STOP BEING CRANKY…and get cranking! It’s Friday afterall, and things are warming back up for the downward slide out of August, so a crankbait bite just might be in order for the next couple of weeks. We’re looking forward to a warm start to the weekend, with a slight dip on Saturday. DAILY CONDITIONS: WEATHER…
Author: dakotaedgeoutdoors
Dakota Edge Outdoors celebrates the joy of hunting and fishing while promoting conservation and stewardship of natural resources, open spaces and wildlife populations through the creation of seasonal and resonant media which shares the excitement of the outdoors in the upper Midwest.
State, Standing Rock Reach Elk Accord
NDG&F Press Release Gov. Doug Burgum and Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault II have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that directs state and tribal authorities on regulating an elk hunting season within the Standing Rock Reservation. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department and Standing Rock Game, Fish and Wildlife Department developed the MOU…
The Advent of August Hunting
By Doug Leier, NDG&F Dept. Growing up in the Midwest, I always thought August was more about fishing, baseball and the last stretch of summer vacation, rather than a prelude to fall accompanied by football, school and hunting, but times have changed and the transition to fall now seems to start in August rather than…
Our Outdoors: Summer Holiday
By Nick Simonson My favorite holiday comes in mid-August. No, not National S’mores Day or International Beer Day (close runners up though), but that day, after the hustle-and-bustle of summer activity gives way to a warm, lazy Sunday afternoon when I can unwrap my favorite late-summer present – the memory card in my trail camera….
Daily Edge for Thu. Aug. 17
NO THUNDER THURSDAY. A great stretch of weather is setting up behind Tuesday’s storm system which has moved well east of North Dakota. Use these days to get back on the water and find fish that are starting to think fall – and feedbag! In today’s Three Things we talk about going big for big…
Daily Edge for Wed. Aug. 16
HUMPDAY REBOUND! Things start looking up weather-wise as the system that soaked us Tuesday fades eastward. The drying out begins, and a return to more summerlike temps comes in the back half of the week and into the weekend. While you’re getting your kids signed up for school in the coming days – check out…
Missouri River CTL Sign-Up is Aug. 22 & 29
MR CTL Press Release Registration for the fall season of the Missouri River Clay Target League (MR CTL) for all Bismarck-Mandan area students in grades 6-12 with Firearms Safety Certificates (or CTL SAFE Program completion which can be completed after registration) will open on Tue. Aug. 22 and run through Fri. Sept. 1. Sign up…
Daily Edge for Tue. Aug. 15
WET FOR WATERFOWL. Early Goose Season kicks off today, and the weather will make you feel like you’re one of the flock as rain dominates the forecast. We talk more about geese in today’s Three Things. Welcome to hunting season 2017! (Featured Photo: Early Canada Goose Season opens today and runs to the start of…
2016 Upland Harvest Tallied
NDG&F Dept. Release The harvest of pheasants, sharp-tailed grouse and Hungarian partridge last year in North Dakota was down from 2015, according to statistics compiled by the State Game and Fish Department. Last year, more than 76,600 pheasant hunters (down 10 percent) harvested 501,100 roosters (down 15 percent), compared to 85,500 hunters and 590,700 roosters…
Daily Edge for Mon. Aug. 14
FEELS LIKE MONDAY. Warm, calm, nearly perfect? Sounds like Monday in the latest weather swing. Get out early or late for the best bites as last quarter gives us a bump. We break down trail cam terminology in today’s Three Things so you can get the most out of your eyes in the field as…
Daily Edge for Sun. Aug. 13
UP AND DOWN AGAIN. We’re still waiting to warm back up, it’s one step forward and one step back, as unstable weather rules the recent pattern. With the flip-flopping, angling isn’t as consistent as the warm stretches in June and July were, as a result, we’ve got some flashy tips for your offerings in today’s…
Daily Edge for Sat. Aug. 12
FOLLOW THE ARROW. Pressure is dropping and winds are shifting to the east, so it’s not a surprise that today will boast a bit of rain. In the meantime, we’re catching up on all things arrow-related in today’s Three Things. (Featured Photo: On Target! Putting a few arrows in your favorite foam target is a…
PLOTS Q&A
By Doug Leier, NDG&F Dept. The State Game and Fish Department recently posted the 2017 version of the North Dakota Private Land Open to Sportsmen or PLOTS guide to its website. In addition to the updated maps showing PLOTS acres and other public lands available for hunting this year, the guide also has a question-and-answer…
Daily Edge for Fri. Aug. 11
FANTASTIC FRIDAY…FINALLY! Take advantage of today and play a little hooky, as fishing should be fantastic leading into the system which will wash out your Saturday (sorry!). In the meantime we’re talking grass – yeah…that kind of grass – along with some other conservation options in today’s Three Things. (Featured Photo: A rooster pheasant looks…
Daily Edge for Thu. Aug. 10
ROLLING ON. Today straightens up as the afternoon settles in and tomorrow is a good one as well. Despite being a few degrees below normal, both should be perfect for honing your post-frontal fishing skills as the low pressure system meanders east. In the meantime, we’ve got some challenges for you in today’s Three Things….
50 Pheasant Flies: Pheasant Leech
By Nick Simonson The pheasant leech is a great pattern that utilizes those tiny underfeathers which rest beneath the more prominent rump feathers to make up a super-soft body. Combined with a pheasant marabou tail and collar, this fly is a perfect “on-the-menu” pattern for late summer, as leeches are prevalent and tough to turn…
Daily Edge for Wed. Aug. 9
LAYING LOW. It might be a good day to stay inside and get that hunting gear ready for the season as rain with a few bumps along the way will be the call for the day. We countdown sunlight and talk numbers in today’s Three Things. (Featured Photo: A camera shy rooster pheasant ducks and…
Duck Brood Numbers Off Slightly
NDG&F Press Release State Game and Fish Department biologists expect a fall duck flight from North Dakota that is down 8 percent from last year, based on observations from the annual mid-July waterfowl production survey. This year’s brood index came in at 3.68 broods per square mile, down 5 percent from last year. The statewide…
Daily Edge for Tue. Aug. 8
FULL UP! August’s full moon is in the books – the next one you see will be after the start of a number of hunting seasons, dove, deer archery and goose management, and a shift in the fishing season. Strange how time flies like that. In the meantime load up on info in today’s Three…
Waterfowl Regulations Set
NDG&F Press Release North Dakota’s 2017 waterfowl season is set, with the season framework similar to last year. Noteworthy changes include the daily limit on pintails is reduced from two to one, and the west boundary of the Missouri River Canada Goose Zone, north of N.D. Highway 200, is extended to N.D. Highway 8. Opening…
Daily Edge for Mon. Aug. 7
SAY WHAT? It sure looks like a great full-moon Monday. If you felt cheated by the rain this weekend, you have it on our authority to stay home from work today. File it in the Peter Gibbons folder! In the meantime, it’s time to dig into some favorite outdoors sayings in today’s Three Things. (Featured…
Daily Edge for Sun. Aug. 6
WIGGLE AND FLASH! We live in a golden age of lure making. There are a lot of great materials available to fly tiers and lure makers, and in Today’s Three Things, we have just a few suggestions for making some dynamite offerings for whatever you pursue under the growing full moon! (Featured Photo: The krystal…
Fit for Fall, Part 1 – Train to Your Game
By Nick Simonson Upland hunting provides a good level of challenge for hunters who are not used to trekking over uneven ground and putting in miles after their favorite pursuits. Whether it’s pheasants, sharptails or partridge, covering distance and working through various habitat types in North Dakota presents a physical challenge each fall which may…
Daily Edge for Sat. Aug. 5
STAND UP! While rain is in the forecast this weekend across the Peace Garden State, it won’t be a washout entirely. In fact, if you get out in the early half of today, you can move your deer stand into place, clear shooting lanes, adjust your camera and sneak out, all in time to have…
G&F History
By Doug Leier, NDG&F Dept. My years of experience and work as a biologist and former game warden usually give me a head start when I get questions on a variety of topics, but when I don’t know the answer, my first stop is the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov. Recently…
Daily Edge for Fri. Aug. 4
GOOD MORNING! Welcome to the (almost) weekend. Though you might want to start yours early as today will be your best bet for some time on the water, and certainly it will be the driest day of the stretch as rain rolls in again tomorrow. In the meantime, get out, take a look around and…
Rise of the Mechanicals
By Nick Simonson With North Dakota’s archery season fast approaching, many hunters are preparing their bows and related equipment for the Sept. 1 opener. While most hunters have a set of gear they’re happy with – from their bow and quiver to their sight and stabilizer – one variable that is always on the minds…
Our Outdoors: The Things I’ve Forgotten
By Nick Simonson The dark wood of our living room floor is the color of coffee, making it easy to disguise my spills when the replacement pot I bought this spring leaks a few drops down there on my first pour of the day. But since getting Ole, my new yellow lab puppy to replace…
Daily Edge for Thu. Aug. 3
AFTER THE RAIN. Birds and broods were out in full force following the rains which swept over the state, dropping anywhere from .25 to 1 inch. Under clearing skies and light winds, the evening provided a chance to catch up with wildlife, but the day gave plenty of time for firearms lore, which we touch…
Small Game, Furbearer Regulations Set
NDG&F Press Release North Dakota’s 2017 small game and furbearer regulations are set and most season structures are similar to last year. Notable changes include: — Fur harvesters will have an opportunity to take river otters, with a season limit of 15 taken by traps or cable devices. A limit of one per person is…
dakotaedge.com 