By Renee Tomala You don’t have to look any further than the dashboards of passing vehicles adorned with blaze orange caps to see signs that fall hunting season is in full swing here in North Dakota. I’m one of those people who savor every single fall day, except for the ones touting temperatures anywhere around…

By Doug Leier The window between Thanksgiving and Christmas has always been a reflective time for me. While we all have challenges in life, the truth is we need to intentionally look for points of thanks even in the storms of life. Down the list from your health, family and work would be hunting, fishing…

By Nick Simonson While the antlers on the deer I tagged this year for the firearms season weren’t the biggest in recent memory, there was one hallmark of the whitetail buck that stood out.  As I prepped the deer for field dressing, I noted a clean and vibrant white tail made of hairs with some…

By Mike Peluso When it comes to walleye fishing on the Missouri River, this extremely nice November weather over the last couple of weeks sure can change one’s attitude. I was optimistic after the first snowstorm that we would get to fish again, and fish we have! Ever since I was a young boy, I…

By Nick Simonson In the dim of pre-legal light, my eyes caught something out of place on the final morning of my deer hunting weekend.  With obligations and holiday travel set up for the back stretch of the firearms deer season, time was ticking away to fill a tag and I wasn’t in a place…

By Nick Simonson After a temperate opening weekend and a generally warm week making up the opening third of the North Dakota firearms deer season, hunters are finding a mixed bag when it comes to results, but the trend has generally reflected the notable decrease in herd size resulting from the harsh winter of 2022-23….

By Doug Leier My guess is that most deer hunters don’t tire of the “Turdy Point Buck” tune on the radio until the backside of deer season. For a change, though, I’d sure enjoy listening to a refrain about hunting antlerless deer in North Dakota. Then again, doe hunting doesn’t quite get the credit it…

By Nick Simonson Perhaps that big buck is walking into view and you’re already sizing up some sizzling tenderloins on the grill or pondering what spices to add to your favorite sausage mix to get the right blend of sweet and heat that everyone in your family will love.  Maybe you’re in the process of…

By Mike Peluso It’s amazing to me how this weather has straightened out and given us a chance to fish walleyes on the Missouri River again. It was doom and gloom a couple weeks ago and now it looks like we will at least make the end of November. Just like I’ve been saying all…

By Nick Simonson SEX! Good, now that I’ve got your attention, I can tell you how the same thing caught mine this weekend.  In more than 14 years on stand in some various form during all phases of the deer hunting season, I’ve seen a lot of things.  Does standing up on their hind legs…

By Doug Leier  This year’s deer season will run between Veterans Day and the Thanksgiving holiday. While that is subject to change from the annual shifting of the deer opener set near the Friday before Veterans Day. Many hunters appreciate the added holiday time while the rest of the non-hunting participants may miss them.  One…

By Nick Simonson You may have noticed this year that the North Dakota firearms deer season is set to start a little bit later than usual, with the 16.5-day season beginning at noon on Fri. Nov. 10 and wrapping up one half hour after sunset on Sun. Nov. 26 following the Thanksgiving holiday.  While this…

By Mike Peluso Well, the good news is I got out in a boat a few times this week for walleyes; the bad news is that it wasn’t that nice out on the Missouri River. However. However, this week’s forecast looks promising. I was hoping the walleyes had moved into the river just a little…

By Nick Simonson What does it take to raise a deer?  I mean, not really raise it, but to have it show up in front of a trail camera or stand on a regular basis from when it’s a fawn until it’s mature.  I pondered these thoughts from the blind this weekend, bow in hand…

By Nick Simonson The number of deer tags and the size of North Dakota’s deer herd is down following a tough winter season of 2022-23, but those who were lucky enough to pull a license for the upcoming firearms deer season opener at noon on Fri. Nov. 10 are staring down the square on their…

NDG&F Dept. Release The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will continue its Hunter-Harvested Surveillance program during the 2023 hunting season by sampling deer for chronic wasting disease from select units in the southeastern portion of the state.  Samples will be tested from deer taken from units 2A, 2B, 2F2, 2G, 2G1, 2G2, 2H, 2I…

By Doug Leier  Each deer season is unique. It’s part of what creates the hunting heritage as you reconnect with the same hunting crew at deer camp each year. But no matter how hard you try, there’s bound to be a little different twist each year. A new member joining the crew or, unfortunately, one…

By Mike Peluso Unfortunately, with the latest weather we just received up here in North Dakota, walleye fishing on the Missouri River has taken a back seat for a few days. I’m hoping things warm up enough here to get the boat back on the river shortly. Before the snow, fishing was solid. We weren’t…

By Nick Simonson On Saturday afternoon, once the world’s largest cocktail party had become far out of reach for my Florida Gators and the click of the power button on the remote seemed like the only option to stave off starting my own, I glanced out the window.  The freshly plowed streets cleared of the…

By Nick Simonson Pursuing upland game in the late season creates some unique challenges.  Those challenges come on faster when winter decides to arrive early.  With snow events sweeping across the Dakotas this week, the feeling of a late season hunt has taken hold well before even the earliest of the holidays has happened, and…

By Doug Leier If your deer hunting unit is under a chronic wasting disease hunting restriction, if you want to know if the deer you’ve taken had CWD or you are concerned with the future of North Dakota’s deer herd, you should make plans to get your deer tested by the Game and Fish Department….

By Seth Owens The North Dakota Pheasants Forever Knife River Chapter recently hosted its annual Youth Pheasant Hunt on October 1, an event that not only served as an exciting introduction to hunting but also emphasized the importance of wildlife conservation. This youth-focused hunting event aligned with the specific regulations set for youth hunting seasons,…

By Mike Peluso The forecast for the next 10 days has me a little depressed. It’s looking like my open water days of fishing for walleyes on the Missouri River are coming to an end. Most of my fishing time has been spent on the Missouri River near Bismarck, and despite the upcoming weather, hopefully…

By Nick Simonson There against the backdrop of the remaining golds, reds and browns along the empty shoreline sat six symbols of sorts, their arching necks and large bodies afloat on the silver waters of mid-autumn amidst the smaller waterfowl such as mallards and Canada geese on the south side of lake.  With no whirring…

By Nick Simonson Hunting upland birds behind a pointing dog can provide some of the biggest thrills in the outdoors.  Few moments stand out in the fall like a quivering tail on a rock-solid dog holding just inches from an unseen bird buried in the grass.  The tension and anticipation coming from those memorable seconds…

By Nick Simonson While many eyes turn to the uplands or that favorite waterfowl spot this time of year, the openwater fishing can provide some of the very best angling opportunities of the season in fall.  Whether it’s walleyes fished with swimbaits under the October full moon, or voracious stocked trout aggressively targeting spoons burned…

By Doug Leier The opening shots, so to speak, of the 2023 hunting season officially began over two months ago on August 15 with the early Canada goose season. If you’re like many, the intention of brushing up on your swing and transitioning from fishing to shotgunning isn’t as gradual as you’d like. And honestly,…

By Mike Peluso What a start to the fall walleye fishing so far here in North Dakota! It really doesn’t seem to matter where you are angling, the fishing has been fantastic! Now obviously not all bodies of water are created equal. Some just have better potential than others. This fall I have spent the…

By Nick Simonson The key to never having to use anything comes from preparing to use it. It never fails that when preparing for a trial or an administrative hearing, the more time I put into the case, the more likely it seems to settle just before the gavel bangs. Planning for the worst in…

By Doug Leier As the old saying goes, “If it wasn’t for the weather, most people wouldn’t know how to start a conversation.” The weather here on the Northern Plains impacts everything and everyone directly and for farmers, ranchers, hunters, biologists and wildlife managers, what happened in the past months and years will be felt…