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Local Outdoors Briefs

Record count of bighorn sheep The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s 2025 bighorn sheep survey, completed by recounting lambs in March, revealed a record 378 bighorn sheep in the Badlands of western North Dakota, up 8% from 2024 and 10% above the five-year average. The 2025 survey was the fifth record count in the past six years. Brett Wiedmann, department big game biologist, said 104 rams, 234 ewes and 40 lambs were counted. Not included are approximately 40 bighorn sheep in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and bighorns introduced to the Fort Berthold ...

North Dakota Outdoors: Time To Renew Your License

If you haven’t picked up your new fishing or combination license yet, consider this your friendly reminder. The old one expired at the end of March, and the new license year begins April 1. If you’re like most, it's on your to-do list … just not necessarily at the top. You meant to take ...

North Dakota Outdoors: Late March reminders

North Dakota watercraft owners getting set for open water fishing should know that 2026 marked the beginning of a new three-year registration cycle. Whether you’re getting ready for a summer on the lake or planning a quiet paddle down a local river, making sure your watercraft registration ...

North Dakota Outdoors

North Dakota’s hunting seasons represent far more than tradition or recreation. For most it’s almost part of our DNA. Yet, each year I hear a familiar question: Why don’t we just close down the deer or pheasant seasons to help repopulate? It’s almost counter intuitive. We love it so ...

Seasons change, patterns of fish, wildlife change

Whether you go by the calendar or conditions on the ground, winter in North Dakota is always a season of transition. Officially, the books say it starts Dec. 21 and wraps up March 21. For me, winter started with a true cold and snow snap just before Thanksgiving. For some, it didn't truly ...

Local Outdoors

Big 3 harvest statistics North Dakota Game and Fish Department harvest statistics show overall success for the 2025 season was 100% for bighorn sheep, 87% for moose and 62% for elk. The department issued eight bighorn sheep licenses, one of which was an auction license. The Three Affiliated Tribes Fish and Wildlife issued two licenses in 2025, one to a tribal member and one to a Game and Fish Department applicant. All 10 hunters were successful. The department issued 292 moose licenses last year. Of that total, 281 hunters harvested 245 animals – 147 bulls and 98 cows/calves. The ...