Breaking News

Outdoors

Waterfowl season opens

North Dakota’s waterfowl season opens for residents Saturday, Sept. 27, while nonresidents may begin hunting waterfowl Saturday, Oct. 4. The season for swans opens Oct. 4 for both residents and nonresidents who have purchased a swan license. Shooting hours for all geese are one-half hour before sunrise to 2 p.m. each day. Extended shooting hours for all geese are permitted from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset on Saturdays and Wednesdays through the end of each season. Starting Friday, Nov. 28, all day hunting is also allowed on Fridays and Sundays through the end of each ...

Prevent spread of ANS

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 decoys, boats, motors, trailers and other watercraft; and remove all aquatic plants from boats and trailers before leaving a marsh or lake. In addition, hunters are encouraged to brush their hunting dogs free of mud and seeds. Cattails and bulrushes ...

North Dakota Outdoors: Explaining 2025 waterfowl hunting regulations

There’s been plenty of discussion in coffee shops, gas stations, online and more about the changes to this fall’s nonresident waterfowl regulations. Here’s key points addressed by Bill Haase, Game and Fish Department wildlife division chief, and John Palarski, department waterfowl ...

Youth deer season starts Sept. 19

Friday, Sept. 19, at noon signals the start of a nine-and-a-half-day deer hunting season for licensed youth hunters. The youth license is valid during the youth deer season that closes Sunday, Sept. 28, and the regular deer gun season running from Nov. 7-23. After opening day, hunting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. Orange clothing is required for youth hunters and mentors. Each young deer hunter must be under direct supervision of an adult. The adult is prohibited from carrying a firearm or bow while accompanying the youth hunter in the field ...

Youth, military waterfowl weekend set

Introduce a youngster to duck hunting during North Dakota’s two-day youth waterfowl season Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 20-21. In addition, the special veteran and active military personnel waterfowl season is set for the same weekend. Legally licensed resident and nonresident youth waterfowl hunters 15 and younger, and veterans and members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserves on active duty (other than for training), may hunt ducks, geese, coots and mergansers statewide. All waterfowl hunters must possess a waterfowl habitat ...

Sandhill crane season begins Sept. 20

North Dakota’s sandhill crane season opens Saturday, Sept. 20, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 16. Limits are three daily and nine in possession in unit 1 (west of U.S. Highway 281), and two daily and six in possession in unit 2 (east of U.S. Highway 281). Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 2 p.m. each day, with extended shooting hours to sunset on Saturdays and Wednesdays beginning Sept. 27 through the end of the season. Hunters are urged to use caution and identify birds to prevent shooting at endangered whooping cranes as they begin their fall migration. In addition ...