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Take time to enjoy August for what it is
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Dove and early Canada goose season kick off in September, pheasant hunters yearn for a crisp October morning, and deer hunters anxiously await the call of November.
Is anybody chomping at the bit for August? I doubt it. The dog days of summer, signal the inevitable beginning of school and end of vacation. Fishing seems to slow as hot temperatures wear on. Indeed, August seldom is looked upon with anticipation by fall hunters or summer anglers.
But don’t think that August is not important for fall hunting, and it’s not just for gearing up or practicing shooting. Here’s a quick stroll through some of the significant August outdoor actions.
August 2 marks the deadline for the third deer lottery. With tens of thousands of antlerless deer tags remaining, no man, woman or young hunter can grouse about not getting a deer license. It may not be a buck tag in the unit of choice, but everyone in North Dakota who wants to hunt deer can have the opportunity.
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Pronghorn applications are still available
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August 9 is the final date for applying for one of the 3,810 licenses available for the pronghorn gun season. It’s also the application deadline for the state’s third prairie grouse season.
Pronghorn applications are available at license vendors, county auditor and Game and Fish offices, as well as online at the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov, and over the phone at 800-406-6409.
Prairie grouse season applications are by mail-in postcards only. Applications for the 2006 season must be in the mail and postmarked no later than Aug. 9. To apply for the prairie grouse season, hunters need to send a 3 x 5-inch postcard containing their name, address, phone number and choice of hunting unit (north or south) to Prairie Chicken Application, North Dakota Game and Fish Department, 100 N. Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck, N.D. 58501.
The prairie grouse hunting season is for either prairie chickens or sharp-tailed grouse. It will be held Oct. 14-22 in two hunting units, one in Grand Forks County (north unit) and the other in southeastern North Dakota (south unit). Fifty licenses will be awarded to resident hunters in each unit.
In 2005, the second modern day season, hunters bagged 45 prairie chickens and 127 sharp-tailed grouse. In the north unit, 42 hunters took 25 prairie chickens and 15 sharptails, while 45 hunters took 20 prairie chickens and 112 sharptails in the south unit.
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The first August hunting season kicks off with the lucky elk hunters who drew tags
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August 11 is the first hunting opener of the fall season, for those fortunate few who drew early season elk licenses for Units E3 and E4 in the western part of the state.
August 12 is the first general hunting opener – for crows. While not a significant opener, it adds to the imperative feel that fall is just around the corner. Make no mistake, while crows are plentiful, they are not the easiest quarry and are a challenge to hunt.
Also on the August agenda is the next guide and outfitter exam, set for Saturday, Aug. 12 at 1 p.m. at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department office in Bismarck. The test is given periodically to anyone interested in becoming a hunting guide or outfitter in the state.
In addition to passing a written exam, qualifications for becoming a guide include a background check for criminal and game and fish violations; certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and standard first aid; and employment by or contract with a licensed hunting outfitter.
Interested individuals are required to preregister by calling the Game and Fish Department’s enforcement office at 328-6604.
August 16 is the application deadline for the 2,000 swan licenses available in North Dakota.
Beyond the significant application deadlines, duck brood survey results will be released in August. Game and Fish Department biologists also complete upland game brood surveys by the end of the month, providing a reliable indicator of prospects for grouse and pheasant seasons.
August is also a great time to purchase hunting licenses and get registered with the Harvest Information Program. That way, you won’t have to take care of those details in September or October when it’s time to go hunting.
Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Department. He can be reached by email:
dleier@nd.gov
Photo credits to the ND Game and Fish Department
