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Outdoors

Mule deer survey completed

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department completed its annual mule deer survey, and results indicate western North Dakota’s mule deer population is 1% higher than last year but 4% below the long-term average. Biologists counted 2,047 mule deer in 286.3 square miles. The overall mule deer density in the badlands was 7.1 deer per square mile. Bruce Stillings, department big game management supervisor, said mule deer densities remained the same compared to 2023 following last year’s record low fawn production, reduced gun harvest and a mild winter in 2023-24.

2023 upland game seasons summarized for ND

North Dakota’s 2023 pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse and gray partridge harvests were up from 2022, according to the state Game and Fish Department. Upland game biologist RJ Gross said the overall harvest was likely a result of more hunters, more trips and more birds in the population. Last year, 53,819 pheasant hunters (up 5%) harvested 319,287 roosters (up 11%), compared to 51,270 hunters and 286,970 roosters in 2022. Counties with the highest percentage of pheasants taken were Hettinger, Divide, Burleigh, Williams and Stark. A total of 21,512 grouse hunters (up 5%) harvested ...

Governor creates Office of Outdoor Recreation

BISMARCK – Gov. Doug Burgum announced the establishment of the North Dakota Office of Outdoor Recreation Thursday. North Dakota joins 21 other states in establishing a dedicated Office of Outdoor Recreation, according to the governor’s office. The new office, created by executive order, is being launched using existing resources and personnel. “This new office will allow us to better coordinate with stakeholders and state agencies as they develop plans, strategies and initiatives to maximize the impact of outdoor recreation in North Dakota,” Burgum said. According to the ...

Fort Stevenson goes for s’mores world record

GARRISON – Fort Stevenson State Park invites the public to the park for the park’s 50th anniversary on Saturday, May 18, to attempt a Guinness World Records title for the most people making s’mores simultaneously. An official judge from Guinness World Records will be on site to verify the record and confirm that more than 891 people, which is the current record, simultaneously made s’mores. “We want to do something really special and notable to celebrate our 50th anniversary and since making s’mores is a favorite camping activity, why not try to break the record?” said ...

Prevent tickborne diseases

BISMARCK – With the first ticks of the year already being spotted in the state, North Dakota Health and Human Services is asking North Dakotans to be aware of ticks and the diseases they carry, including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Ticks live in grassy, brushy or wooded areas. They can be active when temperatures are above freezing with little to no snow cover. To prevent tick bites, take the following steps: – Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter and walk in the center of trails. – Use an Environmental Protection ...