North Dakota Game and Fish News

Deer Lottery Held, Antlerless Licenses Remain

North Dakota’s deer gun lottery has been held and individual results are available online at the State Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov.

More than 1,600 antlerless deer gun licenses remain. Only resident applicants who were unsuccessful in the first lottery can apply for remaining licenses.

The first lottery application process – deer gun, muzzleloader, youth and landowner – had more than 102,000 applicants, and over 51,000 were unsuccessful.

An option for unsuccessful applicants to apply online for remaining licenses will be available Aug. 3. Paper applications for remaining licenses will be mailed to individuals the week of Aug. 1. The deadline for applying is Aug. 24.

Anglers Asked to Look for Tagged Salmon

Anglers who catch a tagged salmon are reminded to turn in the heads and report information to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

Anglers can identify a tagged salmon by looking at the adipose fin – a small fleshy lobe found on the back toward the tail. If the fin is missing it was likely removed by Game and Fish biologists and the salmon probably has a micro-tag embedded in its head. There is no external tag.

Micro-tags are inserted into a sample of young salmon before being stocked into Lake Sakakawea. This microscopic tag is implanted near the snout, and contains a code that identifies stocking information.

Heads can be turned into Game and Fish, or local bait shops in Riverdale and Pick City. Anglers will be provided information about the fish when tags are extracted and read by biologists.

Game Warden Exam Aug. 5

Individuals interested in taking the district game warden exam scheduled for Aug. 5 are reminded to register no later than Aug. 1, by submitting an online application through the North Dakota State Job Openings website.

The test is at 10 a.m. at the department’s main office in Bismarck.

Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and have a bachelor’s degree at time of hire (tentative hire date is Oct. 1), have a valid driver’s license and a current North Dakota peace officer license, or be eligible to be licensed. Candidates must have excellent interpersonal skills in communications and writing, and must not have a record of any felony convictions.

District game wardens enforce game and fish laws and related regulations in an assigned district and other locations as determined by the department. Wardens normally work alone under varied conditions, at all hours of the day, night and weekends. In addition to law enforcement duties, wardens assist in the areas of public relations, education programs, and hunter and boat safety education.

Salary through training for a district game warden is $3,800 per month. Upon successful completion of training, the monthly salary ranges are $4,260 - $7,100. Wardens also receive the state benefits package, including travel allowance. Uniforms and other equipment are provided.

Pronghorn Applications Due Aug. 3

Prospective pronghorn hunters are reminded the deadline to apply for the 2016 hunting season is Aug. 3.

Applicants can apply online by visiting the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov, or by calling 800-406-6409. Paper applications are available for printing off the website, and from license vendors.

A total of 730 licenses are available in seven open units – 1A, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A and 4C. All licenses are valid for any pronghorn.

The bow-only portion of the season is from Sept 2 (noon) – Sept. 25. Anyone who draws a license can hunt pronghorn with a bow in the unit printed on the license.

From Sept. 30 (noon) – Oct.16, hunters who still have a valid license can use legal firearms or archery equipment, and again must stay in the assigned unit.

Only North Dakota residents are eligible to apply for a 2016 pronghorn license. People who have accumulated bonus points and choose not to apply this year will not lose their points.