The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is asking for help locating active bald eagle nests.
Conservation biologist Sandra Johnson said the department is looking for locations of nests with eagles present, not individual eagle sightings.
Eagles lay eggs in early to mid-March, which hatch about a month later. Johnson said it’s easy to distinguish an eagle nest because of its enormous size.
Nearly 350 active bald eagle nests can be found in 47 of the 53 counties in the state. Historically, Johnson said nests were found along river corridors, but that’s not the case today, as bald eagles will nest in trees in the middle of pastures, fields or anywhere near a food source.
Nest observations should be reported online at the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov. Observers are asked not to disturb the nest, and to stay a safe distance away. Johnson said foot traffic may disturb the bird, likely causing the eagle to leave her eggs or young unattended.
CWD Test Results
With the 2023 chronic wasting disease surveillance season completed, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department reported 11 deer tested positive.
“The good news is that all these cases came from units where CWD has already been detected. None came from the southeastern part of the state where we were focusing our surveillance efforts,” said Dr. Charlie Bahnson, wildlife veterinarian. “However, CWD was detected right across our border in eastern Manitoba near Winkler, and again near Climax, Minn., where it was first found in 2021.”
Positive cases detected in 2023 came from units 3A1, 3A2, 3E1, 3E2 and 3F2.
Wildlife division chief Casey Anderson said that despite lower harvest success, the department met its surveillance goal in units 2B, 2G and 2G1. The objective is to achieve a sampling goal of 10% of the allocated deer gun licenses for a given year.
Game and Fish will use its 2023 surveillance data to guide CWD management moving forward.
CWD is a fatal disease of deer, moose and elk that remains on the landscape and can cause long-term population impacts as infection rates climb.
The state Game and Fish Department’s annual spring aerial mule deer survey is set to begin April 2 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 purpose of the survey is to determine a population index to assess mule deer abundance in the badlands.
Game and Fish Volunteers Recognized
Volunteer instructors for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department were recently recognized at the annual banquet in Bismarck.
Richard Bahm, Mandan, was recognized as Hunter Education Instructor of the Year.
Thirty-year service awards were presented to Mark Biel, Bismarck; Jeff Bjugstad, Wahpeton; Patsy Crooke, Mandan; Darrell Ekberg, Manvel; Gary Ertmann, Devils Lake; Theodore Hoberg, Grand Forks; Vernon Laning, Stanton; Robert Martin, Jamestown; Francis Miller, Mandan; and Kenneth Retzlaff, Ellendale.
Recognized for 25 years of service were William Bahm, Almont; Mark Engen, Anamoose; Mark Entzi, Watford City; Daryl Heid, Center; Matthew Herman, Ashley; Leon Hiltner, Wales; Michael Hinrichs, Bismarck; Del Houghton, Steele; Lynn Kieper, Bismarck; Curtis Miller, Tioga; Marvin Neumiller, Washburn; Craig Roe, Kindred; Douglas Sommerfeld, Lisbon; Tim Stiles, Fairmount; Cindie Van Tassel, Breckenridge, Minn.; and Paul Vasquez, Grand Forks.
Honored for 20 years of service were Mark Fisher, Devils Lake; Glen Hauf, Makoti; Jonathan Hughes, Minot; Morris Hummel, Coleharbor; Terry Kassian, Wilton; Keith Kinneberg, Wahpeton; Jacqueline Martin, Anamoose; Dale Patrick, Jamestown; Andrew Robinson, Minot; Thomas Rost, Devils Lake; Scott Thorson, Towner; and Matthew Veith, Bismarck.
Fifteen-year service awards were presented to Mark Berg, Nortonville; Troy Enga, Berthold; Cassie Felber, Towner; Christopher Krenzel, Harvey; Andrew Majeres, Garrison; Phil Mastrangelo, Mandan; Dale Miller, Grandin; Michael Ness, Carrington; Mike Redmond, Ray; and Dustin Roeder, Menoken.
Ten-year active instructors recognized were Troy Anderson, Dickinson; Michael Bahm, Mandan; Craig Blomster, Leeds; Jamey Boutilier, Zap; Jennifer Ekberg, Grand Forks; Jason Forster, Lidgerwood; William Harkness, Leeds; Connie Jorgenson, Devils Lake; Dennis Lakoduk, Minot; Krista Lundgren, Kulm; Bruce Nielsen, Valley City; Dean Rustad, Ray; Kori Schantz, Underwood; and Daniel Sem, Minot.
Recognized for five years of service were John Arman, Bismarck; Austin Barnhart, Dickinson; Joel Bohm, Mohall; Kody Helland, Kathryn; Kolten Helland, Kathryn; Troy Jespersen, Grenora; Jayar Kindsvogel, Center; Kellen Latendresse, Minot; Jason Lura, Carrington; Jeff Myers, Ryder; David Randall, Minot; Brad Sage, Mandaree; Kevin Streitz, Minot; Arnold Tow, Tioga; Ryan Walker, Fargo; Adam Westphal, Starkweather; Jordan Yellowbird, Garrison; and Anna Walker, Williston.
Two-year active instructors recognized were Adrienne Arndt, Killdeer; Anthony Awender, Reeder; Andrew Bartholomaus, Gackle; Mitchell Broadwell, Valley City; Lynn Burgard, Bismarck; Brady Carpenter, Minot; Travis Dalby, Surrey; Ryan Dotzenrod, Wyndmere; Trevor Dressler, Halliday; Tyson Follman, York; Joseph Hirschfeld, Dickinson; Dale Holand, Park River; Brooks Holmen, Powers Lake; Jack Hushka, Dickinson; Sally Kittelson, Hoople; Justin Knudson, Portland; Cody Krause, Carrington; Brock Larson, Bismarck; Trevor Levenseller, Reynolds; Clint Lindemann, Enderlin; John Loomis, Bismarck; Andrea Martinez, New Town; Cailey Meier, Richardton; Jonathan Metz, Gackle; Ryan Powers, Bismarck; Alicia Randall, Minot; Jay Roemmich, Spiritwood; Tom Six, Steele; Gerald Sletmoe, Casselton; and Chad Wimer, Coleharbor.
Elk, Moose, Bighorn Sheep Apps Due
Elk, moose and bighorn sheep applications must be submitted online before midnight, March 27.
Applicants can apply by visiting My Account at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov.
Elk, moose and bighorn sheep lottery licenses are issued as once-in-a-lifetime licenses in North Dakota. Hunters who have received a license through the lottery in the past are not eligible to apply for that species again.
Mountain Lion Late Season Closes in Zone 1
Mountain lion hunting during the late season in Zone 1 is closed after the harvest limit of seven cats was reached.
A conditional season in Zone 1 will open March 28 for hunters to pursue the additional two mountain lions not taken during the early season.
The conditional season will close March 31 or earlier once the second cat is taken. Early season regulations apply, which means hunters are not allowed to use dogs. In addition, hunters who harvested a lion during the early or late season are not eligible to participate.
The mountain lion season in Zone 2, which is the rest of the state outside Zone 1, has no harvest limit and is open through March 31.
2024-25 Licenses Needed April 1
North Dakota anglers, trappers and hunters are reminded that new licenses are required beginning April 1.
Licenses can be purchased online by visiting the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. Once the license is processed, hunters and anglers will have the option to print a hard copy and/or download the license to a smart phone or mobile device, which is helpful when asked to show proof while hunting or fishing in rural areas that lack cellular service.
Licenses can also be purchased at more than 80 vendor locations throughout the state. The 2024-25 small game, fishing and furbearer licenses are effective April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025.
2023 Deer Season Summarized
A total of 45,927 North Dakota deer hunters took approximately 25,146 deer during the 2023 deer gun hunting season, according to a post-season survey conducted by the state Game and Fish Department.
Game and Fish made available 53,400 deer gun licenses last year. Overall hunter success was 55%, with each hunter spending an average of 4.7 days in the field.
Hunter success for antlered white-tailed deer was 54%, and 51% for antlerless whitetails.
Mule deer buck success was 80%, and 78% for antlerless mule deer.
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 60%, while doe hunters had a success rate of 55%.
Game and Fish issued 12,188 gratis licenses in 2023, and 9,664 hunters harvested 4,216 deer for a success rate of 44%.
A total of 1,020 muzzleloader licenses were issued, and 890 hunters harvested 280 white-tailed deer (140 antlered, 140 antlerless). Hunter success was 32%.
A total of 27,607 archery licenses (24,237 resident, 3,370 nonresident) were issued in 2023. In total, 22,608 bowhunters harvested 6,436 deer (5,411 whitetails, 1,025 mule deer) for a success rate of 29%.
The department is in the process of determining recommendations for licenses in 2024. 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.
2024-26 Fishing Regulations Set
North Dakota’s 2024-26 fishing proclamation is set, with regulations effective April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2026. New fishing licenses are required April 1.
Anglers can find the North Dakota 2024-26 Fishing Guide online at the state Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov, or at Game and Fish Department offices and license vendors throughout the state.
Noteworthy regulation changes include:
Allows the use of bows for northern pike and nongame fish while darkhouse spearfishing.
Establishes a channel catfish limit west of N.D. Highway 1.
For bow and spearfishing – allows the taking of channel catfish in the Missouri River System up to the first tributary bridge.
Elk, moose and bighorn sheep applications are available online at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov. The deadline for applying is March 27.
A total of 833 elk licenses are available to hunters this fall, an increase of 230 from last year.
Licenses in units E1E, E1W and E3 increased due to a stable to increasing elk population. Licenses in elk units E2, E4 and E6 remain the same as in 2023.
A total of 242 moose licenses are available, a decrease of 15 from last year.
Licenses in units M5, M6, M8 and M10 remain the same as the moose population appears to be stable with good hunter success in these units. Licenses in M9 and M11 are reduced slightly to align with the observed population in these units. Moose units M4 and M1C will remain closed due to a low moose population in these units.
A bighorn sheep hunting season is tentatively scheduled for 2024, depending on the sheep population. The status of the bighorn sheep season will be determined Sept. 1, after summer population surveys are completed.
Bighorn sheep applicants must apply for a license at the same time as moose and elk, but not for a specific unit. Once total licenses are determined for each unit in late summer, the bighorn lottery will be held and successful applicants contacted to select a hunting unit.
Because the bighorn sheep application fee is not refundable as per state law, if a bighorn season is not held, applicants would not receive a refund.
Elk, moose and bighorn sheep lottery licenses are issued as once-in-a-lifetime licenses in North Dakota. Hunters who have received a license through the lottery in the past are not eligible to apply for that species again.
Nonresident Any-Deer Bow Applications After April 15
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will have 337 any-deer bow licenses available to nonresidents in 2024.
Applicants can apply online after April 15 on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov. The deadline to apply is May 15.
Up to five hunters can apply together as a party. A lottery will be held if more applications are received than licenses available. A total of 2,124 people applied in 2023.
The number of nonresident any-deer bow licenses available is 15% of the previous year’s mule deer gun license allocation.
Pollinators in the Classroom will be held June 10-11 at North Central Extension Station in Minot. The workshop will explore pollinators, what they are, where they live, life cycles, importance, and how you can make a difference. Students will receive a copy of the Urban Pollinator Program Curriculum, and should be prepared for walking field trips in the area. All materials are included.
Habitats of North Dakota: A New Generation of Lessons will be offered June 18-19 at Dickinson State University, Dickinson. The North Dakota Habitats curriculum and new Habitats Lesson Plans will be used as textbooks. The workshop will be fun and fast paced with many hands-on activities educators can use in their classrooms, discussion of classroom and curriculum integration, and walking field trips, weather permitting. All supplies are provided.
For more information contact curriculum specialist Sherry Niesar at 701-527-3714. Register by clicking on the link.
North Dakota Game and Fish Department