By Nick Simonson   For hunters in North Dakota drawing one of the “Big Three” tags for a once-in-a-lifetime chance at an elk, bighorn sheep or moose, particularly one with some headgear, is hard enough.  For some it takes decades to receive a permit and some go without the opportunity their entire lives.  As luck…

EYES TO THE SKIES.  While we’re a month off from the first hunting season, you’ll want to watch the weather today, as the NWS has some warnings of severe storms likely for the afternoon and evening, particularly in the eastern two-thirds of North Dakota.  In the meantime we’ve got updates on archery events, good cooking…

By Nick Simonson   These days I drink bad coffee. Not bad, per se, but only half caffeinated, which according to the old me is bad, as in my younger years I spent much of the morning riding the lightning of a black oily brew so thick I could cut with a knife.  That dosage…

GETTING WARMER! Things heat up today and tomorrow, and you’ll feel it on the water!  We’re keeping our eye on Friday afternoon storms, but for now things are looking great headed into tomorrow for whatever you want to do outdoors.  We’ve got updates on archery classes, food plot options and some help for wetlands and…

By Doug Leier, NDG&F Dept. While there was no shortage of bad news during the uncertain times this spring, there was good news for ducks and hunters across the prairies of North Dakota. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department completed its 73rd annual spring breeding duck survey in May and results showed an index…

HALFWAY!  We’ve reached July’s midpoint and are looking to the future – both in the days to come and after November’s elections.  In today’s Outdoors Roundup we cover the second drawing for deer tags, plans for the future of hunting and conservation and the expanding world of kayak fishing tournaments. Featured Photo:  SUMMER GRIND.  Muskie…

BUSY MIDSUMMER. Good weather greets us in mid-July with stable highs and westerly flows.  Whether you’re working locally or thinking nationally, we’ve got the information to keep things moving in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  INTO THE SUNSET.  An angler cruises as the summer sun sets. Simonson Photo.   WEATHER (Bismarck Forecast): Today: Tue 7/14 –…

CLICKING.  A slight shift in the weather will happen this morning as calm conditions give way to afternoon winds and a chance of rain comes with it.  Things should clear by evening to get you back on the water.  We take a look at crayfish and how they influence fishing in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured…

SUNDAY FUNDAY.  Warm temperatures and southern breezes will make Sunday a good one to get outdoors and enjoy a mid-July day as it was meant to be.  Whether on the water or on the range, conditions will be right.  We’ve got updates on the final day of the Masters Walleye Circuit, a limited run of…

By Nick Simonson   Imagine having to choose just one food to live off for half of your life.  While I’m certain fried walleye would be a good option, or pizza would work, or even wild rice brats fresh off the grill could sustain about anyone, the hedging exhibited just in this sentence alone shows…

MOTHER LODE!  Excitement continues across the state as a huge walleye tourney wraps today.  In addition to that, the state’s top shooters get recognized by the high school trap and skeet league for their efforts in a challenging spring season and the G&F relates a victory over invasives when protecting a prairie water. Featured Photo: …

A BUSY STATE.  There’s a ton of outdoors action in North Dakota this weekend, from conditions improving for hatching birds and hopes for a good harvest to a major walleye tourney on Lake Sakakawea.  Get your fix of news to get set for the weekend in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  WARY.  Walleyes will be…

By Nick Simonson   Throughout its run, my weekly column, Our Outdoors, has chronicled the recent history of hunting, angling and my experiences, myriad misadventures and the sometimes-successful outings in the wild for the past two decades.  It’s my hope that it continues to entertain and educate for the next two decades and maybe a…

Winds come up out of the northwest today, but we’ll touch 80 as things stay seasonal.  We’ve got bad news on the ANS front as another ND lake is discovered to have zebra mussels.  We cover that, swim jig secrets and a leap forward for an endangered amphibian in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  DEO’s…

By Doug Leier, NDG&F Dept. Fisheries managers often hear from anglers who fish in, say, Minnesota and elsewhere, and wonder why specific regulations are applied in those states, but not North Dakota. One of the more frequent conversations involves slot limits. North Dakota doesn’t currently have any slot-limit regulations, and most fisheries managers will tell you…

SHARPEN UP.  Now is the time to get your shot in shape for the fall, whether it’s shotgun, archery or rifle.  Get out to the range or to one of the many events set for the back half of summer to get on target for the upcoming season, as detailed in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured…

KEEPING WARM.  Conditions will facilitate summer angling patterns as things stay stable today and tomorrow with a chance for rain overnight.  The trend continues along with a slew of new baits hitting the market and a notice on fishing deep from the NDG&F, all in our Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  POOR PADS. Lilly Pads show…

GET TO IT!  A new week follows up an exciting holiday weekend and we get into the heart of summer.  We’ve got a summer recipe, some top bass lakes and where we’re at with water following recent rains, all of that and more in today’s Outdoors Roundup.   Featured Photo:  MAKE IT RAIN. Thunderheads were…

ROUND WE GO. As we close out the holiday weekend with some nice conditions, we take a tour of what’s happening around the region in the outdoors.  From the closure of walleye fishing on Lake Mille Lacs in Minnesota, to some cavern learnings in Montana, we see what states are up to heading around summer’s…

WITH A BANG!  We’re celebrating independence and a great summer stretch in today’s Outdoors Roundup from more on the Big Buck Book, the Buck Moon and some hot temperatures, things are looking great! Featured Photo:  Watch the skies tonight for not only fireworks, but for the ghostly buck moon. Simonson Photo. WEATHER (Bismarck Forecast): Today: Sat…

By Nick Simonson   For many, the Independence Day holiday weekend represents a great time to get on the water.  Whether it’s cruising in the warmth of the afternoon or anchoring up and watching the fireworks display reflecting off the surface of a favorite lake in the evening, the water goes hand-in-hand with the mid-summer…

OBSERVED.  Welcome to your three day weekend (hopefully) and a warm one is setting up at that!  We’ve got news on non-fireworks sky shows, a boat conversion and the drought as it stood before this week’s rains. Featured Photo:  GLASSY. The sun rises over calm southern shore waters on Big Detroit Lake in Minnesota. Simonson…

By Nick Simonson   Growing up in the upper Midwest taught me to relish the warmth of summer.  Sometimes those stretches of 90-degree days spanned just a week or two in August.  Other summers, the warmth seemed to highlight the entire 12 weeks we were out of school. In between backyard kickball games, neighborhood-wide all-day…

By Doug Leier,  NDG&F Dept. Pretty much everyone who hunts and fishes in North Dakota knows they have to buy a license first, and most of those people understand that license dollars go to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.   What is less understood, despite decades of promotion by state and federal agencies…

THREE DAY EVE.  We’re just a few short hours away from a three day weekend and the air will be charged with warm, unsettled conditions along with fireworks.  We eye up where we’re sitting for your best fishing hours along with Featured Photo:  SUMMER KING. A pumpkinseed takes a prince nymph. Simonson Photo. WEATHER (Bismarck…

OVER THE HUMP.  In your holiday-shortened week, we’ve made it to the middle after a stormy and rainy Tuesday which may have broken the drought which was settling into the western half of the state.  While the impact of some gully-washing storms is yet to be seen on young pheasants, deer and other wildlife, the…

NDG&F Dept. Release North Dakota’s spring pheasant population index is up 15% from the same time last year, according to the state Game and Fish Department’s 2020 spring crowing count survey. R.J. Gross, upland game management biologist, said the number of roosters heard crowing this spring was up statewide, with increases ranging from 1% to…

GOOD NEWS TUES!  Pheasant crowing counts are up, starting your week off with some great outdoor news.  In addition to that, we’ve got more on Operation Dry Water for a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July on area lakes and rivers, a local start to a national TV program and a good looking forecast headed…

WHAT’S HATCHING?  As summer hits full swing, we’re eying up what fish are eating.  From insects, to minnows to young-of-the-year panfish, it’s important to know forage for lure and bait selection. More on how big hatches – like mayflies – impact angling in our Outdoors Roundup below along with habitat news and ANS awareness. Featured…

DOG DAYS.  The warmth of summer settles in early as temperatures spike into the mid-to-upper 90s the next couple of days.  We celebrate the new-found season and catch up on events and information for pheasants, deer and camping across America in today’s Outdoors Roundup. Featured Photo:  On the Move.  A hen leads her brood of…