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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual fall wetland survey indicates poor to fair wetland conditions for duck hunting throughout the state.
Andy Dinges, Department migratory game bird biologist, said the number of duck hunting wetlands are down statewide about 44% from last fall and are also 45% below the 2003-2020 average.
“We are experiencing fall wetland…
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department continues to monitor an ongoing epizootic hemorrhagic disease outbreak. To date, the most heavily affected area is along a portion of the Missouri River extending from just south of Bismarck/Mandan to the Garrison Dam, as well as a smaller area near Williston.
“With the help of public reports, we are able to get a pretty good idea on where the…
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department wants ranchers to be aware of practices to protect hay and other feed supplies from deer and other big game animals this winter. Drought conditions across the state have resulted in hay shortages, and if combined with severe winter conditions, can result in depredation to hay and other feed supplies.
The Game and Fish Department can discuss…
Waterfowl hunters are reminded to do their part in preventing the spread of aquatic nuisance species into or within North Dakota.
Waterfowl hunters must remove aquatic plants and plant fragments from decoys, strings and anchors; remove aquatic plant seeds and plant fragments from waders and other equipment before leaving hunting areas; remove all water from decoys, boats, motors,…
Waterfowlers hunting from boats are encouraged to wear properly fitted life jackets while on the water.
Hunting coats with life jackets already built in are light and comfortable to wear. In addition, wearing a life jacket will not only keep the overboard hunter afloat, but also slow the loss of critical body heat caused by exposure to cold water.
Capsizing and falling…
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department and Ducks Unlimited co-sponsor a trailer full of waterfowl hunting gear for families with young hunters.
Purchased by the Game and Fish Department’s Encouraging Tomorrow’s Hunters grant program, the trailer is designed for families who don’t have the appropriate gear for their young hunters to hunt waterfowl. The equipment is donated by Avery…
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is asking water recreationists and property owners to check for zebra mussels and other aquatic nuisance species when removing boat lifts, docks and other equipment from state waters.
ANS coordinator Ben Holen said water recreationists and property owners play a vital role in ANS prevention, noting that a local cabin owner recently found zebra…
North Dakota’s waterfowl season opens for residents Sept. 25, while nonresidents may begin hunting waterfowl Oct. 2.
The season for swans opens Oct. 2 for both residents and nonresidents who have purchased a swan license.
Hunters may take six ducks per day with the following restrictions: five mallards of which two may be hens, three wood ducks, two redheads, two canvasbacks,…
The deadline for submitting entries in the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual Watchable Wildlife Photo Contest is Oct. 1.
The contest has categories for nongame and game species, as well as plants/insects. An overall winning photograph will be chosen, with the number of place winners in each category determined by the number of qualified entries.
Photographers…
Watch the grouse and partridge season preview webcast
North Dakota’s roadside surveys conducted in late July and August indicate pheasants were down from last year, while sharp-tailed grouse and gray partridge numbers were about the same.
State Game and Fish Department upland game supervisor Jesse Kolar said results of the annual upland late summer counts were expected. “…
The fall wild turkey lottery has been held and more than 500 licenses remain in five units. Unsuccessful applicants will have a refund issued directly to their credit card.
Beginning at 8 a.m. Central Time on Sept. 15, all remaining licenses will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Hunters are allowed a maximum of five licenses for the fall season.
Resident and…
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has confirmed the presence of invasive zebra mussels in Lake Elsie, Richland County, after a local cabin owner reported adult mussels attached to a boat lift over the Labor Day weekend.
Aquatic nuisance species coordinator Ben Holen said subsequent follow-up sampling found zebra mussels at various locations and life stages throughout the lake…
The Game and Fish Department allocated five bighorn sheep licenses for the 2021 hunting season, one fewer than last year.
One license was issued in unit B1, one in B3 and two in B4. In addition, one license, as authorized under North Dakota Century Code, was auctioned in May by the Midwest Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation, from which all proceeds are used to enhance bighorn sheep…
Friday, Sept. 17 at noon Central Time signals the start of a nine-and-a-half-day deer hunting season for licensed youth hunters.
Residents who are 11, 12 or 13 in 2021 can hunt statewide for antlerless white-tailed deer.
Resident deer gun hunters who are 14 or 15 in 2021 can hunt statewide with a youth season license for any deer, except for antlered mule deer in units 3B1, 3B2…
Introduce a youngster to duck hunting during North Dakota’s two-day youth waterfowl weekend Sept. 18-19. In addition, the special veteran and active military personnel waterfowl season is set for the same weekend.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has a Virtual Duck Hunting Mentor webpage with all the basics, including license requirements, regulations, gear recommendations and…
