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Sportsmen, Game and Fish gather in Rugby

Kim Fundingsland/MDN Terry Steinwand, North Dakota Game and Fish Department director.

RUGBY – A new trapping season for river otters was among the topics of discussion at a North Dakota Game and Fish Department advisory board meeting held here Monday evening.

Game and Fish says it intend to open a river otter trapping season Nov. 27 of this year. The season would be limited to one otter per person with a season quota of 15. Trappers would be required to tag their river otters and report the harvest to Game and Fish within 12 hours.

Game and Fish maintains its research indicates that river otters have “re-colonized most areas of the state where they occurred historically and populations exist that can sustain a regulated season.”

River otters have been reported primarily in the northeast part of the state but have been observed in limited numbers at western North Dakota locations as well. According to Game and Fish at least 15 river otters are killed annually in North Dakota, from accidental trapping to being hit by vehicles on roadways.

River otter pelts, which are highly prized, generally reach their prime condition in late November. The public will be notified, says Game and Fish, as soon as the 15 otter quota is reached and the season is declared closed.

On another topic, a member of the gathering asked about cormorants and their affect on fisheries in North Dakota. Cormorants are a federally protected migratory bird that dive under water to feed on whatever is available.

“They sure do have an impact of some of our fisheries,” said Jason Lee, fisheries biologist. “Perch are a big part of their diet. We’ve seen them with 14 inch walleyes and 12 1/2 inch perch in them.”

“The species of cormorants we have in North Dakota have just exploded,” said Terry Steinwand, Game and Fish director.

A permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is required before any harvesting of cormorants is allowed by authorized personnel. Permits have been issued for specific locations in North Dakota in past years. Steinwand said he urged the FWS to open a cormorant season similar to the annual crow season.

Casey Anderson, NDG&F assistant wildlife division chief, talked briefly about the state’s moose hunting season. He noted that there were more moose licenses available in this year’s lottery than a year ago.

“We have a thriving moose population, especially out on the prairie,” said Anderson.

Anderson also explained that landowners receiving a moose gratis tag are still limited to one in a lifetime. However, said Anderson, if a landowner returns his or her first gratis tag unused he or she remains eligible for a second tag. Failure to fill the second chance tag would end the landowner’s opportunity to harvest a gratis moose.

Some optimism was expressed for the state’s bighorn sheep season. The state’s bighorn population has been plagued with disease that effected overall population in recent years. Now though, the problems with die-off seem to have lessened considerably.

“The state record was shot last year and there are two bigger ones out there,” stated Steinwand.

Monday’s meeting with sportsmen and landowners was scheduled to run two hours but came to a close well before the expected time of adjournment. Game and Fish holds advisory board meetings throughout the state each spring and fall.

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