OUTDOOR NOTES
Sunday: Deer gun season closes.
Monday: Arrowwood, Audubon, Des Lacs, J. Clark Salyer, Lake Alice, Lake Zahl, Long Lake, Lostwood and Upper Souris Nat'l Wildlife Refuges (NWR) open for upland hunting.
Monday: Mink, muskrat and weasel hunting and trapping season opens, see furbearer guide for open units.
Monday: Fisher trapping season opens, see furbearer guide for open area.
Monday: Zone 1 late season opens
Nov. 25: Muzzleloader deer season opens.
FISHING
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: Little activity on Lake Sakakawea. No reports from Devils Lake.
Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River / area lakes: Weather permitting, Missouri River producing walleye using crankbaits around the Rifle Range and Hazelton. Also try crankbaits in the tailrace. Try the Heskett Plant from shore in the evening or Eckroth Bottoms from shore anytime during the day.
Bottineau, Four Seasons, Lake Metigoshe: Lake starting to ice over so no activity until there's better ice.
Bottineau, Lake Metigoshe State Park, Lake Metigoshe: No recent reports. Hiking trails remain open.
Coleharbor, Totten Trail Restaurant, Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea: Little to no activity on Lake Audubon and Lake Sakakawea. No reports from the Missouri River.
Devils Lake, Ed's Bait, Devils Lake: Continued walleye success working around any of the bridges and structure of the lake. Not many anglers on the water, however.
Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: Limited activity but those going out continued finding good walleye success prior to the weather change.
Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea / area lakes: Little to no activity other than continued walleye success in the Missouri River tailrace.
Estevan, Saskatche-wan Environment, Rafferty Dam and area lakes: Little activity.
Foxholm, Upper Souris NWR, Lake Darling: Weather permitting, anglers continue finding walleye success at the Outlet Fishing Area.
Garrison, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Lakes Audubon and Saka-kawea: Fewer anglers on the Missouri River but those going continue finding walleye success with more smaller fish showing up so sort through for the keepers. Try jigs and minnows. No reports from Lake Saka-kawea and Lake Oahe.
Harvey, Coal Mine Lake and area lakes: Continued northern pike, perch and walleye success on Goose Lake but limited activity. Fair for pike on Harvey Dam but light activity. Coal Mine Lake closed until ice-over.
Pick City, Scott's Bait & Tackle, Lake Sakakawea / Missouri River: No activity on Lake Sakakawea. Boat success is still underway on the Missouri River. Try 3-way swivels in the chutes for walleye and trout or jigs and nightcrawlers down river. Look for water temperatures to slow nightcrawler success, however. Try the second coal vein, honey hole or cable crossing using a variety of techniques. Best shore-fishing success is in the evening and at night. Try floating crankbaits or Huskee Jerks from the rocks or fourth loop of the campground. Weather change could slow activity.
Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Saka-kawea / Missouri River / area lakes: Weather permitting, anglers continue finding good Missouri River walleye and sauger success.
LAKE LEVELS
Devils Lake elevation, Nov. 16: 1,453.46 feet above mean sea level.
Stump Lake elevation, Nov. 16 : 1,453.65 feet.
Lake Sakakawea elevation, Nov. 16 : 1,841 feet; 28,500 cubic feet per second average Garrison Dam daily releases.
HUNTING
N.D. Game & Fish Dept. game wardens: Snow geese moving into the region around eastern Lake Sakakawea and north along McLean County, Mountrail County and Ward county lines along with increasing mallard numbers. Lots of waterfowl moving into the region from Richland through Barnes, Stutsman, Kidder and Griggs counties. The peak movement might be underway. A lot of birds may have left around the Eddy County area but good numbers of geese remain. Deer success remains poor but seem to be moving around more with the recent snow.
Southern Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Environment: Most waterfowl moved out with a few remaining on the open water of Boundary Dam. Small wetlands iced over.
Arrowwood NWR, Pingree: Major snow goose movement last weekend with large flocks moving, mostly south of N.D. Highway 200 and west of U.S. Highway 281. Increasing numbers of Canada geese, too, with a scattering of ducks. No large duck flocks, however, but some reports of a few lingering divers and tundra swans. Small wetlands are icing over. Depending on weather, the migration may have peaked. Crops are all harvested.
Lonetree WMA, Harvey; Good numbers of waterfowl, including snow geese, in central N.D. but smaller wetlands are starting to ice over. Upland birds success remains poor.
Lostwood NWR, Powers Lake: Much of northwestern N.D. received several inches of new snow and with colder temperatures, migration is nearly over. Some Canada geese and a few mallards remain but numbers are getting low.
North-central N.D.: Not many waterfowl reports with wetlands and lakes iced over. Birds moved out or to bigger water. Limited deer success.
Northeast N.D.: Good numbers of waterfowl moved into the area but small wetlands icing over. Lots of waterfowl opportunities remain but the question is if birds will move in or move out with weather change.
Upper Souris NWR, Foxholm: Snow geese generally remain concentrated north of N.D. Highway 5. Deer reports remain low. The rut is starting so there's more daytime activity. Remember to remove tree stands daily, including during the upcoming muzzleloader season.
West-central N.D.: Lots of snow geese along the east end of Lake Audubon and McLean, Ward and McHenry county lines. More pheasants starting to show up with row crop harvest nearing completion. Fair at best deer success.