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Outdoors

Pronghorn hunting season set

The 2024 pronghorn hunting season is set with 1,265 licenses available and all units open. North Dakota Game and Fish Department big game management supervisor Bruce Stillings said license numbers are up significantly from last year, when the department allocated 420 licenses in eight units. The July aerial survey indicated the overall pronghorn population is up 31% from last year. The fawn-to-doe ratio of 50 fawns per 100 does was higher than last year, and the buck-to-doe ratio of 31 bucks per 100 does remains stable and at the population objective. Each unit will once again have ...

Swan license applications available

Hunters can apply for 2024 swan licenses through the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. North Dakota residents and nonresidents are eligible to apply. The resident swan license is $10, while the nonresident fee is $30. The application deadline is Aug. 21. The statewide tundra swan hunting season opens Sept. 28. A total of 2,200 licenses are available. Successful applicants will receive a tag to take one swan during the season. Since swans are classified as waterfowl, nonresidents may hunt them only during the period their nonresident waterfowl license is valid. All swan ...

North Dakota Outdoors: Closer look at fishing size restrictions

Count me among the anglers who have lived through the drought of the 1980s and witnessed firsthand the 25-plus years of booming fisheries of North Dakota, which few will argue began with the 1993 drought busting and continues to a lesser degree today. Anglers recall when North Dakota fishing ...

Record walleye production will boost fisheries

Walleye fingerling stocking wrapped up with Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery at Riverdale setting a record with just short of 12 million fingerlings produced. Distribution trucks traveled more than 12,000 miles over a two-week period to stock the fish, according to Jerry Weigel, North Dakota Game and Fish Department fish production/development section supervisor. When combined with fingerling production from Valley City National Fish Hatchery, 177 waters were stocked, providing a great boost in developing future fishing prospects across the state. While producing nearly 12 ...

Clean, drain, dry all equipment

Water recreationists should do their part to help prevent the spread of aquatic nuisance species in North Dakota. While the effort to stop the transportation of ANS has been mostly successful, challenges remain as not all anglers, pleasure boaters and other water enthusiasts are abiding by the clean, drain, dry message. North Dakota waters remain relatively free of aquatic nuisance species. Besides common carp, most species – zebra mussels, Eurasian water milfoil, flowering rush, curlyleaf pondweed and three species of invasive carp – are only found in a handful of waters in the ...

First-come, first-served deer gun licenses available July 24

More than 1,900 deer licenses are available in four units for North Dakota’s 2024 deer gun season, and will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Wednesday, July 24, at 8 a.m. Central time. Residents and nonresidents who have not already received a lottery or landowner license are eligible to apply. Hunters who want to purchase additional licenses may do so Wednesday, Aug. 14, at 8 a.m. Central time. At that time, any remaining licenses will be issued as a concurrent season license, which can be used during the archery season with a bow; deer gun season with a bow, ...