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Outdoors

Small game, waterfowl, furbearer regulations set

North Dakota’s 2022 small game, waterfowl and furbearer regulations are set, and most season structures are similar to last year. Noteworthy items include: Opening day for ducks, geese, coots and mergansers for North Dakota residents is Sept. 24. Nonresidents may begin hunting waterfowl in North Dakota Oct. 1. The prairie chicken and sage grouse seasons remain closed due to low populations. Pre-charged pneumatic air guns are legal for taking weasel, mink, muskrat and mountain lion. Reporting harvest of bobcats, mountain lions, fishers and river otters can now be done ...

Early Canada goose dates announced

North Dakota’s early Canada goose season dates are set, with bag limits and licensing requirements the same as last year. Opening day is Aug. 15 in all three zones. Closing dates are Sept. 7 in the Missouri River zone, Sept. 15 in the western zone and Sept. 22 in the eastern zone. Early Canada goose limits are 15 daily and 45 in possession. Limits and shooting hours are different from the regular season, while the zone boundaries remain the same. Shooting hours for early Canada goose are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily. Residents need a $5 early Canada goose ...

Swan hunting licenses available

Hunters applying for a 2022 swan license can submit an online application through the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov. North Dakota residents and nonresidents are eligible to apply. The resident swan license is $10, while the nonresident fee is $30. The deadline to apply is Aug. 17. The statewide tundra swan hunting season opens Oct. 1. 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 ...

Local anglers win Governor’s Cup

The 2022 edition of the North Dakota Governor’s Walleye Cup Tournament was held last weekend and two teams from the Minot area finished first and second amongst 260. The Cup is won by the team that catches the 10 heaviest fish. The duo Cody Pardon and Josh Gladback reeled in 39.48 pounds ...

Pronghorn Hunting Season Set, Apply Online

North Dakota’s 2022 pronghorn hunting season is set, with 1,970 licenses available in 17 units. Bruce Stillings, big game management supervisor for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, said license numbers are up slightly from last year, when the department allocated 1,720 licenses. “Any-pronghorn licenses will be issued in units 9A and 9C for the first time in several years to address landowner concerns and provide additional hunting opportunities,” Stillings said. The July aerial survey indicated the overall pronghorn population is up 5% from last year. The ...

Spring grouse counts reported

North Dakota Game and Fish Department upland game biologists summarized the spring survey results for sharp-tailed grouse, ruffed grouse and greater sage grouse. Summaries from the spring sharp-tailed grouse census indicate a 13% decrease in the number of male grouse counted compared to last year. Statewide, 2,639 sharptails were observed on spring dancing grounds this year compared to 3,281 in 2021. Male grouse recorded per square mile (4) was slightly above the 10-year average (3.8). “These declines align with poor reproduction documented during the 2021 drought,” said ...