The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is asking water recreationists and property owners to check for zebra mussels and other aquatic nuisance species when removing boat lifts, docks and other equipment from state waters.
Ben Holen, ANS coordinator, said water recreationists and property owners play a vital role in ANS prevention.
Zebra mussels attach to hard surfaces that are left in the water for long periods of time, first settling in tight spaces and areas that are protected from sunlight, Holen said. Equipment such as boat lifts and docks are high risk vectors for spreading ANS, especially zebra mussels.
“It makes it easier to do a thorough search when equipment is taken out of the water in fall,” he said. “Pay special attention to wheel wells, right angles on frames, and areas otherwise protected from sunlight. Feel for attached organisms that have small hair-like structures holding them in place. Small mussels can feel like rough sandpaper and adults can be as large as 2 inches long.”
Holen said if you think you’ve found a zebra mussel, take photos, write down any relevant information, such as how many were found and where, and report it online at the Game and Fish website gf.nd.gov/ans, or email Holen at bholen@nd.gov.
PLOTS Regulations
Hunting small game, waterfowl, furbearers or big game by nonresidents is prohibited by state law on Private Land Open To Sportsmen acreage and state wildlife management areas from Oct. 7-13, the first seven days of the pheasant season. However, nonresidents can hunt on PLOTS land they own during that week.
In addition, leaving equipment on PLOTS overnight, such as tree stands, blinds, decoys, firearms, archery equipment, or trail cameras, is not allowed without written permission from the landowner.
Permission from the landowner is always required for motorized vehicle access on PLOTS, such as for setting decoys in a field, unless specifically designated on the PLOTS sign.
Fall Cleanup Events Eligible for Earth Day Patch
Are you planning a fall cleanup event at your school or in your community? Your cleanup group is eligible for the 2023 Earth Day patch. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has for years encouraged students to design Earth Day patches to bring greater awareness to the environment in the state and elsewhere.
Yet, like Earth Day, which began in 1970 and kicked-started the environmental movement, the concern for our outdoor places isn’t simply a once-a-year-thing, but ongoing.
Understanding this, the Game and Fish Department has initiated Earth Day, Every Day to promote continual awareness about the environment.
Groups that engage in environmental clean-up projects, landscaping or other efforts that promote environmental awareness, will receive an Earth Day patch for all participants.
The patches are used to recognize groups that work to celebrate the Earth Day concept, and everyone is encouraged to participate in Earth Day, Every Day awareness campaign.
For more information about Earth Day, Every Day, or to request patches for your project, contact Sherry Niesar, Earth Day coordinator, at 701-527-3714 or sniesar@nd.gov.
Order 2024 OUTDOORS Calendars
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is taking orders for its North Dakota OUTDOORS calendar, the source for all hunting season and application dates for 2024. Along with color photographs of North Dakota’s wildlife and outstanding scenery, it also includes sunrise-sunset times and moon phases.
The calendar is the North Dakota OUTDOORS magazine’s December issue, so current subscribers will automatically receive it in the mail.
Fall Mule Deer Survey Begins
The state Game and Fish Department’s annual fall aerial mule deer survey is set to begin early to mid-October in western North Dakota. Weather permitting, the survey takes about two weeks to complete.
During the survey period, people could notice low-flying small airplanes over some parts of the badlands.
Game and Fish biologists have completed aerial surveys of the same 24 badlands study areas since the 1950s. The survey is used to collect mule deer population data for monitoring demographic trends, such as buck-to-doe and fawn-to-doe ratios.
Bismarck Office to Close to Walk-In Traffic Oct. 6
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s construction project in Bismarck that will block vehicular traffic to the entrance will start earlier than expected. Therefore, the agency’s main office in Bismarck will close to walk-in traffic Oct. 6. It’s anticipated the building will open Oct. 16.
Licensing staff will be able to provide assistance for hunters and anglers by calling 701-328-6300.
Hunting and fishing licenses, and watercraft registrations can be purchased online by visiting the Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov.
The pond and nature walk on the outdoor wildlife learning site adjacent to the main office will remain closed to fishing and other activities.
Wetland Conditions Vary for Duck Hunting
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual fall wetland survey indicates variable wetland conditions for duck hunting throughout the state.
Mike Szymanski, Department migratory game bird management supervisor, said the statewide estimate of the number of duck hunting wetlands holding water is nearly identical to last year’s estimate, but still 29% below the 2003-2022 long-term average.
The number of duck hunting type wetlands (seasonal and semi-permanent wetlands) counted on the survey was the sixth lowest since 2003.
Szymanski said all regions except the south central are still below average for the number of duck hunting wetlands observed, but the south central (up 76%) and southeastern (up 18%) regions showed improvements from last year. Despite the increase in the southeast, it was still 27% below its long-term average.
Number of wetlands recorded in the northern tier of the state were down 8-18% compared to fall 2022. By and large, the northern tier is lagging behind the long-term averages by 29-40%.
Conditions are very dry in the northeastern part of the state with that region recording its lowest number of duck hunting type wetlands observed on the survey since 2003.
“We started off spring pretty wet again, making it back-to-back springs with high wetland counts,” Szymanski said. “However, precipitation really dropped off this summer, bringing drought conditions to the northern tier of the state. Conditions within wetlands on the survey were variable with many remaining wetlands having a mud margin as they are in the process of drying up.”
It should be noted that immediately following the fall wetland survey, parts of the state received an abnormally large amount of rain. Areas in much of central North Dakota received 2-4 inches over a three-day period, with some areas in the southeastern part of the state receiving it as well. These areas will have pretty good wetland conditions. Summer rainfall patterns were really spotty and while a large region got a lot of rain recently, some localized areas received much more than others. Hunters should expect wetland conditions south of U.S. Highway 2 to be quite variable as a result.
“The quality of waterfowl hunting in North Dakota is largely determined by weather conditions and migration patterns. North Dakota saw solid duck production in most regions of the state this year and large numbers of ducks in the state during late summer, so hopefully that will translate into good hunting opportunities if we don’t lose too many birds to migration early,” Szymanski said. “As always, our wetland conditions are highly dynamic, and hunters should take a look at areas they plan to hunt as they may have changed quite a bit from last year.”
He added that hunters also need to be cautious of soft areas in fields and roads from recent rains, but at the same time be cautious of tall vegetation that could be a fire hazard.
The fall wetland survey is conducted in mid-September, just prior to the waterfowl hunting season to provide an assessment of conditions duck hunters can expect.
Motorists Watch for Deer
Motorists should watch for deer along roadways this time of year as juvenile animals disperse from their home ranges.
October through early December is the peak period for deer-vehicle accidents. Motorists are advised to slow down and exercise caution after dark to reduce the likelihood of encounters with deer. Most deer-vehicle accidents occur primarily at dawn and dusk when deer are most often moving around.
Motorists should be aware of warning signs signaling deer are in the area. When you see one deer cross the road, look for a second or third deer to follow. Also, pay attention on roadways posted with Deer Crossing Area caution signs.
Deer-vehicle accidents are at times unavoidable. If an accident does happen, law enforcement authorities do not have to be notified if only the vehicle is damaged. However, if the accident involves personal injury or other property damage, then it must be reported.
In addition, a permit is required before taking possession of road-killed deer. Permits are free and available from game wardens and local law enforcement.
A few precautions can minimize chances of injury or property damage in a deer-vehicle crash:
Always wear your seat belt.
Don’t swerve or take the ditch to avoid hitting a deer. Try to brake as much as possible and stay on the roadway. Don’t lose control of your vehicle or slam into something else to miss the deer. You risk less injury by hitting the deer.
If you spot deer ahead, slow down immediately and honk your horn.
Youth Pheasant Weekend
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, which allows an individual to hunt small game for one license year without completing hunter education.
The Center for Digital Government announced the North Dakota Game and Fish Department and North Dakota Information Technology as winners of the 2023 Government Experience Awards. The award recognizes the achievements of states, cities and counties across the nation that have raised the bar on the experience of government services to create a better engaged constituency and a more responsive government. NDIT and the Game and Fish Department were selected as a State Government Experience Winners for the Department’s parcel project.
“North Dakota Information Technology and North Dakota Game and Fish did an amazing job of adding value to our residents and customers,” said Natasa Radunovic, NDIT team lead. “The Game and Fish team is such a fun and hardworking group of people, always ready for a new challenge. Their dedication, transparency, and collaboration are what help deliver our shared purpose to empower people, improve lives and inspire success.”
Launched in 2021, the electronic posting project, spearheaded by Brian Hosek, Game and Fish Department business operations manager, is a tool for both landowners and hunters to identify posted lands digitally within the state. This results in reduced cost and effort to post land physically, while ensuring it meets legal posting requirements.
“State parcels have always been a top data priority for the state. There are numerous use cases for this information that benefit many citizens of North Dakota. The state’s electronic posting system is one example,” Hosek said. “The collaboration and talent of this team, including Melvin Faris, NDIT and Shane Wegner, Game and Fish Department, has resulted in a successful outcome for electronic posting and the state parcel project.”
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 endangered birds as they move through the state should report sightings so the birds can be tracked.
The whooping cranes that do travel through North Dakota are part of a population of about 500 birds on their way from nesting grounds at Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada to wintering grounds in Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, a distance of about 2,500 miles.
Whoopers stand about 5 feet tall and have a wingspan of about 7 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, while their long, slender legs extend behind the tail. Whooping cranes typically migrate singly, or in groups of two to three 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 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; Audubon, 701-442-5474; 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.
Historical Look at Waterfowl in North Dakota
The storied past of waterfowl in North Dakota is uniquely revealed in the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s publication, “The Duck Factory – A History of Waterfowl in North Dakota.”
Certainly of interest to waterfowlers and other outdoor enthusiasts, the 213-page, full color, soft-cover publication is authored by Mike Jacobs and Erik Fritzell. The book traces the history of waterfowl species and their habitats in North Dakota.
“The Duck Factory” is an important story because of North Dakota’s longtime and continuing contribution to the world of migratory birds, said Mike Szymanski, Department migratory game bird management supervisor.
“North Dakota is the most important state for breeding ducks,” he added. “The contribution of ducks from North Dakota into the fall flight is unmatched by any other state, and its importance to duck hunters cannot be understated. Describing the history of waterfowl in North Dakota was a story that we felt was certainly worth telling.”
The book is sold only online for $24.99, including shipping, on the Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov, by clicking on Buy and Apply, and then Shop.
North Dakota Game and Fish Department