A BUSY STATE.  There’s a ton of outdoors action in North Dakota this weekend, from conditions improving for hatching birds and hopes for a good harvest to a major walleye tourney on Lake Sakakawea.  Get your fix of news to get set for the weekend in today’s Outdoors Roundup.

Featured Photo:  WARY.  Walleyes will be the focus of anglers headed to Lake Sakakawea this weekend for the MWC tournament. Simonson Photo.

 
WEATHER (Bismarck Forecast):
Today: Fri 7/10 – Rain Chances – Hi 82, Lo 58, Wind SE@9
Tomorrow: Sat 7/11 – Pleasant – Hi 80, Lo 60, Wind NW@14, G21

SOLUNAR (Bismarck Times):

Sunrise        Sunset
6:00AM        9:37PM

Moonrise         Moonset        Overhead       Underfoot
12:34AM         11:40AM         6:03AM            6:24PM

 
Moon Phase:  Waning Gibbous (64% Full)

EDGE HOUR: 5:30-6:30AM.  Sunrise and moon overhead will combine to start the day off right in our Edge Hour.

DAY RATING:

OUTDOORS ROUNDUP:

MASTERFUL.  The Masters Walleye Circuit heads to North Dakota this weekend to explore the walleye-filled waters of Lake Sakakawea.  The two-day event will bring some of the best walleye anglers to the state as part of the 2020 MWC’s 7-event series capped off with the championship in 2021.

CROWING COUNTS.  NDG&F Dept. Biologist RJ Gross talks the science and steps behind the state’s crowing counts for rooster pheasants each spring and what those tallies mean going into summer.  With numbers trending up, it’s one of four major indices the agency uses to get an idea of bird populations headed into fall.

CUTBACKS.  Recent rains have definitely cut into the drought conditions as much of the state that was in a moderate drought falls back to just abnormally dry.  Small pockets of drought remain, but for the most part things have greened up following recent storms and rainy days.