Monthly Archives: June 2021

Put Garbage Where it Belongs

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The North Dakota Game and Fish Department reminds outdoor recreationists to keep it clean this summer by packing out all trash.

All garbage, including used fireworks, should be placed in a proper trash receptacle. If trash cans aren’t available, or are full, dispose of trash at home.

It is not uncommon to see garbage piling up around full trash containers. Styrofoam containers are not biodegradable, but are often found wedged in cattails, drifting or washed up on shore.

Tires, mattresses and kitchen appliances have found their way to public use areas. This illegal dumping is costly to clean up and takes a significant toll on the environment. Not only does it spoil the beauty of the land, it destroys habitat, has the potential to pollute North Dakota waters and can injure wildlife.

Littering violations should be reported by calling the Report All Poachers at 701-328-9921.

Spring Pheasant Count Similar to Last Year

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North Dakota’s spring pheasant population index is about the same as last year, according to the state Game and Fish Department’s 2021 spring crowing count survey.

R.J. Gross, upland game management biologist, said the number of roosters heard crowing this spring was up about 3% statewide. 

“The statewide number might be a bit misleading since we are notably down in the southwest, while most of the state benefitted from good reproduction in 2020 and a mild winter,” Gross said.

The primary regions holding pheasants showed 18.4 crows per stop in the southwest, down from 19.6 in 2020; 14.3 crows per stop in the northwest, up from 12.2; and 14.5 crows per stop in the southeast, up from 13.6. The count in the northeast, which is not a primary region for pheasants, was 5.2 crows per stop, up from 3.4 last year.

Gross said current drought conditions are causing delayed growth in nesting cover, brood rearing cover and croplands across the state, while extended drought conditions could prevent insect hatches, reducing forage availability to chicks for brood rearing.

“We are hopeful that the latest rain events will foster insect production to bolster pheasant chick foraging,” he said.

Pheasant crowing counts are conducted each spring throughout North Dakota. Observers drive specified 20-mile routes, stopping at predetermined intervals, and counting the number of pheasant roosters heard crowing over a 2-minute period.

The number of pheasant crows heard are compared to previous years’ data, providing a trend summary.

Operation Dry Water

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The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will again participate in Operation Dry Water as part of a nationally coordinated effort to increase knowledge about the dangers of boating under the influence. The goal is to reduce the number of accidents and deaths associated with alcohol and drug use on state waterways.

ODW weekend, July 2-4, is the national weekend of heightened enforcement effort directed at boating under the influence laws and recreational boater outreach. 

While informing and educating boaters about the hazards and negative outcomes associated with boating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a year-round effort, on ODW weekend the Game and Fish Department’s game wardens will focus on the water, informing boaters about safe boating practices, and removing impaired operators from the water. 

Tips for staying safe on the water: 

  • Boat sober – alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in recreational boater deaths. Alcohol and drug use impair a boater’s judgment, balance, vision and reaction time.
  • Wear your life jacket – 85% of drowning victims nationwide were not wearing a life jacket.
  • Take the online boating safety education course – 71% of deaths nationwide occurred on boats where the operator had not received boating safety instruction.

Pronghorn Survey Begins

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The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual aerial pronghorn survey will begin July 1 and is scheduled to be completed within two weeks.

During the survey period, small airplanes will sometimes fly low over some parts of western North Dakota.

The survey determines pronghorn abundance, herd demographics and fawn production. This data is used to set the number of licenses for the fall hunting season. 

NDGF News: Deer Gun Lottery Held, Licenses Remain

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North Dakota’s deer gun lottery has been held and more than 7,900 deer gun licenses remain. Only resident applicants who were unsuccessful in the lottery can apply for remaining licenses.

More than 79,000 individuals applied for a deer gun lottery license, in addition to over 12,400 gratis applicants. The 2021 deer gun proclamation allows for 72,200 deer gun season licenses.

Unsuccessful applicants can apply online for remaining licenses beginning June 29. The deadline for applying is July 14.

Remaining Deer Gun Licenses

(B = Any Antlerless   C = Antlered Whitetail   D = Antlerless Whitetail   F = Antlerless Mule Deer)

UnitTypeAvailable
2HB185
3A1B985
3A2B108
3B1D227
3B2D214
3B2F146
3B3D636
3CD581
3D1B58
3D1D138
3D2B39
3D2D185
3E1D234
3E2B69
3E2D201
3F1B162
3F1C34
3F1D403
3F2B1124
3F2C180
3F2D796
4AD99
4BD146
4CD111
4DD137
4ED126
4FD365
4FF217

Earth Day, Every Day

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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 the 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.  

Watchable Wildlife Photo Contest

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Photographers who are interested in sending photos for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s Watchable Wildlife Photo Contest are reminded to follow the guidelines for submitting their work.

Photographers should go to the Game and Fish Department’s website at gf.nd.gov/photo-contest. Then it is a matter of providing some pertinent information about the photo and uploading it. Doing so helps both with ease of submitting photos for the photographer and managing those images for department staff. 

The contest is now open and the deadline for submitting photos is Oct. 1. For more information or questions, contact Patrick Isakson, department conservation biologist, at pisakson@nd.gov.

The contest has categories for nongame and game species, as well as plants/insects. An overall winning photograph will be chosen, with the number of place winners in each category determined by the number of qualified entries.

Contestants are limited to no more than five entries. Photos must have been taken in North Dakota.

By submitting an entry, photographers grant permission to Game and Fish to publish winning photographs in North Dakota OUTDOORS, and on the department’s website.

Game and Fish Pays $715,000 in Property Taxes

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The North Dakota Game and Fish Department recently paid more than $715,000 in taxes to counties in which the department owns or leases land. The 2020 in-lieu-of-tax payments are the same as property taxes paid by private landowners.

The Game and Fish Department manages more than 200,000 acres for wildlife habitat and public hunting in 51 counties. The department does not own or manage any land in Traill or Renville counties.

Following is a list of counties and the tax payments received.

CountyTax DueCountyTax DueCounty Tax Due
Adams184.82Grand Forks15,060.83Pierce2,982.83
Barnes6,279.49Grant1,211.27Ramsey16,093.07
Benson4,891.95Griggs94.57Ransom2,162.31
Billings291.54Hettinger4,893.24Richland19,448.08
Bottineau6,521.86Kidder12,250.50Rolette56,688.78
Bowman2,248.04LaMoure11,078.00Sargent20,390.21
Burke1,266.23Logan408.26Sheridan79,581.99
Burleigh35,871.99McHenry1,669.60Sioux310.16
Cass7,841.02McIntosh10,001.08Slope2,041.94
Cavalier14,749.60McKenzie34,900.03Stark6,000.39
Dickey13,677.91McLean124,582.77Steele10,311.19
Divide2,438.64Mercer22,098.32Stutsman5,202.61
Dunn5,602.37Morton23,511.24Towner2,416.28
Eddy6,330.43Mountrail6,190.35Walsh11,069.67
Emmons7,810.61Nelson5,987.31Ward61.24
Foster967.31Oliver2,627.11Wells59,917.41
Golden Valley165.22Pembina19,216.23Williams8,577.74

Leave Baby Animals Alone, Watch for Deer

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The North Dakota Game and Fish Department offers a simple message to well-intentioned humans 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.

More often than not, 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 for survival decreases significantly. It’s illegal to take wild animals home, and captive animals later returned to the wild will struggle to survive because they do not possess 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 this 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 their home ranges, and with deer more active during this time, the potential for car‑deer collisions increase.

Boat North Dakota Course

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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.

However, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department recommends all boaters take a boater education course. In fact, some insurance companies give adult boat owners who pass the course a discount on boat insurance.

The course is available for home-study from the Game and Fish Department’s Bismarck office. Two commercial providers also offer the course online, and links to those sites are found on the department’s 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.

Upon completion of the online test, and providing a credit card number, students will be able to print a temporary certification card, and within 30 days a permanent card will be mailed.

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.