By Mike Peluso It’s hard to believe that it is just now the ending to the 2023 open water season. Things started slow in spring, with snow and the river still being frozen and the Big Muddy holding up to her name, but the year ended on the highest of highs! I’ve never seen a…

By Doug Leier  The first weeks of pheasant hunting in North Dakota were about as good as it gets weatherwise. Farmers were putting crops in the bins and hunters were putting birds in the bag. Mix in some football and all the fields were buzzing.  Hunters were thankful the preseason brood survey numbers showing pheasant…

By Nick Simonson The first hardwater anglers are creeping out onto the ice, and good fishing is likely to meet those venturing out in southeastern North Dakota this winter, according to BJ Kratz, Southeastern Fisheries District Supervisor for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department (NDG&F).  Following a challenging winter last year, where angler mobility…

By Mike Peluso Not much has changed in the way of walleye fishing on the open water on the Missouri River near Bismarck. It’s been a fall to remember, that’s for sure. If this autumn’s bite is any indication of what will happen this spring, it’s going to epic! I have never in my 45…

By Nick Simonson First ice is a fun, yet apprehensive time.  The excitement of getting out on a fast early bite for walleyes, perch or any other species under that initial layer of ice is often balanced against the nervousness of eyeing up that new three or four inches covering the water and its quality…

By Nick Simonson First ice brings with it the fever dream of fast fishing; walleyes and crappies riding high on a late fall feeding binge that doesn’t fade even though the first frozen layer may start obscuring the limited sunlight the region’s lakes do see this time of year.  On the ice, however, it might…

By Doug Leier  Two of the most popular species with hunting seasons include harvest numbers you can count on your hands or hands and toes. I’m talking about mountain lions and bighorn sheep.  These two unique species capture the interest of hunters and non-hunters alike. While over 20,000 applications were received for the half dozen…

By Nick Simonson With the conclusion of the firearms deer season in North Dakota on Sun. Nov. 26, the work in managing the herd begins anew for agents of the North Dakota Game & Fish Department (NDG&F).  Through the assembly of public input, surveys of hunters detailing their efforts and observations, and the tallying of…

By Mike Peluso We are really in a bind right now with this weather and what comes next for walleye fishing in the state. It’s not cold enough to get the larger waters frozen and we definitely need some cold weather so we can kick off the ice fishing season. However, I do know of…

By Nick Simonson Cold, warm.  Gusty, calm.  Snow, rain.  Flip a coin during these days on the calendar and you’ll likely get the same randomized results in the weather, but in these northern climes as fall fades into winter, that’s a common occurrence.  Like the old saying goes, “if you don’t like the weather here,…

NDG&F Dept. Release Fisheries crews completed their annual salmon spawning operation on the Missouri River System, collecting 944,000 eggs. North Dakota Game and Fish Department Missouri River System fisheries supervisor Russ Kinzler said this year was more of a challenge to collect eggs. “The spawn started about a week later than normal and then the…

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…