Latest news with #NorthDakotaGameandFishDepartment
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Have North Dakota's Sage Grouse Winked Out Completely?
Eleven western states are home to greater sage grouse, the largest grouse in North America. But that count could now be down to 10, after North Dakota biologists failed to find any male birds during their annual spring population survey. This disappointing void makes the upland bird virtually extinct in the state. 'This is the first time ever we were not able to find any male sage grouse at active leks in North Dakota,' Jesse Kolar, North Dakota Game and Fish Department upland management supervisor told E&E News in early July. In 2024, researchers knew of two remaining active leks in North Dakota. Leks are clearings in the high desert where sage grouse gather in the spring to mate. Males prefer open, flat ground for strutting and displaying, so females can see their fanned tail feathers and popping air-bagged chests unobstructed. One of those leks had 13 males on it in 2023, but this dropped to three males in 2024, and there were no males on either lek in 2025. Sage grouse are as faithful to their leks as they are dependent on sagebrush, which they need to survive in all stages of life. If any males were still alive in North Dakota, they should have shown up to mate this spring. North Dakota has never been a hotbed for sage grouse, at least not in recent memory. Their range is limited to the state's southwest corner, along the border shared with Montana, and the population of male birds there has hovered below 250 birds since the early 1990s. By 2014, their numbers had fallen to around 31, and they were considered in imminent danger of extinction. The state blames habitat fragmentation from agriculture and development, along with the West Nile Virus as the primary causes of sage grouse declines. The virus decimated the remaining population in 2007, which is also the last year the state held a sage grouse hunting season. (The first year was 1964.) Only 21 grouse were harvested that fall, and hunts ceased permanently starting in 2008. Wyoming, which holds more sage grouse than any other western state, started supplementing North Dakota's shrinking population in 2017. The Cowboy State provided 300 transplants over four years. Estimates put 40 percent of the nation's remaining greater sage grouse in Wyoming, with 40 percent of those Wyoming birds living in Sublette County. Sublette County credits its grouse population stability, at least partly, to weed control across its mostly undeveloped acreage where sagebrush grows. The county started spraying invasive weeds with aerial herbicides more than a decade ago. The treatments prevent non-native cheatgrass from sprouting, while native plants with deeper roots systems can still germinate. 'Most of the cheatgrass seed that is introduced in the system will germinate in the first five years. If we can have success past five years, there might not be any more residual seed there. Then, we're winning the game at that point,' Julie Kraft, Sublette County weed and pest supervisor told Outdoor Life while conducting inventory on a cheatgrass-free slope. 'It's incredibly rewarding to come out and see huge ridges without any cheatgrass, and its success that's long term.' According to a study conducted by U.S. Geological Survey, the American West has lost 1.3 million acres of sagebrush habitat every year for the last 20 years. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Game and Fish announces reduction in North Dakota deer gun licenses
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways May 7—BISMARCK — The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is offering 42,300 licenses for the 2025 deer gun season, down 7,800 from last year. In addition, muzzleloader licenses decreased by 150 and restricted youth antlered mule deer licenses remained the same. Game and Fish announced the license reduction — which wasn't unexpected — Wednesday, May 7, in a news release. According to Casey Anderson, wildlife division chief for Game and Fish in Bismarck, population, harvest and survey data indicate the state's deer population is stable to decreasing throughout the state. "The state's deer population continues to recover from the 2021 EHD (epizootic hemorrhagic disease) outbreak and the severe winter of 2022-23, which limited population growth despite reduced gun licenses during 2023 and 2024 hunting seasons," Anderson said. "Modest license allocations are intended to maintain hunting opportunities while encouraging population growth in the state." High-quality deer habitat is not abundant, which has limited the potential for population recovery. If contracts for land enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program continue to expire, Anderson said 85% of the once-3.4 million acres present in 2007 will be lost by 2026. The spring mule deer survey showed western North Dakota's mulie population is 14% lower than last year, despite a reduced harvest and consecutive mild winters. North Dakota's 2025 deer gun season opens at noon Nov. 7 and continues through Nov. 23. Applicants for regular deer gun, gratis, youth and muzzleloader can apply online through the Game and Fish Department's website at . The deadline for applying is midnight June 4. Those who didn't apply last year will lose accrued points by not applying or purchasing a point this year, the department said. State law allows residents ages 11, 12 and 13 to obtain any antlerless licenses, except in units 3B1, 3B2 and 4A through 4F, where mule deer doe licenses are restricted. Total deer licenses are determined by harvest rates, aerial surveys, depredation reports, hunter observations, input at advisory board meetings and comments from the public, landowners and department field staff. Game and Fish reported in March that hunters shot approximately 23,300 deer during the 2024 gun season. Hunter success for antlered white-tailed deer was 49% and 44% for antlerless whitetails. Mule deer success was 80% for bucks and 78% for antlerless mule deer. Game and Fish offered 50,100 licenses for the 2024 deer gun season.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Governor signs bill on hunting deer with bait in North Dakota
Deer congregate near the Red River. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor) North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong has signed a bill that forbids state wildlife managers from restricting the use of bait for hunting deer on private property. Senate Bill 2137 prevents the North Dakota Game and Fish Department from banning deer hunting over bait. The agency has imposed baiting bans in some areas of the state as it tries to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease, which can be fatal in deer. 'We can deal with wildlife management and respect private property rights,' Armstrong, who is a hunter, said in a statement. Many hunters testified in favor of the bill sponsored by Sen. Keith Boehm, R-Mandan, though some joined the Game and Fish Department in opposing it. Other outdoors related bills signed this week include House Bill 1470 that raises the price of hunting, fishing and boating licenses, Senate Bill 2216 that creates a $5 waterfowl hunting stamp to pay for habitat improvement and Senate Bill 2245 that changes rules on hunting waterfowl from a boat. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Game and Fish reports 17 new cases of CWD in North Dakota
Feb. 20—BISMARCK — The North Dakota Game and Fish Department tested 1,456 animals for chronic wasting disease during the 2024 sampling season. Game and Fish confirmed 17 deer tested positive for CWD, 15 of which were taken by hunters and two were clinical deer confirmed through diagnostic examination. Positive cases came from units 3A1 (seven mule deer), 3E1 (one mule deer), 3E2 (one mule deer), 3F2 (four mule deer and two whitetails), 3B2 (one mule deer) and 3B3 (one whitetail). CWD was not previously detected in units 3B2 or 3B3. Sampling efforts fell short of the 10% goal in units where CWD surveillance was concentrated. Game and Fish will use its 2024 surveillance data to guide CWD management moving forward. Regulations related to CWD are set annually by proclamation. CWD is a fatal disease of deer, moose and elk that remains on the landscape and can cause long-term population impacts as infection rates climb. More information about CWD can be found by visiting the department's website,
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
By calendar, at least, North Dakota spring light goose hunt opens Feb. 15
Feb. 11—BISMARCK — Spring appears to be a ways off, if this week's temperatures are any indication, but North Dakota's spring light goose conservation order opens Saturday, Feb. 15, and continues through May 11, the Game and Fish Department said in a news release. Residents must have a 2024-25 (valid through March 31) or 2025-26 (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 2025-26 license is available for purchase beginning March 15. Nonresidents need a 2025 spring light goose conservation order license. The cost is $50 and valid statewide. Nonresidents who hunt in 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 16 can purchase a license at the resident fee. A federal duck stamp is not required for either residents or nonresidents. Resident and nonresident licenses are available on the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, . Hunters must register annually with the Harvest Information Program prior to hunting in each state. The HIP number obtained for North Dakota's spring conservation order is also valid for North Dakota's fall hunting season. The number can be obtained online on the Game and Fish website. 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 2025 Spring Light Goose Hunting Regulations .
