The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will continue its Hunter-Harvested Surveillance program during the 2022 hunting season by sampling deer for chronic wasting disease from select units in the western portion of the state, and unit 2B in the east.
Samples will be tested from deer taken from units 1, 2B, 3A1, 3A2, 3A3, 3A4, 3B1, 3B2, 3C, 3D1, 3D2, 3E1, 3E2, 3F1, 3F2, 4A, 4B, 4C,…
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department urges 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 everyone plays a vital role in ANS prevention.
“Reports from the public have led to the discovery of numerous ANS populations…
Deer hunters who can’t find their deer license should contact the North Dakota Game and Fish Department soon to secure their tag before the season opens.
The Game and Fish Department must be contacted by phone at 701-328-6335, or email ndgf@nd.gov, to authorize the online purchase of a replacement tag. Printable applications are not available.
The deer gun season opens Friday,…
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 RAP at 701-328-9921.
Witnesses should note the vehicle description, including make, color, license plate number and state issued. Description of the…
North Dakota Game and Fish Department enforcement personnel issue 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…
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is taking orders for its North Dakota OUTDOORS calendar, the source for all hunting season and application dates for 2023. Along with color photographs of North Dakota’s wildlife and outstanding scenery, it also includes sunrise-sunset times and moon phases.
To order online, visit the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov., or send $3 for each, plus…
The state Game and Fish Department’s annual fall aerial mule deer survey is set to begin Oct. 9 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…
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 are part of a population of about 500 birds on their…
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual fall wetland survey indicates fair wetland conditions for duck hunting throughout the state.
Andy Dinges, Department migratory game bird biologist, said the number of duck hunting wetlands are up statewide about 26% from extreme drought conditions experienced last fall, but still 29% below the long-term average. The number of duck…
North Dakota’s two-day youth pheasant season Oct. 1-2 is a great opportunity to introduce a new hunter to the outdoors with limited competition.
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…
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. 8-14, the first seven days of the pheasant season. However, nonresidents can hunt on PLOTS land they own during that week.
In addition, leaving equipment on PLOTS overnight, such as tree stands, blinds,…
Motorists should watch for deer along roadways this time of year as juvenile animals disperse 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…
Watch the waterfowl season preview webcast with biologist Mike Szymanski.
North Dakota’s waterfowl season opens for residents Sept. 24, while nonresidents may begin hunting waterfowl Oct. 1.
The season for swans opens Oct. 1 for both residents and nonresidents who have purchased a swan license.
Hunters may take six ducks per day with the following restrictions: five…
The deadline for submitting entries in the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual Watchable Wildlife Photo Contest is Oct. 3.
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…
Waterfowl hunters should do their part in preventing the spread of aquatic nuisance species into or within North Dakota.
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, trailers and other…
Waterfowlers hunting from boats are encouraged to wear properly fitted life jackets while on the water.
Hunting coats with life jackets 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 overboard from…
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department allocated five bighorn sheep licenses for the 2022 hunting season, the same as last year.
One license was issued in unit B1, one in B3, one in B4 and one in B5. 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…
The fall wild turkey lottery has been held and more than 800 licenses remain in nine units. Unsuccessful applicants will have a refund issued directly to their credit card.
Beginning at 8 a.m. Central time on Sept. 14, 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…
Hunters can help in the effort to manage upland game birds in North Dakota by collecting feathers from harvested birds and sending in wing envelopes.
Birds included in the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s upland game wing survey, which has been in practice for decades, are ring-necked pheasants, sharp-tailed grouse, Hungarian partridge, turkeys and ruffed grouse.
…
Friday, Sept. 16 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 2022 can hunt statewide for antlerless white-tailed deer.
Resident deer gun hunters who are 14 or 15 in 2022 can hunt statewide with a youth season license for any deer, except for antlered mule deer in units 3B1,…
