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Every year the North Dakota Game and Fish Department receives questions from deer hunters 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. I have a concurrent season license. When can I use it? The license can be used during archery season with a bow; deer gun season with a bow, rifle or muzzleloader; or the muzzleloader season with a muzzleloader. You are restri...
North Dakota’s deer gun season, arguably the state’s most anticipated and celebrated hunting season, opens Nov. 10 at noon Central time. The Game and Fish Department’s standardized opening day of North Dakota’s deer gun season is determined by the calendar and always opens the Friday immediately preceding Veterans Day, Nov. 11. This is to ensure that the opening day of North Dakota’s deer gun season does not occur on the federal holiday. The last time the opener of the 16 ½-day season fell on the second weekend in November and ran through Th...
North Dakota’s deer gun season opens Nov. 10 at 12 p.m. CT, and the state Game and Fish Department cautions deer hunters to be wary of ice conditions. In some parts of the state, there are already smaller and mid-sized waters that show the appearance of safe ice. Even though deer might be able to make it across, it doesn’t mean hunters can. Ice can form overnight, causing unstable conditions. Ice thickness is not consistent, as it can vary significantly within a few inches. Hunters walking the edge of a cattail slough will not find the sam...
North Dakota’s waterfowl season opens for residents Sept. 23, while nonresidents may begin hunting waterfowl Sept. 30. The season for swans opens Sept. 30 for both residents and nonresidents who have purchased a swan license. Hunters may take six ducks, including mergansers, per day, with the following restrictions: five mallards of which two may be hens, three wood ducks, two redheads, two canvasbacks, one scaup, and one pintail. Mergansers are included in the total duck limit, with no species restrictions. Hunters can take two additional b...
North Dakota’s two-day youth pheasant season, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 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. A general game and habitat license is required, and hunters 12 and older need to have passed a certified hunter education course or obtain an apprentice hunter validation, whi...
The deadline for submitting entries in the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual Watchable Wildlife Photo Contest is Oct. 2. 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 should go to the Game and Fish Department’s website at gf.nd.gov/photo-contest. Then it is a matter of providing some pertinent information about the photo and uploading it....
With September in our sights, hunting seasons for upland game in North Dakota opens soon. The season opens for sharp-tailed grouse, Hungarian partridge and ruffed grouse on Sept. 9. Following that, the two-day youth pheasant season for legally licensed residents and nonresidents 15 and younger opens Sept. 30. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Sharptails, ruffed grouse and partridge each have a daily limit of three and a possession limit of 12. The daily limit for the youth pheasant season is also three birds, but the...
Big game hunters should note the 2023 chronic wasting disease proclamation for baiting and transportation requirements for deer, elk and moose as a precaution against the spread of chronic wasting disease. Noteworthy items include: • Whole carcasses of animals harvested in North Dakota can remain in the deer unit, or may now be transported anywhere in the state. However, carcass waste must be disposed of via landfill or waste management provider. This does not apply to heads dropped at CWD collection sites or lymph nodes submitted for CWD s...
The fall turkey season is set with 4,435 licenses available to hunters, 460 more than last year. Applicants can apply online by visiting the North Dakota Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov. The deadline is Sept. 6. Only North Dakota residents are eligible to apply. Nonresidents can apply for remaining fall turkey licenses following the first lottery. The fall wild turkey season runs from Oct. 14, 2023-Jan. 7, 2024....
Boaters with watercraft registered outside of the state who do not have a 2021 aquatic nuisance species sticker are reminded to purchase a current sticker before operating watercraft on North Dakota waters. The state law requires a $15 ANS fee for motorized watercraft not licensed in North Dakota to be paid for each calendar year, and the ANS sticker must be displayed on the watercraft. In addition, Minnesota anglers launching boats on the North Dakota side of the Red River must have a current ANS sticker displayed on the watercraft. The ANS...
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department reminds outdoor recreationists to keep it clean this summer by packing out all trash. All garbage, including used fireworks, should be placed in a proper trash receptacle. If trash cans aren’t available, or are full, take the trash and dispose of it at home. It is not uncommon to see garbage piling up around full trash containers. Styrofoam containers are not biodegradable, but are often found wedged in cattails, drifting or washed up on shore. Tires, mattresses and kitchen appliances have found t...
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department reminds citizens that possession or use of fireworks on state wildlife management areas is prohibited. The primary objective of a wildlife management area is to enhance wildlife production, provide hunting and fishing opportunities, and offer other outdoor recreational and educational uses that are compatible with these objectives. Only activities that would not disrupt the intentions of how these areas are managed are encouraged, and a fireworks display is not compatible. In addition, the Game and...
Winter anglers are reminded that any fish house left unoccupied on North Dakota waters must be made out of materials that will allow it to float. A popular question this time of year is if campers qualify as legal fish houses. The answer is the same for any structure taken on the ice – if it's left unattended, it must be able to float; if it's not able to float, it must be removed when the angler leaves the ice. Other fish house regulations include: - Fish houses do not require a license. - O...
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 call the Game and Fish Department at 701-328-6300, from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. weekdays, or access the hunting and trapping link at the department’s website, gf.nd.gov. What licenses do I need for deer gun season? A fishing, hunting, and furbearer certificate, the general game and habitat stamp or a combination license, and the dee...
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will again participate in Operation Dry Water as part of a nationally coordinated effort to increase knowledge about the dangers of boating under the influence. The goal is to reduce the number of accidents and deaths associated with alcohol and drug use on our waterways. Operation Dry Water weekend, June 30-July 2, is the national weekend of heightened enforcement effort directed at boating under the influence laws and recreational boater outreach....
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department reminds citizens that possession or use of fireworks on state wildlife management areas is prohibited. The primary objective of a wildlife management area is to enhance wildlife production, provide hunting and fishing opportunities, and offer other outdoor recreational and educational uses. Only activities that would not disrupt the intentions of how these areas are managed are encouraged, and a fireworks display is not compatible. Excessive noise and commotion that come with fireworks disturbs...
Students interested in taking a hunter education class in 2015 should visit the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov for a statewide list of courses. Many classes will be added over the next several weeks, and the rest will be added throughout the year as they are finalized. To register, click on the online services tab, and “online course enrollment” under the hunter education heading. Classes are listed by city, and can also be sorted by start date. To register for a class, click on “enroll” next to the specific class,...
Students interested in taking a hunter education class in 2015 should visit the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov for a statewide list of courses. Many classes will be added over the next several weeks, and the rest will be added throughout the year as they are finalized. To register, click on the online services tab, and “online course enrollment” under the hunter education heading. Classes are listed by city, and can also be sorted by start date. To register for a class, click on “enroll” next to the specific class,...
The Coyote Catalog, a statewide effort connecting coyote hunters and trappers with landowners who want fewer coyotes in their areas, has been reopened by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. “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.” This past season, 74 landowners signed up for the Coy...
Individuals interested in taking the game warden exam scheduled for Dec. 29 are reminded to register by submitting an online application through the North Dakota State Job Openings website. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and have a bachelor’s degree. Other requirements are a current North Dakota peace officer license, or eligibility for a license, and a valid driver’s license. Candidates must have excellent interpersonal skills in communications and writing, and must not have a record of any felony convictions. Game wardens enf...
Students interested in taking a hunter education class in 2015 should visit the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov for a statewide list of courses. Many classes will be added over the next several weeks, and the rest will be added throughout the year as they are finalized. To register, click on the online services tab, and “online course enrollment” under the hunter education heading. Classes are listed by city, and can also be sorted by start date. To register for a class, click on “enroll” next to the specific class,...
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department reminds winter anglers to clean up the ice after fishing. This not only applies to trash, but fish as well. It is not only unsightly, but it is illegal to leave fish behind on the ice. According to the fishing proclamation, when a fish is caught anglers must either immediately release the fish back into the water unharmed, or reduce them to their daily possession. It is common practice for some anglers to fillet fish on the ice, but if they don’t clean up after themselves, it’s a problem. “When fish...
Winter anglers and late-season hunters are reminded to consider ice conditions before traveling onto and across North Dakota lakes, as most small and mid-sized waters currently give the appearance of safe foot travel. State Game and Fish Department boat and water safety coordinator Nancy Boldt said ice thickness is never consistent, especially this time of the year, and can vary significantly within a few inches. “The edges become firm before the center,” Boldt said. “So, with your first step the ice might seem like it is strong enough, but i...
North Dakota’s darkhouse spearfishing season opens on most state waters December 1. The season extends through March 15. Legal fish are northern pike and nongame species. Darkhouse spearing is allowed for all residents with a valid fishing license and for residents under age 16. Nonresidents may darkhouse spearfish in North Dakota if they are from states that offer the same privilege for North Dakota residents. All individuals who participate in darkhouse spearfishing must register with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department prior to p...
Results from this summer’s bighorn sheep survey indicate the population in western North Dakota is lower than last year. State Game and Fish Department big game biologist Brett Wiedmann said the July-August survey showed a minimum of 287 bighorn sheep, down 4 percent from 2013. Results revealed 82 rams, 153 ewes and 52 lambs. Due to an ongoing disease event in the northern badlands, Game and Fish biologists have verified more than 20 bighorn sheep deaths over the summer. Wiedmann said the survey is a tale of two segments of the state’s pop...
