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News Releases

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

North Dakota Game and Fish Department


News Releases


Spring Light Goose Conservation Order



North Dakota’s spring light goose conservation order opens Feb. 18 and continues through May 14.

Residents must have a 2022-23 (valid through March 31) or 2023-24 (required April 1) combination license; or a small game, and general game and habitat license. Resident youth under age 16 only need the general game and habitat license. The 2023-24 license is available for purchase beginning March 15.

Nonresidents need a 2023 spring light goose conservation order license. The cost is $50 and valid statewide. Nonresidents who hunt in spring remain eligible to buy a fall season license. The spring license does not count against the 14-day fall waterfowl hunting season regulation.

In addition, nonresident youth under 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.

Resident and nonresident licenses are available online at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov.

Hunters must register annually with the Harvest Information Program prior to hunting in each state. The HIP number obtained for North Dakota’s spring conservation order is also valid for North Dakota’s fall hunting season. The number can be obtained online on the Game and Fish website.

The spring conservation order 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 conservation order is closed to whitefronts, Canada geese, swans and all other migratory birds.

For more information on regulations refer to the 2023 Spring Light Goose Hunting Regulations.

Artist in Residence Program Scheduled at OWLS



The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is hosting an Artist in Residence program June 19-23 at the Outdoor Wildlife Learning Site in Bismarck.

The program is open to all North Dakota artists at least 18 years of age. Artists will be paid a stipend of $1,750 upon completion of the residency requirements. Participants will provide two public onsite presentations about their artwork, process or tools.

Artwork developed during the residency will reflect the Department’s mission statement: “… to protect, conserve and enhance fish and wildlife populations and their habitat for sustained public consumptive and nonconsumptive use.

For more information and an application form, visit the Game and Fish website at gf.nd.gov. The application deadline is April 19.

Applicants who have any questions should contact Sherry Niesar, Artist in Residence coordinator, at sniesar@nd.gov, or 701-527-3714.

Electronic Posting System for Private Land Available



Landowners interested in posting private land electronically for the 2023-24 hunting season can log into My Account on the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov.

The deadline for landowners to digitally post land is July 1, which enables Game and Fish to produce print material and digital content prior to hunting seasons that begin in August.

Landowners who enrolled land electronically last year can renew, add or modify posting designations during the enrollment period. Others posting for the first time might need to create a profile. To post land, proceed to the “Land Parcels/Electronic Posting” section at the bottom of the page and click “Search/Renew Land parcels.” The electronic posting system is linked to land descriptions based on county tax parcel information.

The Game and Fish website has complete instructions for landowners, along with frequently asked questions for both landowners and hunters.

Minot Angler’s Burbot Breaks Record



Shane Johnson’s 19-pound, 8-ounce burbot broke a state record that’s been in the books for nearly 40 years.

The Minot angler caught the 41.5-inch fish Jan. 3 from the Garrison Dam Tailrace.

The previous record of 18 pounds, 4 ounces was established in 1984 by Orland Kruckenberg, a Hazen angler who was fishing the Knife River.

Watchable Wildlife Checkoff



North Dakotans interested in supporting wildlife conservation programs should look for the Watchable Wildlife checkoff on the state tax form.

The state income tax form gives wildlife enthusiasts an opportunity to support nongame wildlife like songbirds and birds of prey, while at the same time contributing to programs that help everyone enjoy all wildlife.

The checkoff – whether you are receiving a refund or having to pay in – is an easy way to voluntarily contribute to sustain this long‑standing program. In addition, direct donations to the program are accepted any time of year.

To learn more about Watchable Wildlife program activities and to view the winning entries in the 2022 photo contest, featured in the January issue of North Dakota OUTDOORS, visit the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov.

Remove Gear from WMAs



Tree stands, blinds, steps, and other personal items such as cameras, must be removed from all wildlife management areas by Jan. 31.

Items not removed by Jan. 31 are considered abandoned property and are subject to removal and confiscation by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

Participation Needed in Hunter Harvest Surveys



While North Dakota’s 2022 hunting seasons have come and gone, hunter success, or lack thereof, still matters to wildlife managers.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has conducted hunter harvest surveys for more than a half-century, using the findings to help manage the state’s wildlife populations.

Thousands of surveys are sent annually, and participation is strongly urged because hunter harvest plays a noted role, for example, in setting hunting license numbers for the upcoming season.

Hunters are surveyed about their hunting activity because understanding how many animals were removed from the population is an important ecological piece of information. The information collected from the hunter harvest surveys is compared against where the Game and Fish Department stands with its harvest objectives at any point in a given year. And that can mean, in some cases, license increases. But ultimately, these surveys are important because they inform the recommendations passed along to the governor during the proclamation setting process.

Thousands of big game, small game, waterfowl, swan, turkey and furbearer questionnaires will be emailed to randomly selected hunters. A follow-up survey will be mailed to those who did not respond to the first survey.

Not everyone who, say, receives a hunter harvest survey for the 2022 deer gun season will have harvested a deer, but those hunters still need to fill them out and return their surveys.

The surveys are designed so that a random sample of hunters receive them, and it’s understood that some hunters weren’t successful, which in a lot of ways is just as important as knowing who did harvest a deer.

The hunter harvest surveys are short and take very little time to complete. A follow-up survey will be mailed to those who did not respond to the emailed survey.

The more surveys returned to Game and Fish from hunters, the more robust the statistical information is to help produce better harvest estimates.

Spring Turkey Season Set



The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is offering 7,412 wild turkey licenses for the 2023 spring hunting season, 235 fewer than last year.

Two of the 22 hunting units have more spring licenses than last year, eight have fewer licenses and 11 remain the same. Unit 21 (Hettinger and Adams counties) is again closed due to lack of turkeys in the unit.

Spring turkey applicants can apply online at the Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. 

The deadline for applying is Feb. 15.

Applicants should note that a general game and habitat license is required when applying for a turkey license. The applicant has the option of having the general game and habitat license refunded if their turkey license is not drawn in the lottery.

In addition, hunters 16 and older must possess a small game license, or combination license.

First-time spring turkey hunters 15 or younger are eligible to receive one spring license valid for any open unit. To be eligible, the youth hunter must be 15 or younger on opening day of spring turkey season and has never received a spring turkey license in North Dakota.

The spring turkey season opens April 8 and continues through May 14. 

Earth Day Patch Contest for Students



The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual Earth Day Patch Contest is, in part, an effort to heighten the awareness about the environment in North Dakota and beyond.

Students who participate will develop a patch design using five colors incorporating an aspect of Earth Day such as environmental awareness, respect Earth, water quality, wildlife, or habitat conservation in North Dakota.

The contest is open to students in grades K-12. Winners are chosen from three grade categories (K-4, 5-8 and 9-12 grades). Each winner will receive an outdoor kit, which includes a pair of binoculars and field guides. The grand prize patch design winner is chosen from one of the three winning age categories.

In addition, the grand prize winner will have their design displayed on the recognition patch, be featured in North Dakota OUTDOORS and on the Game and Fish website. Contest entry deadline is March 1.

Details about the contest can be found at gf.nd.gov/education/earth-day-patch. For additional information, contact Sherry Niesar, Earth Day Patch Contest coordinator, at 701-527-3714 or email sniesar@nd.gov.

Midwinter Waterfowl Survey



The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual midwinter waterfowl survey in early January indicated about 29,000 Canada geese in the state.

Andy Dinges, department migratory game bird biologist, said a low count was expected this year for wintering waterfowl given the substantial snowfall and cold temperatures in November and December leading up to the survey.

“We’ve had well above average snowfall already, especially in the central part of the state where most of our birds typically winter along the Missouri River System,” Dinges said. “Much of this area had received over 50 inches of snow before the survey, which has made access to waste grains difficult for birds and overall wintering conditions have been poor for waterfowl.”

In addition, Lake Sakakawea iced over on Dec. 18, which was one of the earliest dates for freeze up in recent years. In four of the last 10 years the lower portion of Sakakawea has still had substantial open water in early January and needed to be completely surveyed by air. 

During the recent survey, an estimated 24,400 Canada geese were observed on the Missouri River, and another 4,400 on Nelson Lake in Oliver County. Dinges said after summarizing the numbers, an additional 5,900 mallards were tallied statewide, most of which were recorded on Nelson Lake.

The 10-year average (2013-22) for the midwinter survey in North Dakota is 112,200 Canada geese and 16,500 mallards.

All states in the Central Flyway participate in the midwinter survey during the same time frame, to reduce the possibility of counting birds more than once.

Winter Wildlife at a Distance



Wildlife managers urge outdoor enthusiasts to consider where they recreate during North Dakota’s leanest months to spare already stressed animals simply trying to survive the elements.

While this advice is true during any Northern Plains winter, it hits this year with some significance considering winter arrived in mid-November with purpose and no sign of when it will end.

State Game and Fish Department managers understand North Dakotans want to get outdoors and have fun in winter. Even so, the tougher the winter is, it is important that people riding snowmobiles, shed hunting, cross-country skiing or doing whatever are cognizant about where wildlife are and to view them from a distance.

That means waiting to shed hunt until later in the spring so that you're not pushing deer in and out of thermal cover where they're trying to just conserve energy. Animals forced into the open are exposed to the elements a lot more, which adds further stress. Also, people need to realize that harassing wildlife from snowmobiles or other machines is illegal in North Dakota.

It’s common for snowmobilers and others to ride in areas where snow has accumulated, such as near shelterbelts and other wooded habitat because that's where the drifts are, but people also must realize there could be deer or other wildlife within those areas to get out of the weather. So, every time animals are pushed from those areas, it increases the amount of energy they expend to survive the next day.

These same warnings, for shed hunters, skiers and others, also apply on Game and Fish Department owned or operated wildlife management areas where many animals gather to weather the winter months.

Hunter Education Classes



If you were born after 1961, are 12 years or older, you must take a certified hunter education course before you can get a firearm or bowhunting license in North Dakota.

Understanding this, especially if you have your sights set on hunting this fall, now is not the time to drag your feet. Most in-person courses are from January through May.

Individuals interested in taking a hunter education class in 2023 must click on the education link at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. To register for a class, click on “enroll” next to the specific class, and follow the simple instructions. Personal information is required. Classes are listed by city and can also be sorted by start date. Classes will be added throughout the year as they become finalized.

Individuals interested in receiving a notice by email or SMS text message when each hunter education class is added, can click on the “subscribe to news and alerts” link found below the news section on the Game and Fish home page. Check the box labeled “hunter education” under the education program updates.

Children must turn 12 during the calendar year to take the home study course, and age 11 during the calendar year to take the traditional in-person class.