following 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,” Stillings said. “The population recovery is due to no antlerless harvest for five years, combined with milder winter conditions during 2012-2016, which led to good fawn production since 2013. However, the long-term health of the population will depend on maintaining high quality habitat.”

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.

Boat North Dakota Course

Mon, 04/29/2019

Boat owners are reminded that 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.

However, North Dakota Game and Fish Department education coordinator Brian Schaffer recommends all boaters take a boater education course. In fact, some insurance companies give adult boat owners who pass the course a discount on boat insurance.

The course is available for home-study from the Game and Fish Department’s Bismarck office. Two commercial providers also offer the course online, and links to those sites are found on the department’s website at gf.nd.gov.

While the home-study course is free, students will be charged a fee to take it online. The online provider charges for the course, not the Game and Fish Department. The fee stays with the online provider.

Upon completion of the online test, and providing a credit card number, students will be able to print out a temporary certification card, and within 30 days a permanent card will be mailed.

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.

For more information contact Schaffer by email at ndgf@nd.gov; or call 701-328-6300.

Game and Fish Pays $658,000 in Property Taxes

Mon, 04/22/2019

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department recently paid more than $658,000 in taxes to counties in which the department owns or leases land. The 2018 in-lieu-of-tax payments are the same as property taxes paid by private landowners.

The Game and Fish Department manages more than 200,000 acres for wildlife habitat and public hunting in 51 counties. The department does not own or manage any land in Traill or Renville counties.

Following is a list of counties and the tax payments they received.

Lincoln Angler's Walleye Breaks Record

Mon, 04/22/2019

Tom Volk’s 16-pound, 9-ounce walleye caught on April 21 broke a record that was set nearly a year ago, and prior to that had gone untouched for nearly 60 years.

The Lincoln angler reeled in the 32 and one-half inch fish from shore along the Heart River in Mandan, besting the old record by three-quarters of a pound that was set last May by Neal Leier of Bismarck while fishing the Missouri River. 

Scholarships Available for Students

Mon, 04/22/2019

The North Dakota Game Wardens Association, Ray Goetz Memorial Fund and Kupper Chevrolet are together sponsoring scholarships for graduating high school seniors or current higher education students, majoring in law enforcement, wildlife management, fisheries or a related field.

Applicants must be North Dakota residents, be in good academic standing, and have an interest in wildlife law enforcement or a related field. Scholarships will be awarded this fall upon proof of enrollment.

Applications are available by contacting the North Dakota Game Warden’s Association, NDGAMEWARDENS@gmail.com. Applications must be received no later than May 31, 2019.

2018 Deer Season Summarized

Mon, 04/22/2019

A total of 48,717 North Dakota deer hunters took approximately 31,350 deer during the 2018 deer gun hunting season, according to a post-season survey conducted by the state Game and Fish Department.

Game and Fish made available 55,150 deer gun licenses last year. Overall hunter success was 64 percent, with each hunter spending an average of 4.4 days in the field.  

Hunter success for both antlered and antlerless white-tailed deer was 64 percent.

Mule deer buck success was 81 percent, and antlerless mule deer was 83 percent.

Hunters with any-antlered or any-antlerless licenses generally harvest white-tailed deer, as these licenses are predominantly in units with mostly whitetails. Buck hunters had a success rate of 69 percent, while doe hunters had a success rate of 65 percent.

Game and Fish issued 13,098 gratis licenses in 2018, and 10,785 hunters harvested 5,832 deer, for a success rate of 54 percent.

A total of 1,022 muzzleloader licenses were issued in 2018, and 900 hunters harvested 349 white-tailed deer (176 antlered, 173 antlerless). Hunter success was 39 percent.

A record 28,824 archery licenses (26,318 resident, 2,506 nonresident) were issued in 2018. In total, 22,666 bow hunters harvested 8,914 deer (7,927 whitetails, 987 mule deer), for a success rate of 39 percent.

The department is in the process of determining recommendations for licenses in 2019. In addition to harvest rates and winter aerial surveys, Game and Fish staff monitor other population indices to determine license numbers, including depredation reports, hunter observations, input at advisory board meetings, and comments from the public, landowners and department field staff.

Open Fires Banned on Oahe WMA, Surrounding Areas

Thu, 04/18/2019

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is prohibiting open burning this spring on property managed south of Bismarck and Mandan, as a means to reduce potential for wildfires on a heavily wooded recreation area along the Missouri River.

Bill Haase, wildlife resource management supervisor, said all open burning, including campfires, is banned until further notice on the Oahe Wildlife Management Area along both sides of the Missouri River. While the use of portable propane grills is allowed, extreme caution is advised due to the heavily vegetated area.

Haase said these woodlands are prone to wildfires prior to spring green-up. Mild temperatures and a high fuel load in the river bottoms are a cause for concern, he said, in addition to being a high use area for anglers, campers and other outdoor recreationists.

In addition to Oahe WMA, surrounding areas included in the open burn ban include General Sibley Park, East Sibley Park, Kimball Bottoms and MacLean Bottoms managed by the Bismarck Parks and Recreation District; Kimball Bottoms Off Highway Vehicle Area managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and Little Heart Bottoms and Graner Park managed by Morton County Parks.

Oahe WMA covers more than 16,000 acres along Lake Oahe south of Bismarck-Mandan, in portions of Burleigh, Emmons and Morton counties. Burning restriction signs are posted at all entrances to the WMA.

Moose and Elk Lotteries Held, Bighorn Sheep in September

Thu, 04/18/2019

North Dakota’s moose and elk lotteries have been held, and individual results are available by visiting My Account at the state Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov.

A total of 15,516 applications were received for bighorn sheep, 19,290 for elk and 22,456 for moose.

While in My Account, successful applicants must pay for a moose and/or elk license. In addition, a 2019-20 general game and habitat license, or combination license, is required. The moose/elk license will be mailed after the required hunting licenses are purchased.

Hunters in moose unit M10 and elk unit E6 are reminded of restrictions that prohibit transporting the whole carcass, including the head and spinal column, outside of the unit. For more information, visit the chronic wasting disease page on the Game and Fish website.

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.