The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The Official Newspaper for Foster County
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Late January is sometimes considered a time when not much is going on in North Dakota’s outdoors. But this year with new boat registrations coming in and the state legislature in session, it’s a busy time at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Here’s a recap of a few news items from recent weeks or so that still warrant consideration. Legislative Session With the North Dakota Legislature convening the first week of January, the Game and Fish Department set up its website page to track...
Outdoor notes: *Check on ice houses occasionally to make certain they haven’t iced in after warming weather. *Be mindful of parking when accessing area lakes; not blocking roadways or snow removal operations. *Reminder that it’s illegal to chase, harass, or pursue any wildlife species with motorized vehicle. *Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges, and springs. Check conditions as you go along on the ice and don’t move around at night. *Spring turkey applications now available. Go online to (g...
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is offering 7,412 wild turkey licenses for the 2023 spring hunting season, 235 fewer than last year. Two of the 22 hunting units have more spring licenses than last year, eight have fewer licenses and 11 remain the same. Unit 21 (Hettinger and Adams counties) is again closed due to lack of turkeys in the unit. Spring turkey applicants can apply online at the Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. The deadline for applying is Feb. 15. Applicants should note that a general game and habitat license...
Outdoor notes: *Be mindful of parking when accessing area lakes; not blocking roadways or snow removal operations. *Reminder that it’s illegal to chase, harass, or pursue any wildlife species with motorized vehicle. *Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges, and springs. Check conditions as you go along on the ice and don’t move around at night. Tournaments: *Jan. 28: Devils Lake, 6-Mile Bay. Fishing: *Devils Lake elevation, Jan. 17: 1,449.38 feet above mean sea level (MSL). *Stump Lake ele...
We’ve seen it before. A few ice shelters can turn into a city literally overnight. Winter anglers travel from every corner of the state – some from a few states away – at the report of a hot walleye, perch or crappie bite. Anglers wonder if the fishery can withstand the pressure? I remind myself growing up, a hot perch bite wasn’t guarded by limits. That’s correct. There was a time as recently as the mid-1980s when North Dakota didn’t have a daily limit on perch. Fast forward with more waters...
Anglers need to be mindful of where they park their vehicles while accessing local winter fisheries. Due to a heavy snowpack throughout most of the state this winter, anglers often use the road rights-of-way to park vehicles and trailers. In some situations, parking has caused problems with traffic flow, especially farm equipment. Parked vehicles should not obstruct traffic, interfere with snow removal and/or maintenance equipment, or create safety hazards....
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will track hunting and fishing issues during the 2023 legislative session. Outdoor enthusiasts can follow proposed outdoors-related bills by visiting the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov. The webpage will be updated daily as legislation is introduced and bills progress through the session. A brief description of each bill will be included. To view the bill in its entirety, click on the linked bill number....
Tough winter conditions thus far in North Dakota have some citizens concerned about the stress on wildlife. Kevin Kading, state Game and Fish Department private land section leader, said harsh winters often generate conversations and questions about feeding wildlife, particularly deer and pheasants. “The department does not promote winter feeding and does not have a winter-feeding program,” Kading said. “We recognize that many people care deeply about wildlife, and it can be difficult to watch nature play out, but feeding operations, good...
Outdoor notes: *Reminder that it’s illegal to chase, harass, or pursue any wildlife species with motorized vehicle. *Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges, and springs. Check conditions as you go along on the ice and don’t move around at night. Tournaments: *Jan. 28: Devils Lake, 6-Mile Bay. Fishing: *Devils Lake elevation, Jan. 10: 1,449.37 feet above mean sea level (MSL). *Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.32 MSL. *Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,829.79 MSL; 23,100 cubic feet per second average (CF...
Outdoor notes: *Reminder that it’s illegal to chase, harass, or pursue any wildlife species with motorized vehicle. *Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges, and springs. Check conditions as you go along on the ice and don’t move around at night. Tournaments: *Jan. 14: Lake Josephine. *Jan. 28: Devils Lake, 6-Mile Bay. Fishing: *Devils Lake elevation, Jan. 3: 1,449.37 feet above mean sea level (MSL). *Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.32 MSL. *Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,830.18 MSL; 20,900 cubic fee...
I quit blaming Mother Nature years ago for nasty weather and started pointing the finger at Old Man Winter. Not that it mattered but it seemed fair, even though we have no control over the weather. For man and beast on the prairie, a winter that starts late and ends early with a few drifts of life-bearing moisture and short cold snaps mixed in is about as much as we can ask for. Anyone who's grown up around here knows we adjust to the cold and the snow. From warming up the truck a little, to mak...
Outdoor notes: *Reminder that it’s illegal to chase, harass, or pursue any wildlife species with motorized vehicle. *Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges, and springs. Check conditions as you go along on the ice and don’t move around at night. Tournaments: *Jan. 7: Devils Lake. *Jan. 14: Lake Ashtabula, Sibley Crossing; Lake Josephine. Fishing: *Devils Lake elevation, Dec. 27: 1,449.37 feet above mean sea level (MSL). *Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.31 MSL. *Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,8...
North Dakota’s free ice fishing weekend is Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Resident anglers may fish those two days without a license. All other winter fishing regulations apply. The weekend provides a great opportunity to try ice fishing for the first time or take someone new. Share your story for a chance to win a fish house. Information on regulations, where to fish and what equipment is needed to ice fish is available on the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website at gf.nd.gov....
The 2023 North Dakota OUTDOORS calendar is available for ordering online on the state Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. The calendar features outstanding color photographs of North Dakota wildlife and scenery, and includes season opening and application deadline dates, sunrise-sunset times and moon phases. Calendars are also available via mail order. Send $3 for each, plus $1 postage, to: Calendar, North Dakota Game and Fish Department, 100 N. Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck, ND 58501-5095. The calendar is the North Dakota OUTDOORS...
Outdoor notes: *Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges, and springs. Check conditions as you go along on the ice and don’t move around at night. *Reminder that it’s illegal to chase, harass, or pursue any wildlife species with motorized vehicle. *Dec. 30: Missouri River Canada Goose Zone season closes. *Dec. 30: Light goose season closes. *Dec. 31 & Jan. 1: Free fishing weekend. N.D. residents can fish for free. *Jan. 1: Pheasant, grouse, partridge, turkey, and archery deer seasons close. Fis...
Any fish house left unoccupied on North Dakota waters must be made of materials that allow it to float. In addition, fish houses do not require a license. Other fish house regulations include: • Occupied structures do not require identification. However, any unoccupied fish house must have an equipment registration number issued by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, or the owner’s name, and either an address or telephone number, displayed on its outside in readily distinguishable characters at least 3 inches high. • Fish houses may n...
Outdoor notes: *Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges, and springs. Check conditions as you go along on the ice and don’t move around at night. *Dec. 17: Canada Goose Eastern Zone season closes. *Dec. 22: Western Canada Goose Zone season closes. Fishing: *Devils Lake elevation, Dec. 6: 1,449.24 feet above mean sea level (MSL). *Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.21 MSL. *Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,831.82 MSL; 15,900 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases. *N.D. Game & Fish D...
The statewide duck and white-fronted goose seasons close Dec. 4. However, duck hunting in the high plains unit reopens Dec. 10 and continues through Jan. 1. In addition, the season for Canada geese closes Dec. 17 in the eastern zone, Dec. 22 in the western zone and Dec. 30 in the Missouri River zone. Light goose hunting closes statewide Dec. 30. Archery deer, fall turkey, sharp-tailed and ruffed grouse, partridge and pheasant hunting seasons continue through Jan. 1. The season for tree squirrels closes Feb. 28....
Outdoor enthusiasts need to be aware of early ice conditions before traveling onto and across North Dakota waters. A few reminders include: • Edges firm up faster than farther out from shore. • Snow insulates ice, which in turn inhibits solid ice formation, hiding cracks, weak and open water areas. • Ice can form overnight, causing unstable conditions. Ice thickness is not consistent, as it can vary significantly within a few inches. • Avoid cracks, pressure ridges, slushy or darker areas that signal thinner ice. The same goes for ice that fo...
Outdoor notes: *Ice is never completely safe. Avoid areas with vegetation, moving water, pressure ridges, and springs. Check conditions as you go along on the ice and don’t move around at night. *Reminder that most roads and trails closed to hunting if posted on both sides. *Hunters reminded to put identification on tree stands and blinds when set up on N.D. Game & Fish Dept. WMAs. *Dec. 10: High Plains Unit duck, coot, and merganser seasons open. *Dec. 11: Muzzleloader deer season closes. *Dec. 17: Canada Goose Eastern Zone season closes. F...
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department Advisory Board will host public meetings this fall at eight locations across the state. In addition, the district 7 meeting in Bismarck will be streamed live on the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov. 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. For the statewide livestream, questions can be submitted via chat during the meeting. Local meetings include: District...
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will hold a public hearing to address proposed new rules and amendments to Title 30 of the North Dakota Administrative Code. The hearing is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16 at the agency’s main office in Bismarck. The purpose and an explanation of the proposed rule changes follow: Chapter 30-04-03. Section 30-04-03-17. Hunting guide and hunting outfitter examination. An amendment to administer written examination electronically. Chapter 30-05-03. Section 30-05-03-22. Violations are n...
Outdoor notes: *It is illegal to chase, harass, and pursue any wildlife species, including coyotes, with snowmobile or tracked vehicles. *Reminder that most roads and trails closed to hunting if posted on both sides. *Hunters reminded to put identification on tree stands and blinds when set up on N.D. Game & Fish Dept. WMAs. *Nov. 29: Dove season closes. *Dec. 1: Snowmobile N.D. trails open, snow conditions permitting. Go to their website, (snowmobilend.org) and click “Trail conditions” for information. *Dec. 4: Low Plain duck, merganser, and...
As Thanksgiving fades into December many hunters have freezers stacked with mallards and grouse, Canada geese and venison. In college while sharing community freezers we use to have fun by labeling packages to keep others from "enjoying" our hard-earned game. If you lived in Milligan Hall back in the day and ever snuck a freezer-wrapped package labeled "unicorn backstraps" or "passenger pigeon," the meat inside fried in a combination of bacon grease, onion and green peppers was not as rare as...
Outdoor notes: *Reminder that most roads and trails closed to hunting if posted on both sides. *Hunters reminded to put identification on tree stands and blinds when set up on N.D. Game & Fish Dept. WMAs. *Nov. 22: N.D. Game & Fish Dept. public advisory meeting, Valley City Eagles Club, 7 p.m. *Nov. 25: Deer muzzleloader season opens. *Nov. 29: Dove season closes. *Dec. 5: N.D. Game & Fish Dept. public advisory meeting, New Rockford Eagles Club, 7 p.m. Fishing: *Devils Lake elevation, Nov. 15: 1,449.25 feet above mean sea level (MSL). *Stump La...
