Family-Outdoors

(Photo credit: Wikipedia) North Dakota’s Sportsmen Against Hunger program can now accept donations of Canada geese taken during the regular waterfowl hunting season. Previously, the program could accept snow, blue and Ross’s geese during the regular season, but Canada goose donations were only allowed during the early Canada goose season. This new opportunity for hunters to donate goose meat is part of a two-year pilot program between the North Dakota Game and Fish Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “In the past couple of years we have heard from many hunters who would like to donate geese taken during the regular season,” said Game and Fish Director Terry Steinwand. “We appreciate the Fish and Wildlife Service setting up this pilot program so we can see how well it works.” North Dakota Community Action Sportsmen Against Hunger program coordinator Sarah Hasbargen said the additional donations accepted during this pilot project will be a much-needed increase...

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) The state Game and Fish Department is offering 5,880 wild turkey licenses for the spring hunting season, a decrease of 50 from last year. The decrease is a result of poor production and chick recruitment. Two of the 22 hunting units have slightly more spring licenses than in 2013, while 16 remain the same. Unit 21 (most of Hettinger and Adams counties) is again closed in 2014 due to lack of turkeys in the unit. Successful spring turkey applicants must purchase a 2014-15 hunting license, as last year’s 2013-14 licenses expire  March 31 . In addition to the spring turkey license, hunters must have a fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate, and a general game and habitat license. Also, hunters ages 16 and older must possess a small game license, or combination license. Hunters may notice an increase in license fees required to hunt spring turkey, which were established and set by the 2013 state legislature. The spring turkey license ...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia) North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries personnel recently stocked seven waters with catchable trout. Jerry Weigel, fisheries development and production section leader, said these trout will provide exciting fall and winter fishing opportunities. “Shasta strain rainbow trout average more than one pound each, with some up to five pounds,” Weigel said. More than 800 were stocked in the Turtle River near Arvilla in Grand Forks County, while 115 went in the Owls Pond in Burleigh County. In addition, Wyoming Game and Fish Department provided 7,500 Firehole strain rainbows as part of an annual trade for walleye fingerlings. These half-pound fish were stocked in McGregor Dam in Williams County, Lightning Lake in McLean County, Fish Creek Dam and Harmon Lake in Morton County, and Mooreton Pond in Richland County. “Trout provided from Wyoming give anglers a chance to catch unique strains and species that otherwise would require a trip to th...

North Dakota’s fall turkey season is set, and online and paper applications will be available mid-August. The deadline for applying is  Sept. 4 . Stan Kohn, upland game management supervisor for the State Game and Fish Department, said 4,020 licenses are available to hunters, 125 fewer than last year. According to Kohn, the slight decline in licenses is a result of four years of poor production, and poor recruitment of young into the population because of wet, cool springs. “The decrease in the number of licenses is consistent with our management strategy of reducing licenses when the population warrants protection or when turkey numbers have fallen below normal levels within a unit,” Kohn said. “If turkey production is exceptionally good this year, an additional 1,300 licenses may be used early this fall in specific hunting units.” An experimental hunting season will continue for the USDA-ARS Northern Great Plains Research Lab in Mandan. A maximum of 30 licenses wi...

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Townsquare Media and Sykes are sponsoring the Missouri River SPLASH – a recreation and boating safety event for everyone who enjoys the Missouri River. The event is Thursday, May 16 in Mandan from 3-6 p.m. at Moritz Sport and Marine. Displays, hands-on activities, demonstrations, regulations, registrations and prizes are included. The event is free, and people of all ages are invited to attend. Individuals who bring a completed boating safety exam to the event are eligible to win a prize. State law requires youngsters ages 12-15 who want to operate a boat or personal watercraft with at least a 10 horsepower motor to first pass the state’s Boat North Dakota safety course. In addition, some major insurance companies give adult boat owners who pass the course a premium discount on boat insurance. The Boat North Dakota safety course is free and available at the Game and Fish Department. Related articles North Dakota: Tracking...

Fishing and hunting in North Dakota contributed an estimated $1.4 billion in annual input to the state’s economy, according to a report by the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics at North Dakota State University. The report, commissioned by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, tracked hunter and angler expenditures for the 2011-12 hunting and fishing seasons, and is similar to other studies conducted periodically since the late 1970s. The last time we commissioned an economic impact study was about 10 years ago,” said Game and Fish Department Director Terry Steinwand. “These studies help alert us to any major shifts in hunter and angler activities or participation. Overall, anglers and hunters in North Dakota spent $642.9 million dollars on equipment, vehicles, boats, travel, lodging, food and many other items. In addition, these expenditures generated nearly $727 million in secondary economic benefits, gross business volume, secondary employment and ...

Duck Brood Index Up from Last Year North Dakota's 2012 fall duck flight is expected to have twice as many birds as last year. Mike Johnson, game management section leader for the State Game and Fish Department, said the fall flight estimate is a combination of the breeding duck survey and the brood survey. Results from the breeding duck survey in May indicated the duck index was up 16 percent from 2011 and exceeded the long-term average by 112 percent.  May water conditions were down 57 percent from 2011 and 6 percent from the long-term averag e. The mid-July waterfowl production survey revealed the duck brood index was up 110 percent from 2011 and 155 percent above the long-term average. Average brood size was 6.9 ducklings, down 0.8 from last year. The long‑term average is 7.1 ducklings per brood. The water index in mid-July was down 48 percent from last year, but still 10 percent above the long-term average. The index does not count ever...

Much higher-than-normal July temperatures are stressing fish populations across the state. Scott Gangl, fisheries management section leader for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, said this summer biologists have documented fish kills in approximately a dozen water bodies throughout the state. “Warm days followed by very warm nights are not conducive to maintaining healthy fish populations,” Gangl said. “Most fish need cooler water temperatures to thrive in summer, and they are just not getting it even at night. And with continued hot, dry and calm weather conditions forecasted, we expect to experience more fish kills in the next few weeks.” Fish kills have been reported statewide. Some of the more notable water bodies and species impacted this summer include Stump (northern pike), lower James River (pike), Skjermo (yellow perch), Brewer (many species), Hoskins (many species) and Northgate (rainbow trout). Gangl said fish species accustomed to cool...

Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota, near Garrison Dam (Photo credit: Wikipedia) North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries personnel, along with staff from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fish hatcheries, recently completed stocking 9.8 million walleye fingerlings in 113 lakes across the state. Jerry Weigel, fisheries production and development section leader for the Game and Fish Department, said this year’s walleye goal required exceptional production from nearly every hatchery pond in the state. “Overall, we were able to meet every request with Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery contributing 8.7 million fingerlings and Valley City National Fish Hatchery 1.1 million fingerlings. On average the fish were some of the largest in recent years,” Weigel said. Stocking goals for each water body can differ depending on need. Some of the notable stockings include: Lake Sakakawea – 4 million; Stump Lake – 577,000; Lake Darling – 450,000; Devils Lake – 367,000; Hea...

The Common Pheasant(Photo credit: Wikipedia) North Dakota’s spring pheasant crowing count survey revealed a 10 percent increase statewide compared to last year. All four pheasant districts showed an increase compared to last year. The number of crows heard in the southeast increased by 12 percent, northwest by 8 percent, northeast by 6 percent and southwest by 4 percent. Stan Kohn, upland game management supervisor for the State Game and Fish Department, said birds did not experience excessive mortality last winter. “Even with the nice winter last year, I anticipated fewer adult birds to be available this spring because poor production in spring of 2009-11 led to fewer young birds entering the fall population,” Kohn said. “However, I did expect to see higher crow count numbers in the southwest because good numbers of birds were observed last winter, but it didn’t pan out in the crow count numbers.” Even with a somewhat smaller breeding class of birds, Kohn sa...

Blue-winged Teal(Photo credit: Wikipedia) The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual spring breeding duck survey showed an index of 4.8 million birds, up 16 percent from last year and 112 percent above the long-term average (1948-2011). The 2012 index is the third highest on record. All species were well above the long-term average. Wigeon (+88 percent) and green-winged teal (+221 percent) were at record highs. Mallards, gadwall, blue-winged teal, shovelers, redheads and ruddy ducks exceeded the long-term average by more than 100 percent. Only pintails, shovelers and canvasbacks were down more than 10 percent from last year, and mallards were essentially unchanged. Blue-winged teal were at their highest level since 2001, missing the record high by less than 1 percent. “Excellent production last summer brought many breeding pairs back to the state,” said Mike Szymanski, waterfowl biologist. “Fortunately, there was still enough habitat to attract them to North Dakota....

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Want to get your family introduced to fishing?  Here is an opportunity being offered to do it for free in the great state of North Dakota . Family fishing days return this month to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s Outdoor Wildlife Learning Site. The catch-and-release only fishery is stocked with trout, bluegill, largemouth bass, catfish and other fish species. Family fishing days are Saturdays and Wednesdays through the end of August. Fishing equipment can be checked out at the OWLS Pond, located adjacent to the Department’s Bismarck office, on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Fishing rods and basic tackle are available for use free of charge. Trained volunteers of Game and Fish staff will be in the area to answer questions and check out equipment, but there will be little or no direct supervision. Children who aren’t old enough to get to the pond on their own should not be lef...

Image via Wikipedia Wildlife, shooting, civic and fraternal organizations are encouraged to submit an application for the Encouraging Tomorrow’s Hunters program, a grant program developed to assist in recruitment of the next generation of hunters and shooters. Grant funds will 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 several groups to conduct youth pheasant and waterfowl hunts, while others have sponsored trap and other shooting events, including archery and rifle shooting. Any club or organization interested in conducting a youth hunting or shooting event can get more information, including a grant application, from North Dakota Game and Fish Department outreach biologist Pat Lothspeich at (701) 328-6332 . The deadline to apply for a 2012 grant is April 21. Related articles North Dakota:Remaining Deer Samples Negative for CWD (midwest...

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s Becoming an Outdoors -Woman program has scheduled one-day winter workshops Jan. 26-27 at Cross Ranch State Park, Center, and Feb. 24, 25 and 26 at Lake Metigoshe State Park, Bottineau. Cross-country skiing (Jan. 26) and snowshoeing (Jan. 27) will be offered at Cross Ranch. Lake Metigoshe offers a variety of classes. A class on dog sledding for first-timers only is available all three days with a limit of six participants per session (this class fills quickly).  Snowshoeing and tracking, winter survival and cross-country skiing are available Feb. 25 and 26. Women interested in the workshops are encouraged to  register online  at the Game and Fish website,  gf.nd.gov . Those interested should sign up immediately, as each class is limited to 12 participants. The cost is $75 for dog sledding and $50 for the other classes. Sign up for a class on two days and receive a $15 discount. Preregistration with payment is...