News

North Dakota’s river otter trapping season is closed immediately. The statewide season’s predetermined harvest limit of 20 has been reached.

Only North Dakota residents were eligible to participate, with a season limit of one otter per trapper.

Outdoor enthusiasts are reminded the North Dakota Game and Fish Department fall advisory board meetings will be livestreamed Monday, Nov. 30 and Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Districts 1, 2, 7 and 8, which make up roughly the western half of the state, will have their combined meeting on Monday. Districts 3, 4, 5 and 6 in the eastern part of the state, will follow on Tuesday. Both meetings will…

North Dakota waterfowl hunters are reminded the statewide duck and white-fronted goose seasons close Dec. 6. However, duck hunting in the high plains unit reopens Dec. 12 and continues through Jan. 3.

In addition, the season for Canada geese closes Dec. 19 in the eastern zone, Dec. 24 in the western zone and Jan. 1 in the Missouri River zone. Light goose hunting closes statewide Jan. 1…

North Dakota’s early mountain lion season in Zone 1 closed Sunday, Nov. 22, and the late season, when hunters can pursue lions with dogs, is now open. 

During the early season, hunters took two cats from a harvest limit of eight. Under the season structure, a conditional season could open five days after the late season closes for hunters to pursue the additional six mountain lions…

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s fall mule deer survey indicated another year of good fawn production.

Biologists counted 2,116 mule deer in the aerial survey in October. The ratio of 82 fawns per 100 does was similar to last year, while 36 bucks per 100 does was lower than in 2019.

“Overall, fawn production was good which could lead to population growth depending on…

Hunters, anglers and trappers are reminded to be aware of early ice conditions before traveling onto and across North Dakota waters.

A few reminders include:

Hunters are reminded that several national wildlife refuges in North Dakota are open to late-season upland game bird hunting the day after the deer gun season closes.

Arrowwood, Audubon, Des Lacs, J. Clark Salyer, Lake Alice, Lake Zahl, Long Lake, Lostwood, Tewaukon (pheasants only) and Upper Souris NWRs open Nov. 23.

However, portions of each refuge are closed to hunting.…

Nonprofit organizations eligible to receive big game hunting licenses in 2021, 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,…

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department encourages hunters, anglers and trappers to send questions for the fall advisory board livestream meeting prior to the scheduled start time. Questions should be submitted to ndgflive@nd.gov. Those sent during the live chat are not guaranteed to get answered during the meeting. 

Game and Fish announced on Oct. 27 that it will host its fall round…

Every year the North Dakota Game and Fish Department receives questions from deer hunters who want to clarify rules and regulations. Some common questions are listed below. Hunters with further questions are encouraged to visit the Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov., or call 701-328-6300, from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. weekdays.

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The North Dakota Game and Fish Department Advisory Board will host its fall round of public meetings online this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Districts 1, 2, 7 and 8, which make up roughly the western half of the state, will have their combined meeting on Monday, Nov. 30. Districts 3, 4, 5 and 6 in the eastern part…

Fisheries crews have completed their annual salmon spawning operation on the Missouri River System, after collecting more than 2.1 million eggs.

North Dakota Game and Fish Department Missouri River System fisheries biologist Russ Kinzler said crews easily collected enough eggs to stock the 400,000 smolts planned for Lake Sakakawea…

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will continue its Hunter-Harvested Surveillance program during the 2020 hunting season by sampling deer for chronic wasting disease from units in the western third of the state. 

Samples from hunter-harvested deer taken will be tested from units 3A1, 3A2, 3A3 (that portion…

Based on continuing reports of white-tailed deer mortality in western North Dakota caused by epizootic hemorrhagic disease, the state Game and Fish Department is allowing hunters with whitetail licenses in units 3D1, 3D2, 3E1, 3E2, 3F1, 3F2, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 4F the option of turning those licenses in for refunds. Hunters who return their licenses will have…

Deer hunters who can’t find their deer license should contact the North Dakota Game and Fish Department soon to make sure they have their tag before the season opens.

The Game and Fish Department must be contacted by phone at 701-328-6300, or email ndgf@nd.gov, to authorize the online purchase for a replacement tag. Printable…

Channel A as it enters Devils Lake is now open to fishing, since U.S. Highway 2 west of Devils Lake is now open to four-lane traffic.

This area was closed to both shore and boat fishing since May due to safety concerns, while the highway was under construction from Devils Lake to Church’s Ferry.

Clubs or communities interested in submitting a grant application to help support a local high school trap team, or for firearm and shooting ranges, should submit their applications soon.

North Dakota Game and Fish Department education section leader Marty Egeland said the grants to support North Dakota high school trap teams are for infrastructure to support…

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…

With pheasant hunting season opening this Saturday and thousands of hunters taking to the field, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department reminds hunters to be aware of the daily fire danger index.

Recent high daytime temperatures, combined with typical dry, late-summer and early-fall ground conditions, have caused an elevated fire danger index in some…

Investigations supervisor Scott Winkelman was named chief game warden for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department Oct. 1, following the retirement of longtime chief Robert Timian.

Winkelman started his career with the department in 2003 as a district game warden in Bottineau. In 2007, he relocated to Bismarck to work in investigations.