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NDG&F
February 27th Newsletter
Spring Turkey
Drawing Held, Licenses
Remain
The 2017 spring wild
turkey lottery has been
held and hopeful hunters
can check individual
results by accessing
the North Dakota Game
and Fish Department
website at gf.nd.gov.
A total of 891
licenses remain in 12
units. The governor’s
proclamation allows a
maximum of two licenses,
and hunters who did not
apply in the first
drawing are also
eligible.
Licenses remain in
unit 03, Benson and
Ramsey counties and
portions of Pierce
County; unit 06, Bowman
County; unit 13, Dunn
County; unit 19, Grant
and Sioux counties and
portions of Morton
County; unit 25 McHenry
County and portions of
Pierce and Ward
Counties; unit 30,
portions of Morton
County; unit 31,
Mountrail County; unit
44, Slope County; unit
45, Stark County; unit
47, Eddy, Foster,
Kidder, Sheridan,
Stutsman and Wells
counties; unit 51, Burke
County and portions of
Renville, Bottineau and
Ward counties; and unit
99, Mercer and Oliver
counties.
Licenses are issued
on a first-come,
first-served basis
beginning March 15.
Applicants can apply
online, or print an
application to mail at
the Game and Fish
website. In addition,
applications can be
requested by calling
701-328-6300. Only North
Dakota residents are
eligible to apply.
The spring turkey
season opens April 8 and
continues through May
14.
Important
NDHEA info regarding Mentored Hunts and Family
Shooting events
NDHEA is pleased to be offering assistance with
funding for Mentored Hunts and Family Shooting
Events!
Family Fun Shoot/Mentored Hunt policies
click here to download
a copy of the policies
Request for Participation (RFP) to conduct an
event
click here to download
the RFP form
Coyote
Catalog Available for Hunters, Landowners
The North Dakota Department of Agriculture and the
North Dakota Game and Fish Department have reopened
the Coyote Catalog to connect coyote hunters and
trappers with landowners who want fewer coyotes in
their areas. The Coyote Catalog is an online database similar to
the one the Game and Fish Department uses to connect
deer hunters with farmers and ranchers. “We’ve had a lot of success matching deer hunters
with landowners,” said NDGF Director Terry Steinwand.
“We hope the Coyote Catalog works out just as well.” NDDA officials estimate livestock producers in North
Dakota lost more than $1 million last year to
coyotes. At the same time, coyotes are a popular
furbearer species for hunters and trappers. “I encourage landowners, especially farmers and
ranchers who have problems with coyote depredation,
to sign up for the Coyote Catalog,” said Agriculture
Commissioner Doug Goehring. “Hunting and trapping
are valuable tools in managing these predators.” Goehring and Steinwand said the U.S. Department of
Agriculture Wildlife Services should be the first
contact for landowners experiencing coyote
depredation of livestock. Landowners can sign up on the NDDA website at
www.nd.gov/ndda/coyote-catalog.
Required information includes county and contact
information. Hunters and trappers can
sign up at
the NDGF website at
www.gf.nd.gov. Periodically throughout the winter, hunters or
trappers will receive information on participating
landowners, and they can then contact landowners to
make arrangements. Although the Coyote Catalog does not guarantee a
good match for every participating landowner or
hunter, Goehring and Steinwand said it has great
potential to focus hunting or trapping pressure in
areas where farmers and ranchers are experiencing
coyote depredation problems. Anyone who registered for the Coyote Catalog in the
past must register again to activate their names on
the database. The Coyote Catalog will remain active through March
31, and then start up again next winter.
Information Sought in Illegal
Taking of White-tailed Deer in Emmons County
North Dakota Game and Fish Department district game
warden Erik Schmidt is searching for answers in the
illegal shooting of four white-tailed deer in Emmons
County during opening weekend of pheasant hunting
season. Schmidt said two mature bucks, one a 4x4 and the
other a 5x5, were found in a bean field 1.5 miles
east of Strasburg. A doe and fawn were found in a
stubble field 5 miles southwest of Linton. It is
believed all four were shot late evening Oct. 11, or
early morning Oct. 12. Anyone with information is asked to call the Report
All Poachers telephone number at 800-472-2121, or
contact Schmidt at 701-220-7160. RAP is offering a
$1,000 reward. The RAP line offers rewards for information that
leads to conviction of fish and wildlife law
violators. Reporting parties can remain anonymous.
Sportsmen
Against Hunger Accepting Goose Meat
North Dakota’s Sportsmen Against Hunger program can
now accept donations of Canada geese taken during
the regular waterfowl hunting season. Previously, the program could accept snow, blue and
Ross’s geese during the regular season, but Canada
goose donations were only allowed during the early
Canada goose season. This new opportunity for hunters to donate goose
meat is part of a two-year pilot program between the
North Dakota Game and Fish Department and the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service. “In the past couple of years we have heard from many
hunters who would like to donate geese taken during
the regular season,” said Game and Fish Director
Terry Steinwand. “We appreciate the Fish and
Wildlife Service setting up this pilot program so we
can see how well it works.” North Dakota Community Action Sportsmen Against
Hunger program coordinator Sarah Hasbargen said the
additional donations accepted during this pilot
project will be a much-needed increase to food
pantries across the state. “We will accept as much
as hunters are able to donate,” Hasbargen said,
while mentioning donated goose meat must be received
no later than the day after the close of the season. Provisions for donating goose meat during the
regular season are basically the same as for the
early Canada goose season. In addition, hunters can
also donate meat from geese that were taken during
the early season. Hunters can bring their geese home and clean them
prior to delivering meat to a processor, but breast
meat brought from home without a wing or head
attached to the meat, must be accompanied by written
information that includes the hunter’s name,
address, signature, hunting license number, date
taken and species and number taken. Hunters may also deliver geese directly from the
field to a processor, but identification must remain
attached to the bird until in possession of the
processor. Since no goose carcasses or feathers are
allowed inside processing plants, hunters must be
able to ensure proper disposal and clean-up of
carcasses. The list of participating processors is available on
the Game and Fish Department website at
gf.nd.gov, and at
the NDCAP website,
www.capnd.org. Hunters interested in donating are encouraged to
call the processor before dropping off geese, to
have a clear understanding of how processors will
accept goose breasts, and their hours of operation. The North Dakota Community Action Sportsmen Against
Hunger is a charitable program that raises money for
processing of donated goose and deer meat, and
coordinates distribution of donated meat to food
pantries in North Dakota. It is administered by the
North Dakota Community Action Partnership, a
nonprofit agency that serves low-income families
across the state. SFor more information, visit the
NDCAP website,
or contact Sarah Hasbargen at 701-232-2452.
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NDGF
Legislative Update
View the status of outdoor
related legislation here
NDGF
Offers Wild Game Processing Workshop, Spring Turkey
Camp
Individuals
interested in attending
an upcoming wild game
processing workshop or
spring turkey camp
sponsored by the North
Dakota Game and Fish
Department should sign
up quickly as classes
are limited.
Participants can
register by contacting
education coordinator
Brian Schaffer at
701-328-6312, or email
bschaffer@nd.gov.
Wild Game
Processing Workshop
Audience: Anyone 15
years of age and older
Date: Saturday, March
11
Location: Game and
Fish District Shop -
3001 E. Main, Bismarck
Time: 1 – 5 p.m.
Cost of Workshop: $25
Learn how to take
harvested game from the
field to the table.
Participants will take
home several packages of
fresh sausage.
Spring Turkey Camp
Audience: Female
hunter education
graduates ages 12-15 who
have never had a turkey
license
Co-sponsor: National
Wild Turkey Federation
Central Dakota Strutters
and Badlands Toms
chapters
Date:
Saturday/Sunday, May
6-7, must have
parent/guardian present
Location: Washburn
Participants and
guardians will spend
time afield with an
experienced turkey
hunter. Each participant
must apply for a
guaranteed youth license
in Unit 98 during the
spring turkey lottery.
The deadline to apply in
the lottery is Feb. 8.
In addition to the
mentored turkey hunt,
participants will
experience breakout
sessions on wild turkey
biology, turkey hunting
safety and hunting
techniques, firearm
handling/shooting
instruction, and how to
build a turkey call.
Spring Turkey
Season Set, Online Apps
Available
The North Dakota Game
and Fish Department is
offering 5,685 wild
turkey licenses for the
spring hunting season,
130 fewer than last
year.
One of the 22 hunting
units has slightly more
spring licenses than in
2016, five have fewer
and 15 remain the same.
Unit 21 (Hettinger and
Adams counties) is again
closed in 2017 due to
lack of turkeys in the
unit.
Successful spring
turkey applicants must
purchase a 2017-18
hunting license, as last
year’s 2016-17 licenses
expire March 31. In
addition to the spring
turkey license, hunters
must have a fishing,
hunting and furbearer
certificate, and a
general game and habitat
license. Also, hunters
ages 16 and older must
possess a small game
license, or combination
license.
First-time spring
turkey hunters ages 15
or younger are eligible
to receive one spring
license valid for the
regular hunting season
in a specific unit. To
be eligible, the youth
hunter must be 15 or
younger on opening day
of spring turkey season,
and have never received
a spring turkey license
in North Dakota.
Spring turkey
applicants can
apply online at the
Game and Fish Department
website, gf.nd.gov.
Applications can also be
submitted by calling
800-406-6409.
Application forms
will also be available
by Feb. 1 at vendors and
Game and Fish offices.
The deadline for
applying is Feb. 8.
Online or phone
applications must be
logged before midnight
that day.
Spring turkey
licenses are available
only to North Dakota
residents. The spring
turkey season opens
April 8 and continues
through May 14.
Game
and Fish Looking for Info on Apparent Deer Poaching
Incident
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is seeking
information through the Report All Poachers hotline on
an apparent deer poaching that occurred this past fall
near the ND Highway 1806 bridge over the Cannonball
River in Morton County.
Chief Game Warden Robert Timian said Game and Fish
obtained a video of the incident recently, and is
releasing it to the public and media in an effort to get
more information on this event, and to try to identify
the individuals involved in an apparent illegal killing
of a whitetail buck. The video is available for viewing
and download on the
Game and Fish
Department’s YouTube channel.
Based on current information, Timian says the
incident took place during the fall of 2016, likely on
the north side of the Cannonball River west of the ND
Highway 1806 bridge over the Cannonball, in the vicinity
of the Dakota Access Pipeline protest camps.
This raw, unedited
video is
approximately 7 minutes long and shows several
individuals entering the river to retrieve a whitetail
buck that was struggling in the river, and dragging it
to shore where the deer was killed.
Anyone with information on the possible identity of
any individual in this video, or any other information,
is urged to call the Report All Poachers hotline at
800-472-2121; contact the Game and Fish enforcement
division directly at 701-328-6604; or email
swinkelman@nd.gov.
RAP calls are anonymous, and can lead to rewards for
information that leads to convictions.
Game and Fish Seeks Information
North Dakota Game and Fish Department law
enforcement officers are searching for
information related to the likely illegal
possession and taking of a mule deer buck
and an antlerless whitetail pictured
recently on social media at a location that
appears to be in or near the pipeline
protest camp in southern Morton County.
Anyone with information should contact
the Game and Fish enforcement office in
Bismarck at 701-328-6604.
Coyote Catalog Available for Hunters, Landowners
The Coyote Catalog, a statewide effort designed to
connect coyote hunters and trappers with landowners who
are dealing with coyotes in their areas, is open for the
winter.
A partnership between the North Dakota Department of
Agriculture and the North Dakota Game and Fish
Department, the Coyote Catalog can be a good way for
hunters and trappers to locate new places to go,
according to Game and Fish Director Terry Steinwand.
Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring encourages
landowners, especially farmers and ranchers who have
problems with coyotes, to sign up for the Coyote
Catalog. “Hunting and trapping are some of the many
tools available to mitigate predator risk,” Goehring
said.
This past season, nearly 40 landowners participated
in the Coyote Catalog, along with more than 200 hunters
and trappers.
Landowners can sign up on the NDDA website at
www.nd.gov/ndda/coyote-catalog. County and contact
information is required.
Hunters and trappers can
sign up at the NDGF website, gf.nd.gov.
Anyone who registered for the Coyote Catalog in the
past must register again to activate their names on the
database.
Throughout the winter, hunters or trappers may
receive information on participating landowners, and
they should contact landowners to make arrangements.
Goehring and Steinwand said landowners experiencing
coyote depredation of livestock should first contact the
U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services.
The Coyote Catalog will remain active through March
31, 2017.
For more information, contact Stephanie Tucker, NDGF,
at 701-220-1871;
satucker@nd.gov; or Jamie Good, NDDA, at
701-328-2659 or
jgood@nd.gov.
All
Deer Gun Licenses Issued
The 49,000 deer gun licenses that were allocated by
proclamation for the 2016 hunting season have all been
issued, according to Randy Meissner, licensing manager
for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.
Meissner said according to state law, the number of
deer gun licenses issued, including those licenses
issued as gratis, cannot exceed the number of licenses
authorized by the governor’s proclamation.
The deer gun season opens Friday, Nov. 4 at noon
central time.
Archery licenses can still be purchased through the
end of the bow season on Jan. 8.
Wetland Conditions Good for Duck Hunting
The North Dakota Game and Fish
Department’s annual fall wetland survey
indicates good but variable wetland
conditions for duck hunting throughout the
state.
Migratory game bird biologist Andy Dinges
said the northeast region has the highest
number of wetlands holding water, while the
south central and southeast have also seen
improvement from last year’s fall wetland
conditions. However, the northwest and north
central regions of the state will have the
fewest wetlands available for duck hunting
opportunities since fall 2012.
“In general, wetland conditions are best
in northeast, but other regions in the state
have average to slightly below average fall
wetland conditions,” Dinges said.
Dinges said this year’s moisture
conditions began with fairly dry conditions
in May, but were aided by steady
precipitation throughout much of the state
during mid-summer.
“Drying conditions in some regions should
provide good loafing areas for waterfowl and
cranes along wetlands, but can make hunting
difficult in some cases if there is wide mud
margin around wetlands,” Dinges added.
The quality of waterfowl hunting in North
Dakota is largely determined by weather
conditions and patterns. Dinges said strong
reproduction for ducks in breeding areas
both in and outside of North Dakota this
year makes for good fall hunting potential.
“Hunters should always scout because of
ever changing conditions and distribution of
waterfowl,” Dinges said, “and should also be
cautious driving off-trail to avoid soft
spots, and while encountering areas of tall
vegetation that could be a fire hazard.”
The fall wetland survey is conducted
mid-September, just prior to the waterfowl
hunting season, to provide an assessment of
conditions duck hunters can expect.
Remaining Fall Turkey Licenses Available Sept. 27
The 2016 fall wild turkey lottery has
been held and more than 850 licenses remain
in seven units. Unsuccessful applicants who
applied online will have a refund issued
directly to their credit card.
Beginning Sept. 27, all remaining
licenses will be issued on a first-come,
first-served basis. Hunters are allowed a
maximum of 15 licenses for the fall season.
Resident and nonresident hunters will be
able to
apply online, or print out an
application to mail, at the Game and Fish
Department website, gf.nd.gov. Paper
applications will also be available at
license vendors.
The fall turkey season runs from Oct. 8 –
Jan. 8, 2017.
Licenses remain for the following units:
Unit 03, Benson and Ramsey counties and a
portion of Pierce County, 15 licenses; Unit
13, Dunn County, 185; Unit 25, McHenry
County and portions of Pierce and Ward
counties, 338; Unit 30, a portion of Morton
County, 165; Unit 31, Mountrail County, 23;
Unit 45, Stark County, 50; and Unit 51,
Burke County and portions of Renville,
Bottineau and Ward counties, 93.
Governor Proclaims Sept. 24 Hunting and Fishing Day
Gov. Jack Dalrymple has signed a proclamation
establishing Sept. 24 as Hunting and Fishing Day in
North Dakota.
The proclamation references the state’s hunting and
fishing traditions, and how hunters and anglers help
generate revenue and support conservation through
license fees and direct spending.
The
Hunting and Fishing Day proclamation is published on
the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.
North Dakota’s Hunting and Fishing Day coincides with
National Hunting and Fishing Day, an event held for more
than 40 years to highlight the role hunters and anglers
play in supporting conservation and scientific wildlife
management.
Whooping Crane Migration
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 birds as they move through the state
is asked to report sightings so the birds
can be tracked.
Whoopers stand about five feet tall and
have a wingspan of about seven feet from tip
to tip. They are bright white with black
wing tips, which are visible only when the
wings are outspread. In flight they extend
their long necks straight forward, while
their long, slender legs extend out behind
the tail. Whooping cranes typically migrate
singly, or in groups of 2-3 birds, and may
be associated with sandhill cranes.
Other white birds such as snow geese,
swans and egrets are often mistaken for
whooping cranes. The most common
misidentification is pelicans, because their
wingspan is similar and they tuck their
pouch in flight, leaving a silhouette
similar to a crane when viewed from below.
Anyone sighting whoopers should not
disturb them, but record the date, time,
location, and the birds' activity. Observers
should also look closely for and report
colored bands which may occur on one or both
legs. Whooping cranes have been marked with
colored leg bands to help determine their
identity.
Whooping crane sightings should be
reported to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
offices at Lostwood, 701-848-2466, or Long
Lake, 701-387-4397, national wildlife
refuges; the North Dakota Game and Fish
Department in Bismarck, 701-328-6300, or to
local game wardens across the state. Reports
help biologists locate important whooping
crane habitat areas, monitor marked birds,
determine survival and population numbers,
and identify times and migration routes.
Schmidt Bottoms Shooting Range Opens
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department
has reopened its public shooting range at
Little Heart (Schmidt) Bottoms on the Oahe
Wildlife Management Area in Morton County,
following recent completion of road repair
work.
The range, 12 miles south of Mandan on ND
Highway 1806, is open from sunrise to sunset
daily.
If any changes to the status should
occur, Game and Fish will notify the public
through the media and on its website,
www.gf.nd.gov.
Game
and Fish Summarizes Upland Game Brood Survey
North Dakota’s roadside pheasant survey conducted in
late July and August indicates total birds and number of
broods are down statewide from 2015.
Aaron Robinson, upland game management supervisor for
the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, said the
survey shows total pheasants are down 10 percent from
last year. In addition, brood observations were down 7
percent, while the average brood size was down 8
percent. The final summary is based on 276 survey runs
made along 105 brood routes across North Dakota.
“Compared to last year, our late summer roadside
counts indicate pheasant hunters are going to have to
work harder to find more pheasants in most parts of the
state, with fewer young roosters showing up in the fall
population,” Robinson said. “As always, there will be
local areas within all four pheasant districts where
pheasant numbers will be both better and below what is
predicted for the district.”
Statistics from southwestern North Dakota indicate
total pheasants were down 21 percent and broods observed
down 19 percent from 2015. Observers counted 21 broods
and 168 birds per 100 survey miles. The average brood
size was 5.5.
Results from the southeast show birds are down 4
percent from last year, and the number of broods up 1
percent. Observers counted eight broods and 62 birds per
100 miles. The average brood size was 5.0.
Statistics from the northwest indicated pheasants are
up 129 percent from last year, with broods up 161
percent. Observers recorded 12 broods and 93 birds per
100 miles. Average brood size was 6.1.
The northeast district, generally containing
secondary pheasant habitat, with much of it lacking good
winter cover, showed two broods and 14 birds per 100
miles. Average brood size was 3.9. Number of birds
observed remained the same, and the number of broods
recorded was up 5 percent.
The 2016 regular pheasant season opens Oct. 8 and
continues through Jan. 8, 2017. The two-day youth
pheasant hunting weekend, when legally licensed
residents and nonresidents ages 15 and younger can hunt
statewide, is set for Oct. 1-2.
Sharptails, Huns
North Dakota hunters will find fewer sharp-tailed
grouse in the field this fall, while Hungarian partridge
numbers are similar to last year.
Robinson said late July and August roadside counts
show sharptails are down 23 percent from 2015, while
partridge are up 2 percent.
“Sharp-tailed grouse hunting will be slower than last
season in most of the state, and all indications are
that hunters will see significantly lower numbers in the
west,” Robinson said. “In general, grouse hunting will
be fair to good. Partridge will be similar to last year,
with harvest still considered a bonus while pursuing
other game birds.”
Statistics show observers recorded 2.4 sharptail
broods and 18.6 birds per 100 miles. Average brood size
was 4.7.
For partridge, observers recorded 0.8 broods and 11.1
birds per 100 miles. Average brood size was 9.6.
The 2016 grouse and partridge seasons open Sept. 10
and continue through Jan. 8, 2017.
Game and Fish Allocates Eight Bighorn Sheep
Licenses
The State Game and Fish Department is
allocating eight bighorn sheep licenses for
the 2016 hunting season, based on data
collected from a recently completed summer
population survey.
Two licenses are available in Unit B1,
two in B3 and three in B4. In addition, one
license as authorized under North Dakota
Century Code was auctioned in March by the
Midwest Chapter of the Wild Sheep
Foundation, from which all proceeds are used
to enhance bighorn sheep management in North
Dakota.
Game and Fish Department wildlife chief
Jeb Williams said the bighorn population
hasn’t had any recent setbacks this summer
from bacterial pneumonia, which prompted
Game and Fish to close the hunting season in
2015.
“There are currently good numbers of
mature rams on the landscape, and we are
going to take advantage of providing as much
hunter opportunity as possible with the
situation that we have,” Williams said. “We
feel good that we are able to provide this
opportunity as impacts from the die-off have
lessened substantially since 2014, but it is
also very unpredictable.”
Big game biologist Brett Wiedmann said
license numbers are determined by assessing
the age structure and total number of rams
in the population. The July-August survey
showed a minimum of 103 rams in the
badlands, an increase of 18 percent from
2015.
“Overall, we are very encouraged by the
results of the summer survey,” Wiedmann
said. “In fact, the ram count was the
highest on record.”
Wiedmann said the annual survey results
for ewes and lambs would not be completed
until next spring. Biologists count and
classify all bighorn sheep in late summer,
and then recount lambs the following March,
as they approach one year of age, to
determine recruitment.
Game and Fish announced in February that
the status of the bighorn sheep hunting
season would be determined after completion
of the summer population survey. Now that
the survey is complete and total licenses
are determined for each unit, the bighorn
lottery will run and successful applicants
will be contacted to select a hunting unit
by Sept. 6.
Prospective hunters were required to
apply for a bighorn license earlier this
year on the bighorn sheep, moose and elk
application. A total of 10,380 people
applied for a bighorn sheep license.
Swan
Hunt Lottery Held, Licenses Remain
North Dakota’s swan lottery has been held
and more than 180 licenses remain. Only
hunters who do not have a swan license for
the 2016 season can apply, as regulations
limit hunters to one license per year.
Beginning Sept. 7, all remaining licenses
will be issued on a first-come, first-served
basis. Resident and nonresident hunters will
be able to
apply online, or
print out an application to mail, at the
State Game and Fish Department website,
gf.nd.gov. Hunters may also request an
application by calling the department’s
Bismarck office at 701-328-6300. The license
fee is $10 for residents and $30 for
nonresidents.
The statewide tundra swan hunting season
is Oct. 1 – Jan. 1, 2017.
Spring
Breeding Duck Numbers Tallied
The
North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual
spring breeding duck survey conducted in May showed
an index of 3.4 million birds, down 5 percent from
last year.
“The spring migration was
well ahead of normal as open fields and warm
temperatures allowed early migrants to pass quickly
through the state,” said migratory game bird
supervisor Mike Szymanski.
Survey results indicated
all species, except ruddy ducks (up 19 percent) and
gadwall (up 4 percent), decreased from their 2015
estimates, while shovelers remained unchanged.
Mallards were down 9
percent, pintails down 17 percent and canvasbacks
down 18 percent. However all species, with the
exception of pintails and canvasbacks, were above
the long-term average (1948-2015).
Szymanski said the number
of temporary and seasonal wetlands was substantially
lower than last year, with the spring water index
down 50 percent. “However, conditions coming out of
May into June were much wetter than what we observed
during the week of the survey,” Szymanski added.
“Frequent rains have since filled many wetlands that
are beneficial for breeding ducks.”
The water index is based
on basins with water, and does not necessarily
represent the amount of water contained in wetlands
or the type of wetlands represented. Szymanski said
the July brood survey will provide a better idea of
duck production and insight into expectations for
this fall.
“The total breeding duck
index is still in the top 20 all time, so there is
still a lot of potential for good production this
year,” he added. “Hopefully improved wetland
conditions since the May survey will carry through
into increased wetland availability for duck
broods.”
USFWS Says Moose May
Warrant Future Protection
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced
that a subspecies of moose found in North Dakota and
three other states could warrant federal
protection.
The finding opens a full status review by the USFWS
to determine whether moose could be listed under the
Endangered Species Act. State Game and Fish
Department officials emphasize the finding merely
initiates a status review of moose in the Upper
Midwest, and it will not affect any current state
regulations in the foreseeable future.
The announcement concerns the population of the
moose subspecies found only in the Midwest,
including Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin in
addition to North Dakota. Jeb Williams, Game and
Fish Department wildlife division chief, said the
Department will be providing data to show that the
state’s moose population has been doing quite well
for years.
Williams mentioned if data on North Dakota's moose
population had been considered in the petition's
finding, it's possible the state's moose population
would have been excluded from the process. “This can
be a long and confusing process, but North Dakotans
need to understand that nothing will change in the
interim and we believe our moose population will
continue to do well,” Williams said.
Currently the state’s highest moose densities are
found in the northwest, while numbers in what was
once considered traditional habitat in the Turtle
Mountains and Pembina Hills, remain low. Overall,
the statewide population is stable to increasing.
North Dakota held its first moose hunting season in
1977 and 10 licenses were made available to hunters.
The season has run uninterrupted since then. For
2016, the Game and Fish Department allocated 202
moose licenses, up 70 from 2015. The Department
continues to monitor moose that die from causes
other than hunting, to determine any effects of
disease and to gain a better understanding of why
they died.
In addition, a three-year moose research study is
ongoing in the Kenmare area and on the Missouri
River bottoms southeast of Williston. The research
is focusing on annual survival, cause-specific
mortality, reproduction rates, annual and season
movements and home range use, as well as seasonal
habitat selection.
Williston Angler Snags Record Paddlefish
Grant Werkmeister of Williston snagged a record
131-pound paddlefish on May 7, about 20 miles
southwest of Williston near the confluence of the
Yellowstone and Missouri rivers.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has
confirmed that Werkmeister’s 71-inch paddlefish is
the heaviest fish caught in North Dakota, breaking
the previous record of 130 pounds set in 2010. North
Dakota’s paddlefish snagging season was open May
1-13.
Rainbow Smelt Die-off
Occurring in Lake Sakakawea
A fish kill affecting adult rainbow
smelt is ongoing in portions of the upper half of Lake
Sakakawea, according to Dave Fryda, Missouri River
System fisheries supervisor for the North Dakota Game
and Fish Department.
Fryda said the cause of the die-off
has been documented numerous times in North Dakota in
the past. “The vast majority of the dead and dying smelt
have physical signs of Columnaris bacteria,” said Fryda,
“we’ve recovered infected fish from White Earth Bay
downstream to Deepwater Bay and Van Hook Arm.”
Columnaris bacteria are present in
all water bodies, and outbreaks typically occur when
rapid water temperature changes occur at a time when the
fish are stressed, such as after spawning. “The smelt
recently spawned in Lake Sakakawea, and were recovering
from that stress when we experienced near record-high
temperatures last week which boosted the water
temperature in the shallow bays where the smelt
spawned,” Fryda added.
Smelt affected by Columnaris often
develop visible skin irritations that have the
appearance of fuzz or mold. Although there is no known
cause for concern when in physical contact with these
fish, the department suggests to leave the fish alone.
Lake Sakakawea has not had a
widespread smelt die-offs since the mid- to late 1980s,
a time when the overall smelt population was very high.
Fryda said the current smelt population is the highest
it’s been for decades, so that is likely part of the
reason the bacteria has spread over such a wide area.
The overall significance of this
year’s die-off will likely be minimal, however, Fryda
said the effects on the population won’t be known until
later this summer when fisheries crews assess the adult
smelt population.
Catchable Trout, Catfish,
Pike Stocked
North Dakota Game and Fish
Department fisheries personnel
recently stocked more than 40 local
fisheries with catchable trout,
catfish and pike.
Approximately 23,000 11-inch
rainbow trout, 800 adult catfish,
750 5-pound pike and 600 1- to
5-pound cutthroat trout were
recently stocked in rural and city
ponds and lakes.
Fisheries production and
development section leader Jerry
Weigel said while the state’s
fisheries are at historic highs,
many are not as easily accessible to
youngsters, older adults and
disabled anglers.
“These stockings put catchable
fish in waters that are accessible,”
Weigel said. “Many have fishing
piers, and are a great opportunity
for a first-time angler to catch
fish.”
·
Barnes – Blumers Pond (rainbow),
Hatchery Kids Pond (rainbow)
·
Bottineau – Strawberry Lake
(rainbow)
·
Bowman – Lutz Dam (rainbow)
·
Burleigh – Cottonwood Park Pond
(pike), McDowell Dam (cutthroat,
rainbow), OWLS Pond (cutthroat,
rainbow)
·
Cass – Casselton Pond (rainbow),
North Woodhaven Pond (rainbow)
·
Cavalier – Langdon City Pond
(rainbow)
·
Golden Valley – Beach City Pond
(rainbow)
·
Grand Forks – Ryan Park Pond
(rainbow)
·
Hettinger – Castle Rock Dam
(rainbow), Mott Watershed Dam
(rainbow)
·
McKenzie – Watford City Park Pond
(catfish, rainbow)
·
McLean – Camp Loop Pond (rainbow),
Custer Mine (rainbow), Lightning
Lake (rainbow), Riverdale City Pond
(rainbow)
·
Mercer – Hazen Creek (rainbow)
·
Morton – Gaebe Pond (catfish,
rainbow), Krieg’s Pond (catfish,
rainbow), Little Heart Pond
(rainbow), Nygren Dam (rainbow),
Porsborg Dam (cutthroat, rainbow)
·
Mountrail – Stanley Pond (catfish,
rainbow)
·
Oliver – Oliver County Sportsmen’s
Pond (rainbow)
·
Ransom – Mooringstone Pond (rainbow)
·
Renville – Glenburn Pond (rainbow)
·
Rolette – Lake Udall (rainbow)
·
Stark – Belfield Pond (catfish,
rainbow), Dickinson Dike (catfish,
cutthroat)
·
Stutsman – Little Britches Pond
(rainbow), Streeter Lake (rainbow)
·
Grand Forks -- Turtle River
(rainbow)
·
Ward – State Fair Pond (rainbow),
Velva Sportsmen’s Pond (rainbow)
·
Williams – East Spring Lake Pond
(pike), Kettle Lake (rainbow), West
Spring Lake Pond (catfish, rainbow)
In addition, rainbow trout
were also stocked into larger
waters. Anglers should refer to the
fishing tab at the Game and Fish
Department’s website, gf.nd.gov, for
a
complete stocking report.
2016-18 Fishing Regulations
Set, New License Required
North Dakota’s 2016-18 fishing
proclamation is set, with
regulations effective April 1, 2016
through March 31, 2018. Anglers
are reminded that new fishing
licenses are required April 1.
Noteworthy regulation changes
include:
- A free fishing weekend was
added for North Dakota residents
during the ice fishing season.
In the coming winter, the free
weekend will be held Dec. 31 –
Jan. 1, 2017.
- The statewide possession
limit for bluegill, yellow perch
and white bass was reduced from
80 to 40 each.
- All drain plugs that hold
back water must be removed, and
all draining devices must be
open on all watercraft and
recreational bilges and confined
spaces, during out-of-water
transport.
- All water must be completely
drained from bait containers,
including bait buckets, upon
leaving the Red River, or any
other waters designated as
infested with Class 1 prohibited
aquatic nuisance species.
- Sweet Briar Dam and Braun
Lake are open to darkhouse
spearfishing, and Larimore Dam
and Wood Lake are closed to
darkhouse spearfishing.
- Markers must be in the
possession of anglers and/or
spearers as soon as a hole
greater than 10 inches in
diameter is made in the ice.
- Largemouth bass and northern
pike length restrictions are
eliminated on Red Willow Lake
and largemouth bass length
restrictions removed on North
and South Golden lakes.
- Fishing rods must be easily
visible and within a maximum
distance of 150 feet of
participating anglers.
- One snapping turtle may be
harvested annually between July
1 and Nov. 15.
Fishing licenses can be
purchased using a computer or
smartphone by visiting the North
Dakota Game and Fish Department
website, gf.nd.gov, or at license
vendors that are linked to the
department’s online licensing
system. Since participating vendors
will need to sell licenses
electronically, paper license
booklets are no longer available at
license vendors.
Not all vendors that sold
licenses in the past will still sell
licenses. A list of vendors
participating in electronic
licensing sales is available on
the department’s website.
Vendors on the list as of April 1
will be linked to the department’s
online licensing system.
Licenses may also be purchased by
calling the department’s instant
licensing telephone number at
800-406-6409 any time day or night.
A service charge is added for
licenses purchased through the
instant licensing telephone number.
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