NDG&F Press Release Organizers planning fishing tournaments, including ice fishing contests this winter, are reminded to submit an application along with fishing tournament regulations to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department at least 30 days prior to the start of the event. The 30-day advance notice allows for review by agency staff to ensure…
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Daily Edge for Mon. Nov. 13
NOVEMBER THUNDER? No, it was the sound of rifle hunters reverberating through the draws and valleys of North Dakota yesterday, as the second straight day of calm winds and warmer temps allowed hunters to get out and explore a bit more than on the opening afternoon. If you haven’t seen it yet, we talk about…
Daily Edge for Sun. Nov. 12
TEMPS RISE, DEER FALL. Ideal conditions had hunters out in droves on the first full day of the season, and today will bring more of the same as light southerlies and temps around 40 will be conducive for great deer hunting, whether walking or still. Keep your eye out for that buck – and other…
Daily Edge for Sat. Nov. 11
TAGGED OUT YET? Probably not. Conditions were not ideal for the first afternoon of the ND deer season, and gusts up to 35 mph kept a lot of hunters on the sidelines or sitting in the truck watching. Look for things to improve today, for the first full day of the season. We talk darkhouses,…
Keep Safety Front of Mind this Season
By Doug Leier, NDG&F Dept. With deer gun season getting underway, and upland game and waterfowl seasons continuing on, it’s a good time for a reminder about hunting safety. Not that there is a bad time for such a reminder. Whether it’s grouse hunting in September or deer hunting in November, the same rules apply…
Daily Edge for Fri. Nov. 10
WIDE OPEN! Congrats! You made it to another deer opener! The last of the cold stretch wraps up this morning as southerlies blow warmer temperatures in for the start of the season. You’ll have enough snow to track your deer, but it won’t stick around much longer, like the fleeing flocks of geese overhead. We…
Deer Hunters Should Be Aware of Thin Ice
NDG&F Press Release North Dakota’s deer gun season opens Nov. 10 at noon, and the state Game and Fish Department cautions deer hunters to be wary of ice conditions. In some parts of the state, there are already small and mid-sized waters that show the appearance of safe ice. Even though deer might be able…
Our Outdoors: United in Orange
By Nick Simonson Blaze orange is the color that binds us as hunters at this time of year. While we all may don the most visible shade known to man to let members of our hunting parties, or those in others know of our presence, the color serves as a common bond. It is a…
Daily Edge for Thu. Nov. 9
SEE YOUR BREATH! It was a chilly evening on stand last night and those conditions will persist today, minus the snow flurries. In what will be the calmest and coolest stretch of weather for a while, tonight may be your best bet for that buck before things get moving with deer opener tomorrow! We talk…
Non-Profits Must Apply for Fundraising Licenses by Jan. 1
NDG&F Dept. Release Nonprofit organizations that are eligible to receive big game hunting licenses in 2018, must have the application submitted to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department no later than Jan. 1 Deputy director Scott Peterson said as a result of a legislatively mandated study, Game and Fish worked closely with the 2017 state…
Daily Edge for Wed. Nov. 8
UNDERHILL & OVERHILL. Sunset comes earlier and earlier, and we’re still five weeks out from the solstice. While this makes an after-work trip into the field less and less likely, it does mean you can pop right out for that night bite when things freeze solid. We’d like to say it’s going to be soon…but…
Hunting Opportunities Expand on ND Refuges
US FWS Press Release In a continuing effort to increase access to hunting and fishing on public lands, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced a final rule to open or expand opportunities across 132,000 acres on 10 national wildlife refuges. This will bring the number of refuges where the public may hunt up to…
Donate Venison to Sportsmen Against Hunger
NDG&F Dept. Press Release The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is reminding deer hunters to keep in mind the Sportsmen Against Hunger program this fall. While this year’s deer proclamation allows only one deer gun license per hunter, families with more than one license might want to consider donating a deer to this worthy…
Daily Edge for Tue. Nov. 7
COLOR UP! Alright, there’s been a lot of gray skies, white flakes, and beige cover on the Daily Edge, leaving things a bit monochromatic as of late, so let today’s installment serve as a reminder that you can color up your winter season when you feel the need to. Tie up a few flies, jigs,…
Fall Mule Deer Survey Completed
NDG&F Dept. Press Release The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s fall mule deer survey indicated fawn production in 2017 was lower than in 2016. Biologists counted 2,548 (3,003 in 2016) mule deer in the aerial survey in October. The buck-to-doe ratio of 0.32 (0.48 in 2016) was lower than the long-term average of 0.43…
Daily Edge for Mon. Nov. 6
DON’T BE A WIMP. While geese are pre-programmed to head south as their waters lock up for the winter, you don’t have to bail on some of the season’s best days which are yet to come. New temperature model runs show this week holding cooler than average, keeping some tracking snow on the ground and…
Daily Edge for Sun. Nov. 5
ICED UP. Freezing mist hit the southern stretch of ND yesterday, leaving roads a bit slick and trees and cover decorated with a solid glaze. Behind the front, we’ll cool down and clear up over the next couple of days, further pushing rutting activity in local deer populations. Gearing up for deer opener, it looks…
Daily Edge for Sat. Nov. 4
WHITE WALKERS. We’ve got snow! About two inches fell in the Bismarck area between yesterday and last night, with more on the way. You may have to dig out in some areas of the state, but the white stuff will make tracking in the field easier. Whether you’re gearing up for deer season, or heading…
Daily Edge for Fri. Nov. 3
STICK AROUND! Today’s weather will bring with it the first accumulations of snow which may actually stick around for a few days. By mid-day, things may get dicey, so whatever early hunts you have planned, make sure you drive with care on the way back in. We talk deer, ducks and more in Today’s Three…
CWD Sampling Continues this Deer Season
NDG&F Press Release The state Game and Fish Department will continue its Hunter-Harvested Surveillance program during the 2017 deer hunting season, by sampling deer for chronic wasting disease and bovine tuberculosis from 10 units in North Dakota. In addition, all moose and elk harvested in the state are eligible for testing. Samples from hunter-harvested deer taken in…
Daily Edge for Wed. Nov. 1
WELCOME TO NOVEMBER! The month of hard-core hunters, scraggly deer beards, and battling the elements has arrived! Forget what the Christmas carol says, this is the most wonderful time of the year! It looks like rut will be hitting hard in the next few days as a colder pattern takes hold just in front of…
Sakakawea Salmon Spawning Complete
NDG&F Dept. Press Release Fisheries crews have completed their annual salmon spawning operation on the Missouri River System after collecting more than 2.5 million eggs. Dave Fryda, North Dakota Game and Fish Department Missouri River System supervisor, said crews easily collected enough eggs to stock the 400,000 smolts planned for Lake Sakakawea in 2018. The…
Daily Edge for Mon. Oct. 30
MISS THIS? Ol’ Man Winter takes another swipe at cooling down North Dakota, as yesterday’s wind and chill persist throughout much of the day today. Things will calm down tonight, giving you an opportunity to get outdoors tomorrow. However, there’s plenty to catch up on and get ready for while you wait, as we talk…
Daily Edge for Sun. Oct. 29
GOBBLED UP. Back to the bluster today after Saturday’s near perfection as shifting conditions bring more gusts in the afternoon that will hang around until Halloween. Chilly conditions are settling in and thoughts are quickly turning to the back half of the hunting season, and maybe even ice fishing? We talk about all sorts of…
Safe Stand, Blind Use for Firearms Deer Season
By Nick Simonson With the changing of the seasons evident in the recent onset of chilly conditions, hunters look ahead to the North Dakota Firearm Deer Season Opener set for noon on Fri. Nov. 10. With that shift, many deer hunters will trade their bows for their favorite rifles but still occupy the same stands…
Daily Edge for Sat. Oct. 28
SUPER SATURDAY. How about that? The calmest day of the week falls on a Saturday. If you aren’t out there getting some sort of hunting in (or maybe some fishing later in the day when it warms up) you probably don’t have a pulse! If that is the case, Halloween is only a few days…
By Doug Leier, NDG&F Dept. Chances are, just about anyone who has hunted in North Dakota for more than a year or two has received a post-season survey from the State Game and Fish Department. It doesn’t happen every year, but perhaps every handful of years or so your name will come up in the…
Daily Edge for Fri. Oct 27
HOLD STILL. Following 50 mph wind gusts yesterday across the region and the first smattering of snow, Friday will seem downright pleasant despite colder, post-frontal temperatures taking hold in the rising pressure. Get out, take a look around, and maybe grab some time on the bow stand tonight, as winds die off and things get…
Our Outdoors: Ways of the Wind
By Nick Simonson Every autumn has a week where the winds of change blow through the upper Midwest, and this one is it for the current season. With gusts in some places touching 50 miles per hour at the start of the week, the shift toward cooler weather was obvious, as hat-removing gales were a…
Daily Edge for Thu. Oct. 26
GET A GRIP. We’ve had it far too nice for far too long! Wednesday evening bid a fond farewell to our Indian summer, as gusty winds and colder temperatures swept over the region early this morning. Today will be more of the same – blustery with temps dropping into the 20s (our high will be…
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