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The North Dakota Game and Fish Department reminds citizens that possession or use of fireworks on state wildlife management areas is prohibited. The primary objective of a wildlife management area is to enhance wildlife production, provide hunting and fishing opportunities, and offer other outdoor recreational and educational uses. Only activities that would not disrupt the intentions of how these areas are managed are encouraged, and a fireworks display is not compatible. Excessive noise and commotion that come with fireworks disturbs...
North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries personnel are gearing up to stock a record number of walleye lakes this year. Fisheries production and development supervisor Jerry Weigel said 20 years ago approximately 50-70 waters were stocked annually with walleye fingerlings, with the number of waters growing to 100 in the early 2000s. This year, 156 waters are scheduled to receive a share of 9 million fingerlings. “The growth in walleye waters is directly correlated to the number of public fishing waters we manage,” Weigel said. In 198...
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department announced today that the state’s 2014 regular paddlefish snagging season will close at 10 p.m. Central Daylight Time, Sunday, May 18, to protect the population level of the fish. However, snaggers are reminded that Sunday is a snag-and-release only day. The 2014-16 fishing proclamation allows for the Game and Fish director to close the snagging season early if it appears more than 1,000 paddlefish will be harvested. Fisheries chief Greg Power said it’s been another successful year. “The unique thing...
Among a full agenda to consider at its May 22 meeting in Fort Peck, a late addition now includes potential commission direction for a voluntary wolf conservation stamp or decal for anyone to make a contribution to Montana wolf management. If approved, FWP would initiate rulemaking to define a voluntary wolf conservation stamp and how donated funds would be allocated to specific wolf conservation efforts. That process would include opportunity for public comment. The commission meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. on May 22 at the Fort Peck Hatchery...
All Fishing Access Sites on the lower Yellowstone River between Glendive and the North Dakota border are again open to the public. “Recreationists and anglers should remain aware that sites are open but visible damage from ice flows exists and repairs and reconstruction are expected to be completed sometime late summer,” said Cordell Perkins, R7 Fishing Access Site Manager. Perkins also stated, “Black Bridge Fishing Access Site is open to foot traffic only. That site suffered some of the heaviest damage.” For site specific information please...
Major repairs on the dam at Cow Creek Reservoir near the Bear Paw Mountains south of Chinook have been completed, and the reservoir has been refilled and stocked with more fish. The 85-acre water body is located on private property within the Sand Creek Ranch. Public fishing access to the reservoir and a section of Cow Creek above the reservoir has been renewed through a 20-year agreement between the ranch owners and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, said FWP Havre-area biologist Cody Nagel and FWP warden Andy Fuerst....
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials said today that aquatic invasive species inspection stations and roving inspection crews are in operation at key border crossing sites, along major highways and on heavily used water bodies. By law boaters must stop at AIS watercraft inspection stations for a brief interview and inspection. Already this month, two boats stopped at inspection stations were found to be fouled by zebra mussels, and another contaminated boat was found by an alert private citizen. Boaters are urged to inspect, clean and dry...
Sign up time is here for the popular Open Fields for Game Bird Hunters program. Open Fields for Game Bird Hunters is a voluntary program that pays landowners an add-on payment for lands enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program. Open Fields is aimed at conserving Montana's productive game bird habitats enrolled in CRP—and at providing additional public hunting access for upland game bird hunting. Counties eligible for program participation are: Cascade, Chouteau, Daniels, Dawson, Fallon, Fergus, Glacier, McCone, Pondera, Prairie, R...
Winter anglers are encouraged to consider early ice conditions before traveling onto and across North Dakota lakes. Keep in mind: Snow insulates ice, hampering solid ice formation, and makes it difficult to check thickness. Snow also hides the blemishes, such as cracked, weak and open water areas. Avoid cracks, pressure ridges, slushy or darker areas that signal thinner ice. The same goes for ice that forms around partially submerged trees, brush, embankments or other structures. Ice thickness is not consistent and can vary significantly even...
Aerial observations during the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s fall mule deer survey indicated production in 2012 was about the same as last year’s record low. Biologists who accompanied pilots in fixed-wing planes counted 1,224 (1,055 in 2011) mule deer in the October survey. The buck-to-doe ratio of 0.37 (0.47 in 2010) was similar to the long-term average of 0.43 bucks per doe, and the fawn-to-doe ratio of 0.59 equaled the lowest fawn-to-doe ratio since the demographic survey began in 1954. The long-term average is 0.92 fawns per doe...
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials ask hunters, outfitters, landowners, and others in portions of northeastern Montana to help with a continuing yet scaled back survey for a wildlife disease found in nearby states. Montana’s chronic wasting disease detection program tests sick and road-killed deer, elk and moose, and has relied heavily on testing samples from hunter-harvested animals collected in “high risk” areas. CWD is an always fatal brain disease in deer, elk and moose. Over the past 14 years FWP has tested more than 17,300 wild...
