The 2016 March-April Special Fishing issue of North Dakota Outdoors magazine is available FREE online right now. It’s a “keeper” with a feature “Beyond Wetting A Line”  by fisheries division chief Greg Power.  Fishing isn’t the same as catching. And, at times, catching isn’t the same as harvesting. However, if you’re an experienced North Dakota angler, you likely have caught and kept your fair share of fish in the past five or so years, and would perhaps agree that fishing in the state has never been better.

There’s some great information breaking down the 2015 fish stocking and a detailed look at fishing access.

Ron Wilson takes a step back with  A Look Back. North Dakota and northern pike have some history. This efficient ambush predator was named the state fish by lawmakers in 1969. At the time, only 11 other states adopted various fish species – salmon, trout, walleye and others – as official symbols.

Check these stories and more for free in the full March-April issue available right here or here http://gf.nd.gov/publications

The next guide and outfitter written examination is May 14 at 1 p.m. at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department office in Bismarck. The test is given periodically to anyone interested in becoming a hunting guide or outfitter in the state.

In addition to passing a written exam, qualifications for becoming a guide include a background check for criminal and game and fish violations; certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and standard first aid; and employment by or contract with a licensed hunting outfitter.

Hunting outfitter eligibility requirements include the guide qualifications, as well as an individual must have held a hunting guide license for two years; and must have proof of liability insurance.

Interested individuals are required to preregister by calling the Game and Fish Department’s enforcement office at 328-6604.

The State Game and Fish Department reminds anglers that live white suckers are not legal baitfish anywhere in North Dakota, except for the Bois de Sioux and Red rivers.

Fisheries division chief Greg Power says that regulation has been in place for most water bodies in the state for more than 20 years, but every spring Game and Fish still gets questions from anglers who wonder if they can use live white suckers for early ice-out northern pike fishing.

“White suckers can and have caused a lot of problems when they get introduced into waters where they were not present,” Power said. “Since we adopted that regulation in 1993, the number of new lakes with introduced white suckers is near zero.”

Although anglers can use live white suckers on the Bois de Sioux and Red rivers and tributaries up to the first vehicular bridge, they are illegal elsewhere. Fathead minnows, sticklebacks and creek chubs are the only legal live baitfish outside of the Bois de Sioux and Red rivers. Dead white suckers which have been preserved by freezing, salting or otherwise treated to inactivate sexual products are legal bait.

Anglers are also reminded that live baitfish or other live aquatic bait such as leeches, cannot be transported from another state into North Dakota.

A total of 530 archers competed in the North Dakota National Archery in the Schools Program state bull’s-eye tournament March 18-19 in Minot.

Hankinson students claimed top honors in the elementary (grades 4-6) and middle school (grades 7-8) divisions. North Sargent claimed first place in the high school (grades 9-12) division.

Overall male and female winners were Spencer Brockman of North Sargent and Kate Loewen of Hankinson.

Winning teams and the top 10 individuals qualify for the national tournament, scheduled for May in Louisville, Ky. The Game and Fish Department and North Dakota Youth Archery Advisory Council contribute a total of $3,000 in travel assistance to the first place team in each division, and $1,000 to the overall male and female individual winners. In addition, a total of $20,000 in college scholarships was awarded by the NDYAAC to the top five overall scorers in both boys and girls.

Qualifying for nationals in each division are:

High school boys – 1) Brockman; 2) Kyle Andres, Medina; 3) Dawson McKeever, North Sargent; 4) Mark McFarland, North Sargent; 5) Steve Dudas, North Sargent; 6) Cheyne Meyer, Hankinson; 7) Dylan Jost, Wahpeton; 8) Alex Huff, Medina; 9) Chase Bladow, Hankinson; 10) Jonathan Goroski, Wahpeton.

High school girls – 1) Loewen; 2) Lisa Buckhaus, Hankinson; 3) Cassie Boelke, Wahpeton; 4) Jaidyn Sander, Hankinson; 5) Kayla Hiam, Hope-Page; 6) Kailee Klein, Wahpeton; 7) Maddie Weigum, Twin Buttes; 8) Mary Goroski, Wahpeton; 9) Sara Hatlewick, Gackle-Streeter; 10) Brinley Mathern, Edgeley.

Middle school boys – 1) Avery McFarland, North Sargent; 2) Braxtyn Hamann, North Sargent; 3) Tate Zerface, Hope-Page; 4) Tavon Stadler, Griggs County Central; 5) Brady McKenna, North Sargent; 6) Austin Bladow, Hankinson; 7) Derrick Zietlow, Hankinson; 8) Brennan Wiederrich, Edgeley; 9) Will Peckham, Montpelier; 10) Bronson Haugen, Barnes County.

Middle school girls – 1) Sadie Keller, Hankinson; 2) Grace Neameyer, Mt. Pleasant; 3) Alicia Biewer, Hankinson; 4) Olivia Balch, Pingree-Buchanan; 5) Nadia Post, Glenburn; 6) Jaden Gilje, North Sargent; 7) Olivia Prochnow, Hankinson; 8) Abby Helm, Medina; 9) Tenley Evans, Hankinson; 10) Kendra Landsiedel, Wilton.

Elementary boys – 1) Dylan Carlson, Edgeley; 2) Ethan Millner, Hankinson; 3) Aiden Bladow, Hankinson; 4) Jonathan Hill, Wahpeton; 5) Carter Spitzer, Kensal; 6) Matthew Wehseler, North Sargent; 7) Maxin Walock, Oakes; 8) Riley Christensen, North Sargent; 9) Max Fronk, St. John’s; 10) Kendal Sondrol, Wilton.

Elementary girls – 1) Jaycee Brown, Hankinson; 2) Lily Wiek, Oakes; 3) Reagan Teske, Edgeley; 4) Abi Bronson, Wahpeton; 5) Ariana Onchuck, Hankinson; 6) Kennedi Faber, North Sargent; 7) Hannah Neameyer, Mt. Pleasant; 8) Kaydence Brummond, Oakes; 9) Kirstan Loewen, Hankinson; 10) Madison Sitzman, Edgeley.

In addition, 288 archers competed in a NASP 3-D Challenge, run simultaneously with the bull’s-eye tournament.

Top performers in the 3-D high school boys were 1) Brockman; 2) David Loegering, Central Cass; 3) McKeever; 4) Garrett Ponzer, North Sargent; 5) Ted Mandt, Wahpeton.

3-D high school girls – 1) Loewen; 2) Boelke; 3) Laura Kielb, North Sargent; 4) Olivia Waswick, North Sargent; 5) Sabyl Hunt, Dunseith.

3-D middle school boys – 1) McKenna; 2) McFarland; 3) Hamann; 4) Logan Stirling, Hankinson; 5) George Ringuette, Montpelier.

3-D middle school girls – 1) Neameyer; 2) Post; 3) Biewer; 4) Tavi Hirchert, Wilton; 5) Landsiedel.

3-D elementary boys – 1) Hill; 2) Sondrol; 3) Christensen; 4) Bladow; 5) Noah Skroch, Hankinson.

3-D elementary girls – 1) Wiek; 2) Faber; 3) Loewen; 4) Lily Walth, North Sargent; 5) Estella Prochnow, Hankinson.

In this week’s North Dakota Outdoors webcast fisheries division chief Greg Power talks about changes to North Dakota fishing regulations.

New Fishing Regulations

Noteworthy regulation changes include:

 

• The statewide possession limit for bluegill, yellow perch and white bass was reduced from 80 to 40 each.
• ·         All drain plugs that hold back water must be removed, and all draining devices must be open on all watercraft and recreational bilges and confined spaces, during out-of-water transport.
• ·         All water must be completely drained from bait containers, including bait buckets, upon leaving the Red River, or any other waters designated as infested with Class 1 prohibited aquatic nuisance species.
• North Dakota’s 2016-18 fishing proclamation is set, with regulations effective April 1, 2016 through March 31, 2018. Anglers are reminded that new fishing licenses are required April 1.

 

Other Resources:

2016-2018 Fishing Guide – http://gf.nd.gov/fishing/fishing-regulations-guide

Purchase a Fishing License – http://gf.nd.gov/

Whooping cranes are in the midst of their spring migration and sightings will increase as they make their way through North Dakota over the next several weeks. Anyone seeing these birds as they move through the state is asked to report sightings so the birds can be tracked.

Whoopers stand about five feet tall and have a wingspan of about seven 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 straight forward, while their long, slender legs extend out behind the tail. Whooping cranes typically migrate singly, or in groups of 2-3 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 closely 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 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office at Lostwood, 701-848-2466, or Long Lake, 701-387-4397, 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.

Elk, moose and bighorn sheep applications must be submitted online, or postmarked, before midnight March 23.

To apply online, or to print out an application to mail, access the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov. Applications are also available at Game and Fish offices and license vendors.

Residents age 18 or older are reminded to prove residency on the application by submitting a valid North Dakota driver’s license number or a North Dakota nondriver photo identification number.

Individuals mailing applications to the department are advised to mail early because some post offices use the following day’s postmark for mail received after regular hours. The department’s online application feature will be deactivated March 23 at midnight.

Hunters who have received a license through the lottery in the past are not eligible to apply for that species again.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual bighorn sheep survey revealed a minimum of 292 bighorn sheep in western North Dakota, up 8 percent from last year and 3 percent above the five-year average.

Altogether, biologists counted 88 rams, 160 ewes and 44 lambs. Not included are approximately 30 bighorns in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Big game biologist Brett Wiedmann said the survey is good news after an all-age die-off that began in 2014.

“This year’s number was encouraging given the ongoing effects of bacterial pneumonia throughout most of the badlands,” Wiedmann said.

The northern badlands population, which was hit the hardest from the die-off, increased 13 percent from last year. However, the southern badlands population was down 19 percent.

“Overall, rams, ewes and lambs all increased from last year,” Wiedmann said. “We were also pleased to see that 76 percent of lambs counted during last summer’s survey survived the winter, which is above average. The recruitment rate of lambs per adult ewes was 31 percent, equal to the long-term average.”

Game and Fish Department biologists count and classify all bighorn sheep in late summer, and then recount lambs the following March, as they approach one year of age, to determine recruitment.

“Adult mortality slowed significantly in 2015, and we had a good number of lambs survive in 2014 and 2015 to compensate for most of the adult losses,” Wiedmann said. “The bad news is that many bighorns are still showing signs of pneumonia, so next year’s survey will be important in determining if the state’s population is continuing to recover from the disease outbreak, or if the pathogens are likely to persist and cause a long-term population decline.”

Dr. Dan Grove, Department veterinarian, said disease testing last winter revealed that deadly pathogens were still present in 16 of 22 bighorns tested. He said animals continue to succumb to pneumonia, albeit at a much slower rate.

A bighorn sheep hunting season is tentatively scheduled to open in 2016, unless there is a recurrence of bacterial pneumonia. The status of the bighorn sheep season will be determined Sept. 1, after summer population surveys are complete

Outdoor enthusiasts are invited to attend a North Dakota Game and Fish Department spring advisory board meeting in their area.

These public meetings, held each spring and fall, provide citizens with an opportunity to discuss fish and wildlife issues and ask questions of their district advisors and agency personnel.

The governor appoints eight Game and Fish Department advisors, each representing a multi-county section of the state, to serve as a liaison between the department and public.

Any person who requires an auxiliary aid or service must notify the contact person at least five days prior to the scheduled meeting date.

District 1 – Counties: Divide, McKenzie and Williams

Date: March 28 – 7 p.m.

Location: Library Meeting Room, Williston

Host: Upper Missouri United Sportsmen

Contact: Wayne Aberle, 770-6902

Advisory board member: Jason Leiseth, Arnegard, 586-3714

District 5 – Counties: Cass, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele and Traill

Date: March 28 – 7 p.m.

Location: Community Center, Emden

Host: Four Corners Wildlife Club

Contact: Kent Jensen, 793-4446

Advisory board member: Duane Hanson, West Fargo, 367-4249

District 6 – Counties: Barnes, Dickey, Foster, Griggs, Logan, LaMoure, McIntosh, Stutsman and Wells

Date: March 29 – 7 p.m.

Location: North Dakota Farmers Union, Jamestown

Host: North Dakota Farmers Union

Contact: Lucy Bardell, 952-0114

Advisory board member: Joel Christoferson, Litchville, 973-4981

District 7 – Counties: Burleigh, Emmons, Grant, Kidder, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Oliver, Sheridan and Sioux

Date: March 29 – 7 p.m.

Location: Golf Club, Hazen

Host: Hazen Sportsmen’s Club

Contact: Jesse Flath, 880-0386

Advisory board member: Dave Nehring, Bismarck, 214-3184

District 3 – Counties: Benson, Cavalier, Eddy, Ramsey, Rolette and Towner

Date: April 4 – 7 p.m.

Location: Lake Region State College, Chautauqua Room, Devils Lake

Host: Pheasants Forever

Contact: TBD

Advisory board member: Tom Rost, Devils Lake, 662-8620

District 8 – Counties: Adams, Billings, Bowman, Dunn, Golden Valley, Hettinger, Slope and Stark

Date: April 4 – 7 p.m.

Location: Eagles Club, Dickinson

Host: Roughrider Archers

Contact: Kurt Einspahr, 590-4187

Advisory board member: Dwight Hecker, Fairfield, 575-4952

District 4 – Counties: Grand Forks, Nelson, Pembina and Walsh

Date: April 5 – 7 p.m.

Location: Rod and Gun Club, 2950 Hwy 1, Pekin

Host: Pekin Rod and Gun Club

Contact: David Morken, 296-4484, 270-8469

Advisory board member: Joe Solseng, 317-5009

District 2 – Counties: Bottineau, Burke, McHenry, Mountrail, Pierce, Renville and Ward

Date: April 5 – 7 p.m.

Location: Verendrye Electric Cooperative, Hwy 2 Bypass East, Minot

Host: Souris Valley Mule Deer Foundation

Contact: DJ Randolph, 720-2134

Advisory board member: Robert Gjellstad, Voltaire, 338-2281