Monthly Archives: February 2019

2018 Bighorn Sheep, Moose and Elk Harvests

Harvest statistics released by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department show overall hunter success during the 2018 season for bighorn sheep was 100 percent, 92 percent for moose and 65 percent for elk.

The department issued two bighorn sheep licenses and auctioned one. All three hunters harvested a bighorn ram.

The department issued 329 moose licenses last year. Of that total, 319 hunters harvested 294 animals – 138 bulls and 156 cows/calves. Harvest for each unit follows:

Unit	Hunters	Bulls	Cow/Calf	Success Rate
M5	5	3	1	80
M6	14	9	3	86
M8	14	13	0	93
M9	93	34	49	89
M10 M11	107 86	50 29	52 51	95 93

The department issued 418 elk licenses last year. Of that total, 380 hunters harvested 248 elk – 135 bulls and 113 cows/calves. Harvest for each unit follows:

Unit	Hunters	Bulls	Cow/Calf	Success Rate
E1E E1W	57 37	17 10	16 17	58 73
E2	128	35	35	55
E3	125	52	40	74
E4 E6	22 11	17 4	0 5	77 82

Youth Grant Program Applications Due in April

Wildlife, shooting, fraternal and nonprofit civic organizations are urged to submit an application for the Encouraging Tomorrow’s Hunters program, a North Dakota Game and Fish Department grant program developed to assist recruitment of the next generation of hunters and shooters.

The maximum grant allowed is $3,000. The program currently helps fund approximately 40 club and organizational events and projects each year, with an average grant of $1,550.

Grant funds help cover event expenses, including promotional printing; event memorabilia such as shirts, caps or vests; ammunition and targets, and eye and ear protection.

Past funding has enabled groups to conduct youth pheasant and waterfowl hunts, or sponsor trap and other shooting events, including archery and rifle shooting. Game and Fish has a separate grant program that supports new high school trapshooting teams.

Any club or organization interested in conducting a youth hunting or shooting event can get more information, including a grant application, from the Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov, or by contacting outreach biologist Pat Lothspeich at 701-328-6332.

The deadline to apply for a 2019 grant is April 10.

Game and Fish Violations Tallied for 2018

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s enforcement division has tallied the number of hunting, angling and boating citations for 2018, and failure to carry a license was the number one violation.

Game wardens issued more than 2,400 citations last year, compared to 2,500 in 2017 and 2,300 citations in 2016.

Counties with the most violations were Ramsey (343), Williams (227), McKenzie (202), Burleigh (107) and Stutsman (94).

The most common violations and number issued in 2018 were:

Licensing (622): failure to carry license (347); and hunting/fishing/trapping without proper license (219).
Fishing (487): exceeding limit (187); aquatic nuisance species violations (86); and excessive lines (78).
Boating (445): inadequate number of personal flotation devices (214); failure to display boat registration (58); and use of unlicensed/unnumbered boat (52).
General (263): loaded firearm in vehicle (60); hunting on posted land without permission (54); and littering (42).
Small game (242): using shotgun capable of holding more than three shells (60); failure to leave identification of sex on game (56); and exceeding limit (17).
Miscellaneous (180): minor in possession (48); criminal trespass (27); possession of a controlled substance (25); and open container (21).
Wildlife management areas/refuge (88): failure to obey posted regulations (50); and possession of glass beverage containers (21).
Big game (57): tagging violations (21); failure to wear orange (10); and chronic wasting disease violations (10).
Furbearer (34): shining/using artificial light (8); and illegal possession/taking (6).

A synopsis of 2018 violations is printed in the February issue of North Dakota OUTDOORS.

Spring Turkey Application Deadline Feb. 13

Prospective spring turkey hunters are reminded the deadline for submitting an application for the 2019 season is Feb. 13.

Spring turkey applicants can apply online at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. Applications can also be submitted by calling 800-406-6409. Paper applications are not available.

First-time spring turkey hunters ages 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 the spring turkey season, and have never received a spring turkey license in North Dakota.

Spring turkey licenses are available only to North Dakota residents.

The season opens April 13 and continues through May 19.

have you read?

The February 2019 North Dakota Outdoors magazine is available FREE online right now here.

You’ll find ND Game and Fish Director Terry Steinwand’s column Matters Of Opinioninside the cover: I’ve written more than once on this page how seriously many North Dakotans take their deer hunting. To repeat myself, the state’s deer gun season, or more so the opening weekend of the season, has a holiday feel to it. Sort of like Christmas.

Ron Wilson wrote: Fishing Stories, Measuring Angler Success

Erica Sevigny has heard her share of fishing stories this winter.

As a winter creel clerk for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department on Lake Audubon, Sevigny knocks on ice house doors to ask ice anglers a few simple questions about their fishing trip.

Game Warden Corey Erck takes you on a ride along with A Warden’s Story

I’m often asked what I like best about being a game warden. The answer is easy: No two days are the same and the job changes with the seasons.

Every time my phone rings, it’s only a guess if it’s a routine call about clarifying a hunting regulation or something you’d never expect. Maybe the best way to illustrate this is to relay the events of one day in November 2017.

Spring Light Goose Conservation Order

North Dakota’s spring light goose conservation order opens Feb. 23 and continues through May 12.

Residents must have a valid current season 2018-19 (valid through March 31) or 2019-20 (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 2019-20 license is available for purchase beginning March 15.

Nonresidents need a 2019 spring light goose conservation order license. The cost is $50 and is valid statewide. Nonresidents who hunt in the 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 age 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, at license vendors around the state, or by calling 800-406-6409.

Hunters must register annually with the Harvest Information Program prior to hunting in each state. The HIP number can be obtained online, or by calling 888-634-4798. The HIP number obtained for North Dakota’s spring conservation order is also valid for North Dakota’s fall hunting season.

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 2019 Spring Light Goose Hunting Regulations and the North Dakota 2018-19 Hunting and Trapping Guide.