NDG&F Press Release North Dakota’s spring pheasant population index is down 30 percent from the same time last year, according to the state Game and Fish Department’s 2018 spring crowing count survey. R.J. Gross, upland game management biologist, said the number of roosters heard crowing this spring was down statewide, with decreases ranging from 15…

TAKE THE LEAD.  Prevent bite-offs from pike and muskies this summer or render your line invisible with the right leader.  Today’s wire and fluorocarbon leaders are the strongest yet thinnest available to anglers and with smaller terminal tackle, anglers reduce visibility, drag and tangling with better connection points as well. Featured Photo: Throwback.  While multi-strand…

ON & OFF.  Rains return today, keeping the dust down behind a swirling low located to our south.  With some inside time (probably this afternoon) on the horizon, we dive into some mid-season prep ideas in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: Picture in Picture.  Get trail cameras ready now and even hang them this…

FOR THE FUTURE.  Pollinators, like the painted lady butterfly in the featured photo help with the natural process of plant reproduction, building stronger farms, more robust habitat, and a better environment.  We talk about that and more in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: A painted lady butterfly rests in between flower stops. Simonson Photo…

WHO’S JACKED?  A great pre-fourth weekend is on tap and it all starts today with highs in the 80s and southerly breezes keeping things warm.  A slight bump on a calm Saturday afternoon might bring some rain, but Sunday smooths things out once again.  We look ahead to that and talk about what’s happening in…

SWEET SUMMER! Today’s conditions feel like the first day of summer, with highs in the mid 80s and almost no wind. We’ve got a nice weekend shaping up for your fishing efforts with just a slight chance of rain on Saturday.  We talk solstice and more in today’s Three Things. Featured Photo: Cock of the…

NDG&F Press Release The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s 71st annual spring breeding duck survey conducted in May showed an index of 2.8 million birds, down 5 percent from last year. Migratory game bird supervisor Mike Szymanski said even though the index is below 3 million for the second consecutive year, it still stands 16…

WHAT A WEEK! Things are looking more like summer for the solstice tomorrow as calm conditions take hold over the next couple of days and a stable pattern sets up. While we’ll have some clouds in the forecast, chances of rain are minimal.  We check out where we stand as we approach the official start…

TALE OF THE TAPE.  There are a number of tape-based tools that sportsmen can easily pack into their tackleboxes and field bags, and we address those items and some quick emergency situations they can remedy in the outdoors. Featured Photo: That’s a wrap! Beyond covering wires, electrician’s tape is great at securing reels to rods,…

JUST SMASHING!  It was an exciting weekend with so much shooting action in between the weathermakers that it was almost tough to keep up.  But after two days of the ND State High School Clay Target League State Tournament, we’ve got the tabs on totals and top shooters in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:…

By Nick Simonson While unhooking my second pike of the morning, the two-pound fish slipped quickly out of my wet hand and back into the water with a splash.  All that was left as evidence that I had even caught it was a chewed-up plastic tail and a small coating of slime ringing my hand…

ON TARGET.  We’re live at the Shooting Park in Horace, for Day 1 of the ND State High School Clay Target League State Tourney in Horace, ND bringing you all of the action in what is sure to be a wild weekend of weather challenging even the greatest shots.  Stay posted to DEO for updates…

By Nick SImonson An emerging area of cover that provides a haven for largemouth bass from the start of summer all the way up to the season’s end is a shallow bay or shelf with a mud bottom capable of sustaining a stand of lily pads.  Frequently associated with a population of frogs lounging about…

SHOULDER UP!  The shooting sports season comes to its big conclusion in Horace this weekend as the North Dakota State High School Clay Target League (ND CTL) hosts the State Championship on Saturday and Sunday.  You too can take aim at better scores this season, whether it’s trap, skeet or sporting clays, we tell you…

PEEK-A-BOO.  You should be seeing bucks in velvet on your trail camera and, if you’re lucky, in person.  Along with growing antlers, it’s common to start seeing growing fawns trailing their mothers as we get into summer.  We talk about that and more, in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo. I See You.  A young…

LACE ‘EM UP.  We know you’re thinking about hunting season, because so are we!  We’ve got some tips to help you get ready for whatever it is you pursue this fall in today’s Three Things. Featured Photo: Broke in. A pair of well-worn upland boots awaits a return to the field. Simonson Photo.   DAILY…

NDG&F Dept. Press Release Drought conditions, and not as many hunters in the field last fall meant fewer pheasants, sharp-tailed grouse and Hungarian partridge in the bag, according to statistics compiled by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Last year, more than 58,300 pheasant hunters (down 24 percent) harvested 309,400 roosters (down 38 percent),…

SUSPECT. One of these things is not like the other.  Which one is different? Can you tell? Those of us in the Sesame Street generation get it and can pick out the decoy from a mile away.  We go from silly to excited for the approaching trap tourney and talk more about that in today’s…

SPECIALTY TOOLS.  Having the right gear for the right kind of fishing makes everything easier.  Whether tangling with toothy critters like pike and muskies, or something smaller like trout and panfish, being able to remove hooks quickly and kindly is key to preserving the resource. Featured Photo: Tools of the Trade.  A hook cutter and…

WARM & RUMBLY.  Today’s warm temps and strong southerly winds will spark a line of thunderstorms this evening capable of dropping over 1.5 inches of rain.  We’ll keep an eye on that and the new Farm Bill offered up by the Senate in today’s Three Things and rumble through the 1,000-page document. Featured Photo: Geese…

By Nick Simonson When you put different upland game birds together on the same hook shank, you’re guaranteed to catch fish.  Hungarian partridge (a/k/a gray partridge, but not to be confused with ruffed grouse, which are colloquially referred to as “partridge” in some areas) are oftentimes an accompaniment to the ringneck pheasant in the game…

HOT HOT HOT! Warm temperatures settle in for the weekend and today’s calm conditions will make for a perfect near-summer day on the water. Tomorrow’s gusts will keep you on the south side of the lake, but temperatures spike to nearly 100 degrees, and those conditions will help fuel evening thunderstorms that will chase most…

By Nick Simonson In early summer, it lurks on the edges of meadows, right next to that perfect deer stand site.  It hides among the grasses along the trail which traces a favorite river or stream.  Its red stems and green leaves surround the perfect backwater pond.  It is poison ivy, and for the unaware…

THE ARTIST. Lure making and fly tying is half art and half science, we share our thoughts on that and go around the horn in today’s Three Things talking sprinting and sunshine Featured Photo: A sunnie falls for a beadhead pheasant prince. Simonson Photo.   DAILY CONDITIONS: WEATHER (Bismarck Forecast): Today: Fri 6/8 – Cloudy to…

TENTED UP.  Today will be another nice one to be outdoors, and the weekend is looking good too after tonight’s splash of rain.  The next shot of water isn’t expected until your travels home on Sunday evening, so take in the mid-to-upper-eighties and enjoy!  We talk a non-camping insect and more in today’s Three Things….