2008 Waterfowl Hunting Guide (Regulations)

Open Area: Statewide
Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
Closes: January 2
Daily Limit: 20
Possession Limit: No Limit
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to: 1 pm CDT September 27 through November 1; 2 pm CST November 2 through end of season.
Exception: Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset on Saturdays and Wednesdays from September 27 through November 29; and on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays from December 3 through end of season.

Open Area: Statewide
Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
Closes: December 7
Daily Limit: 2
Possession Limit: 4
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to: 1 pm CDT September 27 through November 1; 2 pm CST November 2 through end of season.
Exception: Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset on Saturdays and Wednesdays from September 27 through November 29; and on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays from December 3 through end of season.

Low Plains Unit
  Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
  Closes: December 7
High Plains Unit
  Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
  Closes: December 7
  Opens: December 13
  Closes: January 4
Daily Limit: 5 (see Ducks and Mergansers restrictions below)
Possession Limit: 10
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset

Low Plains Unit
  Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
  Closes: December 7
High Plains Unit
  Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
  Closes: December 7
  Opens: December 13
  Closes: January 4
Daily Limit: 5 (See Ducks and Mergansers restrictions below)
Possession Limit: 10
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset

The daily bag limit on ducks is 5 with species and sex restrictions as follows: 2 scaup, 2 redheads, 2 wood ducks, only 1 from the following group: 1 hen mallard, or 1 pintail, or 1 canvasback. The daily limit of 5 mergansers may include no more than 2 hooded mergansers. The possession limit on these restricted ducks and the hooded merganser is twice the daily limit.

Low Plains Unit
  Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
  Closes: December 7
High Plains Unit
  Opens: September 27 (residents only), October 4 (nonresidents)
  Closes: December 7
  Opens: December 13
  Closes: January 4
Daily Limit: 15
Possession Limit: 30
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset

Open Area: Statewide
Opens: September 20
Closes: September 21
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset
Legally licensed residents and nonresidents 15 years of age or younger may hunt ducks, mergansers, coots or geese. An adult of at least 18 years of age must accompany the youth hunter into the field. The adult may not hunt ducks, mergansers, coots or geese. The daily bag limit, including species restrictions, and all other regulations that apply to the regular duck and goose hunting seasons apply to this special season.

Open Area: Statewide
Opens: October 4
Closes: January 2
Shooting Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset
A total of 2,200 licenses were issued by lottery. The deadline for submitting applications to the Department’s Bismarck office was August 13. Successful applicants receive a tag allowing harvest of one swan during the season. Only one tag is allowed per hunter. In no case is it legal to possess a swan unless it is properly tagged. Since swans are waterfowl, nonresidents may hunt them only during the period that their nonresident waterfowl license is valid and must stay within selected zones (exception – statewide license does not restrict hunters to zones).

Licensed falconers possessing the appropriate licenses may hunt resident game species from August 2 through March 15, and also migratory game birds during their open hunting seasons. In addition, falconers may hunt snipe, ducks, mergansers and coots from September 8-12, and September 15-19. Contact the Department for details.

Hunter Education Requirement – Hunters born after December 31, 1961 must have passed a certified state or provincial hunter education course in order to purchase a North Dakota hunting license. Exceptions: Persons who hunt only on land they own or operate, and youth under age 12 may hunt if they have appropriate licenses.

Minimum Age – There is no minimum age to hunt waterfowl, but anyone under age 15 afield with firearms must be under direct supervision of a parent, guardian, or adult authorized by their parent or guardian.

Nonresidents – Nonresidents may not hunt waterfowl from September 27 through October 3. State law restricts nonresident waterfowl hunters to zones (exception - statewide license) and specified days. For waterfowl hunting a nonresident may choose either option (1) hunting in zone 3 only for 14 consecutive days or for two 7-consecutive-day periods; (2) hunting in zones 1 or 2 for 7 consecutive days and also hunting in zone 3 for 7 consecutive days – either back-to-back or split; (3) choosing either zones 1 or 2 and also selecting zone 3 for the same 7-day time period; or (4) purchasing the statewide license which allows statewide hunting for 14 consecutive days or for two 7-consecutive-day periods. Nonresidents may purchase only one waterfowl license per year.

All migratory game bird hunters must register annually with the Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program in each state you hunt before hunting ducks, geese, swans, mergansers, coots, cranes, snipe, doves and woodcock. Before your license to hunt is legal you must register by calling toll free (888) 634-4798. After answering a brief survey you will receive a HIP registration number which must be recorded on your fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate. (NOTE: If you purchase your hunting license at the Department’s Bismarck office, through the Department’s website, or over the phone with the toll-free number you can easily get HIP registered. If you participated in the spring snow goose conservation hunt you should have already been HIP registered.) HIP is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program designed to measure the harvest of migratory birds for management purposes.

Hunting licenses in the form of stamps must be affixed to the back of a fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate. Stamps and licenses must be signed in ink.

Duck, goose, swan, merganser, sandhill crane, coot and snipe hunters must possess general game and habitat licenses and small game licenses. Exception: Nonresidents hunting only waterfowl do not need a small game license; residents and qualifying nonresidents under age 16 do not need a small game license; and nonresident crane hunters need either a small game license or a waterfowl license.

Nonresident youth hunting licenses – A nonresident under age 16 need only purchase a North Dakota resident fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate and a North Dakota resident general game and habitat license to hunt small game and waterfowl, except swans and wild turkeys; provided that the nonresident’s state of residence, or province or territory of Canada, provides a reciprocal licensing agreement for North Dakota residents who are also under age 16. (Currently residents of CO, CT, ID, KY, MI, MN, MO, MS, NE, NJ, NY, OH, SC, TN, TX and WI qualify.) To be eligible, a nonresident youth may not have turned 16 before September 1 of the year for which the license is issued, and must possess a certificate of completion for a certified hunter education course. The nonresident youth may only hunt under the supervision of an adult family member or legal guardian who is licensed to hunt small game or waterfowl in this state and is subject to the same regulations as that youth’s adult family member or legal guardian.

Nonresident full-time students living in North Dakota, who are attending a state or tribal college, or a private institution of higher education, may qualify for purchasing resident (nonlottery) licenses. Contact the Department for details.

Nonresident Waterfowl Licenses – All nonresident duck, goose, swan, merganser and coot hunters must possess nonresident waterfowl licenses. Nonresidents may purchase only one waterfowl license per year. Nonresidents hunting only waterfowl do not need a small game license.

Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp – No one age 16 or older, including landowners hunting on their own land, shall hunt, kill or take ducks, geese, swans or mergansers without having in his or her possession a federal migratory bird hunting and conservation stamp (duck stamp) for the season and validated by his or her signature written across the face of it in ink.

Special Permits – All crane and swan hunters must possess special permits. Any swan taken must be tagged.

License Fees:
Resident Fishing, Hunting and Furbearer Certificate $1
Nonresident Fishing, Hunting and Furbearer Certificate $2
General Game and Habitat License (resident and nonresident) $13
Resident Small Game License (for age 16 and over) $6
Nonresident Small Game License (may purchase more than one per year) $85
Nonresident Small Game License, General Game and Habitat License, and Certificate  $100
Nonresident Waterfowl License (zones) $85
Nonresident Waterfowl License (zones), General Game and Habitat License, and Certificate $100
Nonresident Waterfowl License (statewide) $125
Nonresident Waterfowl License (statewide), General Game and Habitat License, and Certificate $140
Crane Permit (resident and nonresident) $5
Resident Swan License (issued by lottery) $5
Nonresident Swan License (issued by lottery) $25
Resident Combination License (Fishing, Small Game, General Game and Habitat, and Furbearer) $32

A resident who is on leave and on active duty with the United States military may hunt small game or trap during the season without a license. Contact the Department for details.

“Game” includes those species including waterfowl as defined in Section 20.1-01-02 of the North Dakota Century Code.

“Small Game” includes all game birds (including waterfowl) and tree squirrels.

“Migratory Game Birds” includes ducks, geese, swans, mergansers, coots, cranes, snipe, dove and woodcock.

“Waterfowl” includes ducks, geese, swans, mergansers and coots.

“Daily Bag Limit” (Daily Limit) means the maximum number of the particular game referred to that one hunter, legally licensed by this state, may take or kill for that species during a single hunting day, within the boundaries of this state to include Indian reservations.

“Possession Limit for Waterfowl and Migratory Game Birds” means the maximum number of migratory game birds of a single species or a combination of species permitted to be possessed by any one person when lawfully taken in the United States in any one specified geographic area for which a possession limit is prescribed.

“Migratory Bird Preservation Facility” is any person or business for hire or other consideration, taxidermist, cold storage or locker plant facility, or hunting club which receives, possesses, or has in possession any migratory game birds belonging to another for purposes of picking, cleaning, freezing, processing, storage or shipment.

“Possession of Shot other than Nontoxic Shot” means in the gun, or in the pockets, or within reach while in the process of hunting. See nontoxic shot regulations below.

“Canada geese” includes all Canada geese and any other geese except white-fronted geese and light geese.

“Light geese” include snow geese, blue geese and Ross’s geese.

Only firearms no smaller than .410 gauge nor larger than 10 gauge loaded with shot and capable of holding no more than three shells, legal archery equipment, and raptors may be used. Pistols may not be used to take migratory game birds. Raptors may be used only by those possessing a falconry permit.

A bow must be pulled, held and released by hand. Any release aid may be used providing it is hand operated, the shooter supports the draw weight of the bow, and the release is not attached to any part of the bow other than at the bowstring. Telescopic sights, range finding devices, battery-powered or electronically lighted sights or other electronic devices attached to the bow, or the arrow, are not permitted. Handheld range finding devices are legal. Arrows capable of causing damage or injury in excess of that inflicted by the cutting edges of the broadhead, are prohibited while hunting small game with a bow (e.g., explosive arrow points, arrows tipped with drugs or chemicals, and pneumatic or hydraulic shafts are illegal). Arrows must be at least 24 inches long and have at least 2 untrimmed feathers or not less than 5 trimmed feathers when shooting at birds in flight.

Blind individuals, paraplegics and/or those having lost the use of one or both arms, having a permit from the Game and Fish Director to hunt with a crossbow, may use a crossbow during the small game seasons. Contact the Department for additional information on crossbow regulations.

The possession or use of shot other than federally approved nontoxic shot is prohibited while hunting ducks, geese, sandhill cranes, tundra swans, mergansers, snipe and coot statewide.

Nontoxic shot is required for all hunting on all Fish and Wildlife Service lands, including federal refuges and waterfowl production areas. This regulation applies to all hunters using shotguns, except while hunting turkeys and big game. These shot requirements are in addition to current statewide non-toxic shot requirements for migratory birds as listed above.

The possession or use of shot other than nontoxic shot in a restricted area or while hunting those species listed above is a noncriminal violation carrying a $100 penalty. For additional information on nontoxic shot, contact the Department's Bismarck office.

Aircraft, snowmobiles and motor-driven vehicles may not be used to kill, chase or harass waterfowl. In addition, aircraft may not be used to spot game, and snowmobiles may not be used to flush wildlife.

It is illegal to shoot with bow and arrow or firearm while in or on a motor-driven vehicle.

It is illegal to carry a firearm in or on a motor-driven vehicle with a shell in the chamber. The entire cylinder of a revolver is considered the chamber, requiring the revolver to be completely unloaded.

It is illegal to carry any muzzleloading firearm in or on a motor-driven vehicle with a percussion cap or primer on the nipple or powder in the flash pan.It is illegal to drive motor-driven vehicles off established roads and trails unless hunting waterfowl or cranes. Except for persons having a special disability permit, no person may use a motor-driven vehicle while in the process of hunting small game (except waterfowl or cranes) or aid another in the pro-cess of hunting small game (except waterfowl or cranes) including travel to and from the hunting location unless the motor-driven vehicle is on an established road or trail. Exception: A landowner or a lessee who actively farms or ranches the land, or a person having written permission from the landowner or lessee may use a motor-driven vehicle off of an established road or trail to hunt small game except during the deer gun season.

Mallard Island and deTrobriand Island are closed to the use of all motor-driven vehicles and aircraft. On all other wildlife management areas, owned or managed by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, the use of all motor-driven vehicles is restricted to those constructed roads, well worn trails, and parking areas normally used by passenger cars. Motor-driven vehicle use on wildlife management areas is further restricted or prohibited where posted as such. Established roads and trails do not include temporary trails made for agricultural purposes.

No person may use motor-driven vehicles on North Dakota Game and Fish Department Conservation PLOTS (Private Land Open To Sportsmen) property without permission from the landowner, or as otherwise signed by the Department. These areas have been entrusted to the public for walking access through written agreements with private landowners. The boundaries of these properties are identified by large yellow triangular signs.

All firearms must be unloaded and encased while traveling within the bound-aries of a national park.

Motorboats are legal for going to and from shooting grounds. Ducks, coots, mergansers, geese and tundra swans may be taken from a floating craft, excluding a sinkbox, if such craft is beached or fastened within or tied immediately alongside any type of fixed hunting blind, or from such craft resting at anchor. It is illegal to shoot from a sunken device or any floating vessel on open water or to use or cause to be used any floating battery, electric, steam, gasoline or other powered vessel in an attempt to take waterfowl. A motorboat, sailboat or other craft may be used to pick up dead or injured birds.

All watercraft must have aboard a U.S. Coast Guard approved life preserver for each occupant. Additionally, any watercraft powered by any motor (including electric motors) must be registered and numbered (licensed) through the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, or for nonresidents – through the state where principally used.

One fully feathered wing or the fully feathered head of all waterfowl, snipe, crane and woodcock shall remain attached to such game during transportation or shipment to its final place of storage.

License holders must accompany their game, or parts thereof, during transportation. Except for legally gifted game, it is illegal to possess or transport another’s game, or parts thereof, without the license holder accompanying or as otherwise permitted. No resident of the state may ship game, or parts thereof, out of state without a permit from the Department. A nonresident licensee may arrange shipment of, or personally transport, his/her game from this state. Game may be shipped by common carrier in receipt of proper bill of lading.

No person shall leave or store any game birds at any place other than that person’s legal residence unless each piece of game is tagged with the owner’s signature and address, date taken, number and species of game, and license number of the person who harvested the game.

Game may be gifted to another, however, nothing allows a person to exceed a daily limit. Any gifted game to be transported must be tagged with the above information and display sex and species identification as required .Termination of possession can only be accomplished by: (1) Gifting of legally harvested game, (2) by consuming the game.

No one may possess, store, transport or ship at any one time more than a possession limit of migratory game birds. No person shall ship migratory game birds unless the package is marked on the outside with: (1) the name and address of the person sending the birds, (2) the name and address of the person to whom the birds are being sent, and (3) the number of each species contained in the package. No person shall put or leave any game birds at any place unless the birds are tagged by the hunter with the following information: the hunter’s signature and address, date taken, number and species of such birds, and small game or waterfowl license number. The above tag is required if the birds have been left by the hunter for cleaning, storage (including temporary storage), shipment or taxidermy services. No person shall transport migratory game birds belonging to another person unless such birds are tagged as required. Passengers in a vehicle that is transporting their birds are not required to tag their birds.

Only the owner or tenant of any land may post it by placing signs alongside the public highway or the land giving notice that no hunting is permitted on the land. The name of the person posting the land must appear on each sign in legible characters. The signs must be readable from the outside of the land and must be placed conspicuously not more than 880 yards apart. As to land entirely enclosed by a fence or other enclosure, posting of signs at or on all gates through the fence or enclosure constitutes a posting of all the enclosed land.

It is illegal to hunt on posted lands without permission from the owner or tenant. Trespass is a criminal violation punishable by suspension of hunting, fishing and trapping privileges for a period of at least one year.

It is illegal to hunt upon the premises of another within 440 yards of any occupied building without the consent of the person occupying the building. This does not prohibit hunting on land owned by neighbors (private or public) even if the land is less than 440 yards from the occupied building.

Any person may enter upon legally posted land (without a firearm) to recover game shot or killed on land where he/she had a lawful right to hunt.

It is illegal to hunt in unharvested crops without the owner’s consent. Crops also include sprouted winter wheat, alfalfa, clover and other grasses grown for seed.

It is illegal to deface, take down or destroy posting signs. Failure to close gates upon exit or entry is a criminal violation, punishable by forfeiture of hunting licenses.

If an individual hunts exclusively on Indian lands within an Indian reservation, a tribal license is required and a state hunting license is not required. Hunting on nontribal lands within an Indian reservation requires a state hunting license. Game taken legally with a tribal license within an Indian reservation may be possessed and transported anywhere in North Dakota. Contact reservation tribal offices for more information.

• Fort Berthold. Game and Fish Department, 404 Frontage Road, New Town, ND 58763, (701) 627-4760.
• Standing Rock. Game and Fish Department, Box D, Fort Yates, ND 58538, (701) 854-7236.
• Turtle Mountain. Department of Natural Resources, Box 570, Belcourt, ND 58316, (701) 477-2600.
• Spirit Lake. Fish and Wildlife Department, Box 359, Fort Totten, ND 58335, (701) 766-4221.

In accordance with NDCC 20.1-08-04.9, nonresidents may not hunt any game from October 11-17 on North Dakota Game and Fish Department wildlife management areas or on Conservation PLOTS (Private Land Open To Sportsmen) areas.

Wildlife management areas so posted, refuges, sanctuaries, national parks and historic sites shall be closed to the hunting of all species. (Exception: Waterfowl hunting may be permitted at times and on those areas of federally owned refuges designated by the refuge manager.) Carrying or possession of firearms on wildlife management areas so posted is prohibited from May 1 through September 1, or other dates posted on the signs.

For additional regulations on federal refuges, contact refuge headquarters.

The Minot and Grand Forks air bases are closed to hunting.

Nelson Lake in Oliver County is open to waterfowl hunting under special restrictions. Waterfowl hunting will only be allowed along the north shoreline in the N 1/2 of section 32 and the northwest part of the lake in sections 29 and 30. All other parts of the lake are closed to hunting. No open water hunting from a boat is allowed. All hunting must be done from shore.

State school land is open to public access including hunting unless posted with State Land Department signs. Vehicles are not permitted on state school lands. Contact the State Land Department for additional information regarding state school lands.

When hunting near the boundaries of closed refuges, sanctuaries, military installations, parks or historic sites – make sure that you are familiar with any retrieval restrictions that may apply.

State law allows the governor to close or postpone a hunting season upon reasonable notice through the media if climatic conditions create a fire hazard.

• It is illegal to go afield with a firearm or archery equipment while intoxicated.
• It is illegal to possess or use an electronic or recorded call while hunting migratory game birds.
• Use of night vision equipment, electronically enhanced light gathering optics or thermal imaging equipment for locating or hunting game is prohibited.
• Hunters may retrieve game that has fallen into a state wildlife refuge if they leave their firearms outside the boundary. They may not retrieve game that has fallen into a federal wildlife refuge unless there has been a retrieving zone designated by the refuge manager.
• It is illegal to shoot harmless birds. All hawks, owls, falcons, and eagles are protected by state and federal law.
• It is illegal to use live birds as decoys.
• No person may possess or sell any live wildlife or release wildlife into the wild without a permit from the Department.