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…

By Nick Simonson With ruffed grouse numbers still near their cyclical high this autumn throughout the region, opportunities to chase the thundering wing beats of this popular game bird abound from the aspen stands of northeastern Minnesota to the forests of the Rainy River drainage, to the Turtle Mountains and Pembina Gorge areas of northern…

By Mike Peluso The walleyes and anglers have been waiting for fall to show up on the Missouri River and I think it’s finally presenting itself. Cooler temperatures, a little frost, and wind have definitely been on this week’s menu for weather. The fishing here on the Missouri River around Bismarck has stayed about the…

By Nick Simonson I never get over the fact that likely a hundred different flies could be tied from the pelt of a rooster pheasant.  If it weren’t for the need of dry fly hackle from those commercially raised and intricately bred chickens that have been developed by all the major names like Metz and…

By Nick Simonson That favorite day of many outdoorsmen is fast approaching – pheasant opener.  As I load up the truck and hit the road for the big weekend, I’ll leave you all with the annual staple: The Pheasant Hunter’s Prayer. So, with head bowed, eyes skyward (is that physically possible?), and tongue firmly in…

By Brad Durick I guess I lied about last week being the last report regarding the catfishing conditions on the Red River. I am done guiding but have been fishing on my own and doing some pattern testing on my Humminbird MEGA Live, and in the process finding a solid fall bite. Water temperature on…

By Nick Simonson The North Dakota pheasant hunting season opens this Saturday, and for the first time in several years, populations have exhibited a significant jump over the previous season’s numbers.  This, along with good cover conditions and likely favorable weather for the season’s start will help hunters find the roosters they are after.  However,…

By Doug Leier I enjoy giving myself an education. Sometimes it’s as simple as asking the definition of science: “The systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation, experimentation, and the testing of theories against the evidence obtained.” Why do I bother? It’s a reminder that my work…

By Mike Peluso With a return to the Missouri River this week for the fall walleye fishing, there is a lot going on. First things first. If you haven’t seen the flow lately, it looks a lot different than it did a week ago. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has dropped it significantly over…

By Nick Simonson As I climbed the asphalt grade from the river bottom on the back part of my weekend long run (and lamented the final two miles of windedness that were to come after it) I caught the cackle of an early morning rooster in the valley below and thought of where I’d be…

NDG&F Dept. Release Hunting small game, waterfowl, furbearers or big game by nonresidents is prohibited by state law on Private Land Open To Sportsmen acreage and state wildlife management areas from Oct. 7-13, the first seven days of the pheasant season. However, nonresidents can hunt on PLOTS land they own during that week. In addition,…

By Nick Simonson While the upcoming North Dakota youth pheasant weekend on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 provides an ideal opportunity to get new hunters into the field, experienced sportsmen and women can make any approaching hunt a chance to share their knowledge and get someone new into the uplands.  What follows are some tips…

By Brad Durick On the Red River temperature is holding for the time being in the mid-60s and the channel catfish are holding on the inside corners near deeper drop offs that also have a shallow shelves near them. Set up on these areas and put a couple lines on the shelf and a couple…

By Doug Leier I don’t remember the year, but I was a young hunter with my dad near Twin Lakes in LaMoure County. It was so long ago there were actually two lakes with a road in between before the wet cycle created one lake that’s more famous now for fishing than it was back…

By Mike Peluso It’s been quite a challenging week for walleyes up here on Lake Sakakawea. If you are a duck, it would have been awesome. There has been lots of wind and rain, but amazingly enough the walleyes still bit, but it took some work. A blue collar grind is just one of the…

By Nick Simonson In my early morning walk with the dogs, the lone frog croaking out in the last empty lot on the north end of the neighborhood and the cool, heavy, foggy air hinted at a season out of place.  It seemed more like spring than the cusp of October, but in just a…

By Nick Simonson With pheasant numbers up across the primary reaches of the upland bird’s range in North Dakota following a temperate summer and good regrowth of grasses which were plagued by dry conditions in recent seasons, hunters hitting the field this fall will find excellent opportunities to pursue flushing roosters.  With the North Dakota…

By Brad Durick We are on a solid cooling water bite when it comes to channel catfish on the fall flows of the Red River. Catfish are holding on the inside corners near deeper drop offs. The best areas also have a shallow shelf alongside of them. Set up on these areas and put a…

By Seth Owens North Dakota’s vast prairies, home to diverse flora and fauna, are vital ecosystems for wildlife, agriculture, and ranching. Yet maintaining the health and biodiversity of these prairies is a constant challenge, especially when invasive species threaten to dominate their diversity. One proven method for revitalizing and preserving prairie lands is the use…

By Doug Leier Working for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department as a game warden and now biologist has provided countless positive interactions with hunters, anglers, trappers and citizens who love everything about North Dakota outdoors and are willing to do what they can to help the future of our outdoor heritage. The relationships…

By Mike Peluso My lake days on both Devils Lake and Lake Sakakawea are slowly winding down. I still have the rest of September booked, but those trips are mostly on Sakakawea before I drop down to the river near Bismarck for October and November, weather permitting. We did have a great first half of…

By Nick Simonson Ah, the old F150.  It’s where most everything in my life has ended up at one point or another.  Baseball gloves under the seat, my youngest’s left sandal that was missing for a week, overdue library books, juice boxes, even a writing check or two in the slot between the passenger seat…

NDG&F Dept. Release Waterfowl hunters should do their part in preventing the spread of aquatic nuisance species into or within North Dakota. Hunters must remove aquatic plants and plant fragments from decoys, strings and anchors; remove aquatic plant seeds and plant fragments from waders and other equipment before leaving hunting areas; remove all water from…

By Doug Leier I’ve become numb to email, phone and text surveys or post purchase questionnaires. From a service call or store receipt, and everything in between, companies and businesses are constantly asking patrons about their activity and assessing their expectations. Thankfully, the majority of these are voluntary and I just hang up, disregard, or…

By Brad Durick When it comes to angling for big catfish on the Red River this time of year, one can really tell the days are getting shorter now. Cool mornings and longer nights have the water temperature making its annual descent. So far it has been a slow process, but it is becoming more…

By Nick Simonson North Dakota’s youth waterfowl weekend is Sept. 16 and 17, and with some impressive upticks in duck populations this year, the special focus of the two-day season for young and novice hunters, and the benefits it provides, many are looking forward to this year’s opportunity.  For those mentors looking to take young…

By Mike Peluso If you have been paying attention to the recent National Walleye Trail (NWT) Championship held recently on Devils Lake, I’m sure it opened a few eyes. The weights these guys caught were incredible! Devils Lake proves once again why it’s one of the top walleye fisheries in the country. Let’s be honest,…

By Nick Simonson With a hit like a freight train, my rod doubled over on the lift of the firetiger Jigging Rapala and the walleye that showed up as an arc on the screen of the sonar a second before was suddenly a real-life connection at the other end.  While the fifteen-inch fish wasn’t all…

NDG&F Dept. Release North Dakota’s roadside surveys conducted in late July and August indicate pheasant, gray partridge and sharp-tailed grouse numbers were up. State Game and Fish Department upland game biologist RJ Gross said survey conditions were exceptional this year, which might have led to increased observations, but survey conditions shouldn’t have large effects on…