By Nick Simonson   While the North Dakota Deer Archery Season opens at noon on a Friday, I rarely get out for an afternoon hunt, like I do for the firearms opener.  The end of summer, the beginning of school, family events and the busy Labor Day weekend tend to curtail any hopes of getting…

PLAY HOOKY.  What’s better than a four-day week?  A three-day one!  Get out on the water today for some great conditions and close out the first week of September with some great fishing action, along with a minor moon phase at your back!  We cover grouse updates from the G&F, figure things out for muskies…

A COUPLE GOOD ONES.  We finish the week strong before a weekend washout hits on Saturday and things turn chilly for your two days off.  To get you ready for fall we’ve got our caterpillar prognosticator, some PLOTS highlights and what’s going on with West Nile virus in Minnesota’s ruffie population as part of our…

By Doug Leier, NDG&F Dept. The discovery of chronic wasting disease in deer in North Dakota 10 years ago was an unfortunate milestone. The disease is fatal to deer, elk, and moose and can lead to reduced populations if left unchecked. While there is no treatment, vaccine or feasible way to eliminate CWD, the state…

MOVING UP.  Temperatures will begin to recover for a midweek warmup, but we’re still watching the weekend and what looks to be cool, rainy and windy conditions. Enjoy the here and now and plan your September, check out some awesome fundraising power and learn more about a bigger moth in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo: …

FALLING FORWARD.  Inconsistent weather and bursts of cool air will signal a shift toward fall this week.  We’ve got the rundown on that, upcoming special seasons, and an interesting way they fish in Australia in our Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  The Rodfather.  Two downrigger rods make ‘em an offer (of herring) they can’t refuse. Simonson…

A LABOR.  We close out the three day weekend with wind and rainy conditions as unsettled weather moves in bringing a fall like feel to much of the week.   To get you through we have hunting news, previews and tips for the coming weeks in our Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  SUN SPOT.  The sun briefly…

BEST ONE.  When the clouds clear, today will be the best day of the long weekend, with highs near 80, light winds and a full sky of sun in the afternoon.  Take advantage as we look ahead to our day off and the upcoming week, along with other updates in our Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo: …

By Nick Simonson   Fall fishing can be as fast as the hunting on any given opener.  From walleyes to smallmouth to late-season trout, adding a few quick casts to a day of hunting can produce a combination of memories from field to stream that aren’t soon forgotten.  Actively feeding autumn fish provide great opportunities…

COOLER.  Things will be a bit cool today as clouds hang on and winds come in from the south for your second day of bow hunting season. We’ve got the info you need to get caught up on what’s happening out west, in the recruitment of new deer hunters and in the final hours of…

By Nick Simonson   Registration for the North Dakota State High School Clay Target League (ND CTL) fall season is underway across the Peace Garden State, and while it is the smaller of the organization’s two programs, it provides many unique opportunities for participants, especially those who are new to the activity of trap shooting. …

DOUBLE EDGED!  With calm conditions, clouds and great moon times setting up take today off of work and hit the water.  Then, when the season opens at noon, pick your favorite south wind stand and get ready for a lot of movement near sunset, perhaps even earlier with low-light conditions. We’re buck focused in our…

By Nick Simonson   It happens fast and almost unexpectedly, like a mourning dove banking hard from behind to circle in on the muddy edge of a stock pond during an evening hunt, or in the way a doe and her fawns suddenly appear in front of a bow stand where there was nothing a…

HEAT ON HORIZON?  We’ll be warming up into the long holiday weekend, and there will be much to do in terms of openers and activities.  So get your hitch ready and hit the water, the treestand or the dove field and be set for success as conditions align for a great stretch! Featured Photo:  HANGING…

By Doug Leier, NDG&F Dept.   The 2019 North Dakota hunting seasons have officially been open since Aug. 15 when the early Canada goose management take began.   In fact, depending on the Canada goose zone in which you hunt, the first early season closure is Sept. 7.  in the Missouri River zone. The other…

DEER & DOVES.  With today’s taste of temperate weather in the midst of a windy stretch, we’re getting psyched up for this weekend’s approaching hunting openers and walking through a few last preparation items as well as a look at some pretty decent conditions for both openers – and the holiday – in our Outdoors…

WINDIEST.  Today’s gusts of 40 mph or more will mark the windiest stretch of the week, along with the coolest.  While we tighten our caps and jackets, we cover media of all three traditional types – video, written and audio – that will have you ready for fall. Featured Photo:  MORNING WALK.  A whitetail doe…

GUSTY. Winds will be notable over the next few days, but don’t let that blow your plans away.  Get ready for what’s coming in the near-term and some upcoming seasons with news and tips in our Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  Fall-like winds. We’re working our way toward hunting seasons which start up in earnest this…

By Nick Simonson   It happens with the flash of approaching large, grey-brown antlers in the adjacent trail or the sudden appearance of a ghost buck hanging up on the edge of cover just outside of shooting range triggers a physical rush.  Knees weaken, the heart rate increases, and shudders run from a goosebump-covered neck…

BIRD BUSINESS.  A slowdown in wind speeds makes for a salvageable Sunday, even with some scattered rains still possible. We look into birdy matters from the upcoming fall turkey season to some aggressive bluebirds to where to go for ruffed grouse and woodcock in our Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  Turkeys work the edge of a…

FOR THE BIRDS (AND HUNTERS) Damp conditions settle into the region today, and conservation takes a front seat as we look at the growing PLOTS program, where we’re at with CRP as the general sign-up ends and how you can make a difference in your own backyard in our Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  A conservation…

By Nick Simonson   Don’t cash out that stack of summer chips just yet, there’s a sure bet to be placed for excitement on any bass water this time of year.  Turning and burning a spinnerbait along known bass haunts will help close out the season with a full house of fish and doing so…

WET STRETCH.  Rains move in today and stick around through the weekend, making the next few days the perfect time to get your hunting gear in order.  We’ve got tips to help you make good use of the downtime and get ready for fall. Featured Photo:  FALL COLORS.  Camouflage patterns stacked, folded and ready to…

EAT UP! After a summer of growing, there are a lot of large baitfish out there serving up the protein and vital nutrients that big predators need to make it through the cold water season. Upsize your seasonal offerings this time of year to catch those hungry lunkers. Featured Photo:  MINNOW MIMIC.  A large white…

By Doug Leier, NDG&F Biologist For the past couple of years, North Dakota Game and Fish Department biologists have put forth a concerted effort to inform state anglers about a condition called “barotrauma,” which can occur in fish caught from water depths of more than 25 feet.   It’s particularly a concern in North Dakota this time of year…

WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY! A near perfect day for on the water adventure highlights your mid-week as winds fade, temps reach the upper 70s and things get ship shape for some fishing.  We check out nationwide duck numbers, sovereign lands and the continuation of what’s left of SB 2315 from this spring (the “everything’s posted” committee) in…

LOOKIN’ GOOD.  Stable weather into the weekend sets up a good stretch for anything outdoors – from sighting in the bow to getting in those last casts of summer.  We cover what’s to come, what’s needed for waterfowlers and what exactly an eagle pulled out of the St. Croix river in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured…

NDG&F Dept. Release North Dakota’s deer archery season opens Friday, Aug. 30 at noon, and continues through Jan. 5, 2020. Bowhunters can buy a license online at the state Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov; by calling 800-406-6409; or at vendors linked to the Game and Fish Department’s online licensing system. Hunters who purchase bow licenses at a…

KNOCK-KNOCK.  Warm weather returns to the region with a solid spike into the upper 80s today.  The last stretch of August puts largemouth bass up shallow and under docks.  We’ve got the tips to start your week off and help you find more bucketmouths. Featured Photo:  Posted. A nice largemouth bass caught and released along…

BOUNCEBACK.  We recover nicely from yesterday’s rain with a jump back into the seventies and sunny conditions.  Make the most of it as many eye up the first week of school and other signs that summer’s coming to an end.  We cover fall leagues, warden work and where we’re at with precip headed into autumn…