Search Results for ‘conservation’

One of the more common questions asked of any Game and Fish employee, whether it's over the phone, through friends, via email, or at the grocery store, is: "How do you get a job as a game warden?" The next test to become a North Dakota Game and Fish Warden is on July 17, 2015 I get...

This is the time of year when North Dakota Game and Fish Department game wardens, biologists and other staff throughout the state handle an influx of calls about young animals. Not every young animal that looks like it could use some help is actually in need of help. From seemingly...

By Doug Leier Looking ahead to 2015, it's hard not to get excited, or stay excited, about the excellent fishing prospects that lie ahead for North Dakota. None of us who are anglers today have ever lived through a time when the state has had more fishing waters than it does right now. None...

By Doug Leier Many of my outdoors destinations tend to attract higher use than a secluded badlands nook, a Turtle Mountains hideout or even a tucked away Missouri Coteau wetland. While we typically associate littering problems with warmer weather seasons, it happens in the winter, too I...

By Doug Leier The much anticipated annual North Dakota Private Land Open To Sportsmen or PLOTS Guide is now available. The PLOTS program has about 735,000 acres for 2014, which is down slightly from 760,000 acres last fall The printed version likely won't hit the usual outlets such as...

By Doug Leier The well documented and discussed wet cycle and expansion of fisheries is not new to most anglers, or even people who don't fish. Anyone over the age of 25 can attest to the continuing growth and expansion of water and fisheries in North Dakota. 20 years ago Game and Fish...

By Doug Leier North Dakota won't have a sage grouse hunting season in 2014. That news probably doesn't surprise anyone who pays attention to the state's outdoor world. Sage grouse management in North Dakota follows a specific plan developed by a diverse group of participants Sage grouse...

by Doug Leier You've made your list and are checking it twice; anticipation for fishing is growing faster than your lawn this spring. Current license - got it. Life jackets - check. Next stop, open-water fishing 2014. The only thing holding you back from a day on the water is Mother Nature...

by Doug Leier As air temperatures warm up during a North Dakota spring, fishing usually heats up as well. And heading into this spring, most anglers will agree that fishing in North Dakota the past couple of years is as good as it's ever been. It could get even better this year. But even...

by Doug Leier Pheasants, ducks, geese, deer and other game animals get much of the wildlife press in North Dakota, but if publicity was based on numbers alone, the state's "other" wildlife would capture the headlines more frequently. Biologists categorize more than 80 percent of North...

by Doug Leier I've always enjoyed the arrival of spring. I've lived in a number of towns and areas in just about every corner of North Dakota, and whether it's Williston, Bottineau, Bismarck or West Fargo, each has its own special draw. While all of us in the Midwest are fortunate to have...

by Doug Leier North Dakota's fishing regulations are different than any other set of regulations the State Game and Fish Department produces. While they all cover laws, limits and season lengths, the fishing regulations cover a two-year period, while the others are developed annually...

by Doug Leier One of the most interesting facets of being an outreach biologist is the variety of work involved. A few weeks back I assisted with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department's mid-winter waterfowl survey, as I've done in the past, and which biologists across the nation do each...

by Doug Leier It's that time of year again when lots of people start wondering about how North Dakota's wildlife is surviving the winter. Not that wild animals don't have struggles the rest of the year, too. Finding enough to eat, or not getting eaten, are daily challenges year-round, but...

by Doug Leier My short-term memory is sharp enough to recall that the 2013 winter lasted a little too long for my liking, and unless April cross-country skiing or snowmobiling are a draw, I'd suggest ice anglers had plenty of time from last December through March to give way to spring...

by Doug Leier For years, North Dakota Game and Fish Department biologists have stressed the importance of habitat in maintaining healthy wildlife populations in the long term. At the recent round of Game and Fish advisory board meetings, that topic got a lot of emphasis, and brought to light...

by Doug Leier Wildlife management has changed over time. One prime example is the historical practice of feeding wildlife - deer, birds and just about everything in between, especially during winter when people perceive a shortage of food. This practice was once embraced by most wildlife...

by Doug Leier State Game and Fish Department biologists conduct a variety of studies every year. The familiar ones are those that provide counts or indexes that factor into season setting and limits, and also set hunter and angler expectations. Sometimes, it's fairly obvious why fish or game...

Doug Leier For good reason, the State Game and Fish Department makes every effort to explain waterfowl hunting rules and regulations that hunters will need to know as they take the field this fall. This includes daily bag limits, species restrictions, season lengths, special zones and hunting...

Doug Leier With more than 175 WMAs in North Dakota, land management is essential. For most of us, the road traveled matters little once we've arrived at our destination. Seldom do we realize - or appreciate - when beginning a pheasant hunt across the prairie, the time and energy it takes...