The Morton County state’s attorney’s office has filed criminal complaints against four men who were identified in two separate incidents of unlawful possession of deer in North Dakota in November and December, 2016.
Both incidents took place in southeastern Morton County, either in or near the Dakota Access Pipeline protest camp that was located near the mouth of the Cannonball River.
In the first incident, Sean Carney of Center Conway, New Hampshire, and Danny LeClaire of Pocatello, Idaho, are charged with unlawful possession of big game. Warrants for their arrest were issued and they are not believed to be in North Dakota at this time.
Carney and LeClaire were identified in a photo, skinning a deer for which they allegedly did not have a license to possess.
In the second incident, William Larkin of Olean, New York and William Bighorse of Freeville, New York are charged with unlawful possession of big game for their alleged participation in dragging a whitetail buck from the Cannonball River in November and killing it by stabbing it with a knife and then suffocating it in the mud.
Authorities are still trying to identify other suspects from a video of this incident, which was released to the public on Jan. 5, 2017.
Arrest warrants for Larkin and Bighorse were issued and they are also believed to be out of state.
Unlawful possession of big game is a Class A misdemeanor and is punishable by a maximum penalty of one year's imprisonment, a fine of $3,000, or both.
North Dakota Game and Fish Department Chief Warden Robert Timian said public response to the photo and video the agency released was very helpful, and was directly related to identifying the suspects and gathering evidence to support the charges.
Pronghorn Hunting Season Statistics
Hunter success during last fall’s pronghorn hunting season was 73 percent, according to statistics provided by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.
Game and Fish issued 730 licenses (474 lottery and 256 gratis), and 716 hunters took 523 pronghorn, consisting of 482 bucks and 41 does. Each hunter spent an average of 2.2 days afield.
The 2017 pronghorn hunting season will be determined in July.
2016 Bighorn Sheep, Moose and Elk Harvests
Harvest statistics released by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department show overall hunter success during the 2016 season for bighorn sheep was 100 percent, 97 percent for moose and 56 percent for elk.
Game and Fish issued seven bighorn sheep licenses and auctioned one. All eight hunters harvested a bighorn ram.
A total of 200 moose licenses were issued last year. Of that total, 192 hunters harvested 187 animals – 121 bulls and 66 cows/calves.
The department issued 348 elk licenses last year. Of that total, 324 hunters harvested 179 elk – 102 bulls and 77 cows/calves.
North Dakota’s elk, moose and bighorn sheep applications are available online at the State Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov. Paper applications are scheduled to arrive at vendors by March 10. The deadline for applying is March 22.
A total of 389 elk licenses are available to hunters this fall, an increase of 51 from last year.
Unit E1 is split into east and west units to help direct harvest on the two separate elk herds in the Turtle Mountains and Pembina Hills.
New Unit E6 has seven licenses, and is made up of all land east of Highway 31 in Sioux County. Management efforts in this unit are coordinated with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
A total of 247 moose licenses are available in 2017, an increase of 45 from last year. Most of the increase is antlerless licenses in units M9 and M10, due to an increasing moose population in these units.
Unit M10 is split into two units to help direct harvest. Unit M10 is north of U.S. Highway 2, and Unit M11 is south of U.S. Highway 2. Hunting units M1C and M4 will remain closed due to a continued downward trend in moose numbers in the northeastern part of the state.
Similar to last year’s bighorn sheep hunting season and lottery application process, a hunting season is tentatively scheduled to open in 2017, depending on the sheep population. The status of the bighorn sheep season will be determined Sept. 1, after summer population surveys are completed. The season was closed in 2015 due to a bacterial pneumonia outbreak.
As in 2016, applicants will still apply for a license at the same time as moose and elk, but not for a specific unit. Once total licenses are determined for each unit in late summer, the bighorn lottery will then be held and successful applicants will be contacted to select a hunting unit.
Because the bighorn sheep application fee is not refundable as per state law, if a bighorn season is not held, applicants would not receive a refund. Nonresidents may apply for North Dakota bighorn sheep licenses only through the Game and Fish website.
Elk, moose and bighorn sheep lottery licenses are issued as once-in-a-lifetime licenses in North Dakota. Hunters who have received a license through the lottery in the past are not eligible to apply for that species again.
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.
Remove Permanent Fish Houses
Even though anglers have until mid-March to remove permanent fish houses from North Dakota waters, the State Game and Fish Department is urging anglers to consider removing their houses early in areas of the state where ice conditions have started to deteriorate, especially in the southern and western portions.
State law requires permanent fish houses must be removed from North Dakota waters by midnight March 15. In addition, it is illegal to leave fish houses on any state-owned or managed land, and federal refuge land, after March 15. Fish houses may be used after March 15 if they are removed daily.
Anglers are advised to use caution while accessing area lakes because mild weather conditions can quickly result in unstable ice conditions that can make removing a fish house with a vehicle difficult or dangerous.
Even on lakes where ice remains solid away from shore, anglers should watch the weather and adjust activities accordingly. Ice conditions can vary from region to region, between lakes in the same region, and even on the same lake.
Midwinter Waterfowl Survey
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual midwinter waterfowl survey in early January indicated 26,360 Canada geese in the state, down from a record 222,890 in 2016.
Andy Dinges, migratory game bird biologist, said above average snow fall and below average temperatures that began in late November continued up until the survey, which created poor wintering conditions for Canada geese and mallards.
“We saw a significant drop in the number of birds that wintered in the state, but that’s because wintering conditions were excellent last year, as little snow accumulation and moderate temperatures allowed birds to remain,” Dinges said.
An estimated 23,100 Canada geese were observed on the Missouri River, and another 700 were scattered on Nelson Lake in Oliver County. Lake Sakakawea had nearly 500 on the lake itself. Dinges said after summarizing the numbers, an additional 3,160 mallards were tallied statewide.
The 10-year average (2008-17) for the midwinter survey in North Dakota is 95,410 Canada geese and 27,310 mallards.
Spring Light Goose Migration Updates
North Dakota spring light goose hunters can track general locations of geese as birds make their way through the state.
Hunters are now able to call 701-328-3697 to hear recorded information 24 hours a day. Migration reports are also posted on the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. Updates will be provided as migration events occur, until the season ends or geese have left the state.
North Dakota’s spring light goose season opened Feb. 18 and continues through May 14.
Residents must have a current season 2016-17 (valid through March 31) or 2017-18 (required April 1) combination license; or a small game, and general game and habitat license. The 2017-18 license is available for purchase beginning March 15.
Nonresidents need a 2017 spring light goose season license. The cost is $50 and the license is good statewide. Nonresidents who hunt the spring season remain eligible to buy a fall season license. The spring season does not count against the 14-day fall waterfowl hunting season regulation.
In addition, nonresident youth under age 16 can purchase a license at the resident fee if their state has youth reciprocity licensing with North Dakota.
Other season information, including regulations, is available by accessing the Game and Fish website.
Youth Grant Application Deadline
Wildlife, shooting, fraternal and nonprofit civic organizations are urged to submit an application for the Encouraging Tomorrow’s Hunters program, a State Game and Fish Department grant program developed to assist recruitment of the next generation of hunters and shooters.
The maximum grant allowed is $3,000. The program currently helps fund approximately 40 club and organizational events and projects each year, with an average grant of $1,550.
Grant funds help cover event expenses, including promotional printing; event memorabilia such as shirts, caps or vests; ammunition and targets, and eye and ear protection.
Past funding has enabled several groups to conduct youth pheasant and waterfowl hunts, while others have sponsored trap and other shooting events, including archery and rifle shooting.
Any club or organization interested in conducting a youth hunting or shooting event can get more information, including a grant application, from the Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov, or by contacting outreach biologist Pat Lothspeich at 701-328-6332.
The deadline to apply for a 2017 grant is April 20.
Residents must have a valid current season 2016-17 (valid through March 31) or 2017-18 (required April 1) combination license; or a small game, and general game and habitat license. The 2017-18 license is available for purchase beginning March 15.
Nonresidents need a 2017 spring light goose season license. The cost is $50 and the license is good statewide. Nonresidents who hunt the spring season remain eligible to buy a fall season license. The spring season does not count against the 14-day fall waterfowl hunting season regulation.
In addition, nonresident youth under age 16 can purchase a license at the resident fee if their state has youth reciprocity licensing with North Dakota.
A federal duck stamp is not required for either residents or nonresidents.
Availability of food and open water dictate when snow geese arrive in the state. Early migrants generally start showing up in the southeast part of the state in mid-to-late March, but huntable numbers usually aren’t around until the end of March or early April. Movements into and through the state will depend on available roosting areas and the extent of the snow line.
Hunters must obtain a new Harvest Information Program registration number before hunting. The HIP number can be obtained online or by calling 888-634-4798. The HIP number is good for the fall season as well, so spring hunters should save it to record on their fall license.
The Game and Fish Department will provide hunters with migration updates once geese have entered the state. Hunters can access the department’s website, or call 701-328-3697, to receive generalized locations of bird sightings in North Dakota until the season ends or geese have left the state. Migration reports will be updated periodically during the week.
The spring season is only open to light geese – snows, blues, and Ross’s. Species identification is important because white-fronted and Canada geese travel with light geese. The season is closed to whitefronts, Canada geese, swans and all other migratory birds.
Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. There is no daily bag limit or possession limit. Electronic and recorded calls, as well as shotguns capable of holding more than three shells, may be used to take light geese during this season.
There are no waterfowl rest areas designated for the spring season. Hunters should note that private land within waterfowl rest areas closed last fall may be posted closed to hunting.
Nontoxic shot is required for hunting all light geese statewide. Driving off established roads and trails is strongly discouraged during this hunt because of the likelihood of soft, muddy conditions, and winter wheat that is planted across the state. Sprouted winter wheat is considered an unharvested crop. Therefore, hunting or off-road travel in winter wheat is not legal without landowner permission.
To maintain good landowner relations, hunters are advised to seek permission before hunting on private lands or attempting any off-road travel during this season.
All regular hunting season regulations not addressed above apply to the spring season. For more information on regulations refer to the 2017 Spring Light Goose Hunting Regulations and the 2016 North Dakota Waterfowl Hunting Guide.
Winter Anglers Reminded to Clean Up Ice
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, which is fine, as long as fish entrails and other parts are taken and properly disposed of at home.
In addition, all trash, including aluminum cans, cigarette butts and Styrofoam containers, should be packed out and taken home.
North Dakota Game and Fish Department