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News Releases

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

North Dakota Game and Fish Department


News Releases


2022 Upland Game Seasons Summarized



North Dakota’s 2022 pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse and Hungarian partridge harvests were up from 2021, according to the state Game and Fish Department.

Upland game biologist RJ Gross said the overall harvest was likely a result of more hunters and good production.

“We were somewhat surprised that harvest was up despite slight declines during our spring 2022 surveys and the early end to most upland seasons when winter showed up in November,” Gross said. “The increase in harvest indicates good reproduction, perhaps even better than what we saw during our brood routes. The statewide blizzards that occurred in spring of 2021, combined with spring showers, were followed by a rapid vegetation response, so late-season nesting cover was exceptional. In addition, brood survival benefited from a warm and dry late summer with abundant insects.”

Last year, 51,270 pheasant hunters (up 9%) harvested 286,970 roosters (up 10%), compared to 47,020 hunters and 259,997 roosters in 2021.

Counties with the highest percentage of pheasants taken were Hettinger, Divide, Bowman, Williams and Stark.

A total of 20,461 grouse hunters (up 29%) harvested 62,640 sharp-tailed grouse (up 37%), compared to 15,762 hunters and 45,732 sharptails in 2021.

Counties with the highest percentage of sharptails taken were Mountrail, Burke, Bowman, Divide and McKenzie.

Last year, 19,125 hunters (up 36%) harvested 54,553 Hungarian partridge (up 22%). In 2021, 14,013 hunters harvested 44,822 Huns.

Counties with the highest percentage of Hungarian partridge taken were Mountrail, Ward, Bottineau, Williams and Divide.

Boat North Dakota Course



North Dakota state law requires youth ages 12-15 who want to operate a boat or personal watercraft by themselves with at least a 10-horsepower motor must pass the state’s boating basics course.

The course is available for home-study by contacting the North Dakota Game and Fish Department at 701-328-6300, or ndgf@nd.gov. Two commercial providers also offer the course online, and links to those sites are found on the boat and water safety education page on the Game and Fish website at gf.nd.gov.

While the home-study course is free, students are charged a fee to take it online. The online provider charges for the course, not the Game and Fish Department. The fee remains with the online provider.

The course covers legal requirements, navigation rules, getting underway, accidents and special topics such as weather, rules of the road, laws, life saving and first aid.

Artist in Residence at OWLS



The North Dakota Game and Fish Department, in cooperation with the North Dakota Council on the Arts, is hosting its first Artist in Residence June 19-23 at the Department’s Outdoor Wildlife Learning Site in Bismarck.

Mel Gordon, Bismarck, was selected as the featured artist. She works independently as a freelance artist and illustrator. Her work has been featured in Parade Magazine, Midwest Living, Studio 701, One Million Cups, Talking Trails and newspapers across the upper Midwest. Notable works include Sitting Bull (Art Alley 5.5), The Heritage Art Tunnel, Beauty at a Glance, North Dakota Music Hall of Fame, Bismarck Veteran’s Memorial Library, Department of Trust Lands, North Dakota League of Cities and Mary Stark Elementary School.

The residency will provide an opportunity for Gordon to share her knowledge and art with OWLS visitors. She will also host two events open to the public. On June 21 Gordon will describe during a workshop how to best use a sketchbook for capturing outdoor images. It is open to anyone age 12 or older. On June 22, Gordon will showcase an exhibition of her work completed during the residency. All activities are free and open to the public.

The Artist in Residence program provides visitors a unique opportunity to connect with biological, ecological and recreational resources through art.

Contact Sherry Niesar at 701-527-3714 to learn more about the Artist in Residence program.


Artist Offers Sketchbook Workshop and Exhibit at Bismarck OWLS

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department, in cooperation with the North Dakota Council on the Arts, will host a workshop June 21 from 2-4 p.m. by Artist in Residence, Mel Gordon, entitled “Using Your Sketchbook.”

Gordon will lead a class open to those 12 years and older, focusing on how to create and use a field sketchbook. The workshop will start with a short classroom presentation before heading out to the Department’s Outdoor Wildlife Learning Site to implement sketchbook techniques. Students will learn about different materials used to record what they see, how facts and observations can be documented and developing their own journalistic style.

Students need to bring their own sketchbook, pencil, pen, or other drawing materials. Additional supplies will be available for use during the workshop. Preregistration is encouraged through this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050C45AFA629A5F49-sketchbook but not required. Participants should meet at the OWLS picnic shelter.

On June 22 from 4:30-6:30 p.m., Gordon will host an exhibition at the OWLS picnic shelter of her artwork completed during the Artist in Residence depicting sights at the OWLS. The exhibition will be moved indoors in case of inclement weather.

Both events will be held at the North Dakota Game and Fish Headquarters located at 100 N. Bismarck Expressway and are free and open to the public.

Deer Application Deadline June 7



The deadline for submitting applications for the 2023 deer gun season is June 7.

Applicants for regular deer gun, gratis, youth and muzzleloader can apply online through the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website at gf.nd.gov.

A general game and habitat license is required when applying. If the applicant has not already purchased one for the 2023-24 season, the license will be added to their cart at checkout. The applicant has the option of having the general game and habitat license refunded if their deer license is not drawn in the lottery.  

Gratis applications received on or before the regular deer gun lottery application deadline will qualify for an any-legal-deer license. As per state law, gratis applications received after the deadline will be processed based on licenses remaining after the lottery. Generally, only antlerless licenses remain.

Register for Game Warden Exam Now



Individuals interested in taking the exam to select candidates for a full-time temporary district game warden position must register by June 6. The test is at 10 a.m., June 9, at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department's main office in Bismarck.

Applicants must register by submitting an online application through the North Dakota State Job Openings website.

Applicants must be at least 21, have a bachelor’s degree at time of hire or an associate degree with either 2 years of law enforcement or wildlife experience, have a valid driver’s license and a current North Dakota peace officer license, or eligible to be licensed. Candidates must successfully complete a comprehensive background check and must not have a record of any felony convictions.

Salary through training is $4,500 per month. For more information, see the district game warden job announcement on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.

Fishing for Free June 3-4



North Dakota residents who want to give fishing a try can fish for free June 3-4.

That is the state’s free fishing weekend, when all residents 16 and older can fish any North Dakota water without a license. Residents 15 and younger do not need a fishing license at any time of year.

The weekend provides a great opportunity to try fishing for the first time or take someone new.

Information on regulations, where to fish and what equipment is needed is available on the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website at gf.nd.gov.

Camping Restriction Lifted for Memorial Day



The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will lift the Tuesday-Wednesday no-camping restriction for Memorial Day week, which will allow overnight camping May 30-31 on those WMAs that otherwise have this two-day restriction in place.

A complete list of WMA regulations is available on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.

Leave Baby Animals Alone, Watch for Deer



The North Dakota Game and Fish Department offers a simple message to the well-intentioned who want to pick up and rescue what appear to be orphaned baby animals this time of year: don’t touch them. Whether it is a young fawn, duckling, cottontail rabbit or a songbird, it is better to leave them alone.

Often, young animals are not abandoned or deserted, and the mother is probably nearby. Young wildlife are purposely secluded by adults to protect them from predators.

Anytime a young wild animal has human contact, its chance of survival decreases significantly. It’s illegal to take wild animals home, and captive animals later returned to the wild will struggle to survive without possessing learned survival skills.

The only time a baby animal should be picked up is if it is in an unnatural situation, such as a young songbird found on a doorstep. In that case, the young bird can be moved to the closest suitable habitat.

Citizens should also steer clear of adult wildlife, such as deer or moose that might wander into urban areas. Crowding stresses animals and can lead to a potentially dangerous situation.

In addition, motorists are reminded to watch for deer along roadways. During the next several weeks young animals are dispersing from home ranges, and with deer more active during this time, the potential for car‑deer collisions increases.

May Highlights Safe Boating



A week-long national safe boating public awareness campaign is May 20-26, an annual event that serves to educate boaters and water users heading into summer.

A boat should have enough U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets on board for all passengers. North Dakota law requires all children ages 10 and younger to wear a personal flotation device while in boats of less than 27 feet in length. The law also requires all personal watercraft users to wear a life jacket, as well as anyone towed on skis, tubes, boards or other similar devices. However, state law allows an individual who is at least 16 years of age to windsurf or boardsail without wearing a PFD.

In addition, effective Aug. 1, a new state law will allow an individual engaged in barefoot skiing or surfing to wear a wet suit. A life preserver must be on board the towing vessel.

Water users should make sure to wear life jackets that are the appropriate size and in good condition. Failure to wear a personal flotation device is the main reason people lose their lives in water recreation accidents.

Water skiers and tubers should wear a life jacket with four nylon straps rather than one with a zipper, because straps are stronger than zippers upon impact with water. Anglers and people paddling a canoe, kayak or paddleboard should opt for a PFD that is comfortable enough to wear for an entire outing.

It is also important that children wear a PFD while swimming. Swimmers should know the water’s depth, as serious injuries can occur from diving. Large objects hidden below the water’s surface can lead to significant injury.

North Dakota boaters are also reminded that marine VHF radios are an important part of boat safety that should not be improperly used by operators. These radios are intended for boat operators in distress and facing an emergency situation.

Regulations to help ensure safe boating this summer are found in the North Dakota Boat and Water Safety Guide.

Local Burn Restrictions Remain on Oahe WMA



The North Dakota Game and Fish Department removed the open fire ban on Oahe Wildlife Management Area. However, this area still falls under county burn restrictions.

More information, including restrictions, on current fire danger indexes is available at NDResponse.gov.

Oahe WMA covers more than 16,000 acres along the Missouri River south of Bismarck and Mandan within Burleigh, Emmons and Morton counties.

Paddlefish Snagging Season Closes May 21



North Dakota’s paddlefish snagging season will close Sunday, May 21 at 7 p.m. Central time, at the conclusion of the 21-day season.

Since the season will not close early, there will be no additional seven-day snag-and-release season.

For more information, visit the fishing link at the Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov.

ANS Awareness Week



May 14-20 is Aquatic Nuisance Species Awareness Week in North Dakota in an effort to raise the public’s understanding of the preventative steps recreationists need to follow to stop the introduction and spread of ANS in the state’s waterways.

ANS are nonnative plants, animals or pathogens that can affect the ecology of our lakes and rivers and the economic and recreational value of those waterways.

State Game and Fish Department ANS coordinator Ben Holen said ANS awareness week is comprised of state and federal agencies highlighting the ongoing efforts taking place in North Dakota.

“Many partners are taking a collaborative approach by reaching water recreationists, cabin owners, pet owners and water users about stopping the spread of aquatic nuisance species into our state’s lakes and rivers,” Holen said. “We’ve definitely seen an increase in awareness over the past decade.”

North Dakota currently has low numbers of aquatic nuisance species. Other than zebra mussels, just a few invasive plants and animals – curly leaf pondweed, Eurasian watermilfoil, flowering rush, and grass, bighead, silver and common carp – are found in some state waters.

To fight the introduction and spread of unwanted invasives, Holen said some of the shared burden falls on water users. The Game and Fish Department encourages anglers, pleasure boaters and others to clean, drain and dry all equipment after every use. Clean and remove all plants or animals from watercraft or equipment prior to leaving any recreational area. Drain and remove water from all equipment prior to exiting designated access points. Not draining water can be extremely hazardous and may cause negligent transportation of ANS to various locations. Afterwards, verify that all equipment is completely dry before using again.

For more information on aquatic nuisance species, visit the department’s website at gf.nd.gov.