This is in todays Bismarck paper
Regulations for small game set
By RICHARD HINTON, Bismarck Tribune
North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven signed the paperwork on Tuesday to set season dates and bag limits for many of the state's fall hunting seasons and to make official the three-zone concept and restrictions on hunting days for nonresident duck hunters.
The 2003-04 small game and furbearer proclamation does not include waterfowl regulations, which will be added in late August after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service establishes a framework.
What nonresident duck hunters will see this fall is three zones, two small zones in the south central and central parts of the state and a third that covers the remainder of the state. Nonresidents who designate a small zone, either zone 1 or 2, may hunt that zone for only one seven-day period. Nonresident hunters who want to hunt in zone 1 or 2 and use all 14 days must hunt the other seven days in zone 3. Nonresidents cannot hunt both zones 1 and 2, but hunters can hunt zone three for the 14 days. There is no cap on visiting duck hunter numbers, however.
The zones do not affect resident hunters.
"It's a good, solid plan," Hoeven said Tuesday. "We're trying to bring people together and come up with a good balance."
The issue has been hotly debated with several measures introduced in the 2003 legislative session. On one side are rural business owners who benefit from out-of-state hunters' visits. On the other side are resident hunters who believe the crush of visiting hunters is destroying the quality of their hunting.
The proclamation also includes a provision that allows only North Dakota residents to hunt from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 of the regular waterfowl season, if the FWS framework allows for an early opening date of Sept. 27. Otherwise, the season will open Oct. 4 for resident and nonresident hunters.
Hunting season lengths and bag limits for upland game and furbearers in 2003 are essentially unchanged from last year, said Dean Hildebrand, North Dakota Game and Fish Department director. Sandhill crane hunting zones, season structures and bag limits also are basically the same, Hildebrand said.
The proclamation, however, does contain several significant changes:
The 2003 Legislature made changes in the nonresident upland game and waterfowl license fee structure. The cost of a nonresident small game license, as set by the Legislature, is $85. Nonresidents also need a $2 license certificate and $13 general game and habitat stamp to complete their small game license. Nonresident upland game licenses are now valid for either one 10-day period or two five-day periods. Nonresidents may purchase more than one license. The small game license is needed for nonresidents to hunt migratory sandhill cranes and mourning doves, in addition to resident upland birds such as pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, Hungarian partridge and others.
The nonresident waterfowl license is now separate from the small game license. It costs $85, as well, and remains good for 14 days or two seven-day periods. The seven-day statewide license no longer is available. The nonresident waterfowl license used to be a $10 add on.
Nonresidents will not be able to hunt pheasants on North Dakota Game and Fish Department wildlife management areas or on land enrolled in the Game and Fish Department Private Land Open to Sportsmen program from Oct. 11 through Oct. 17. However, nonresidents may hunt waterfowl and upland game, such as sharp-tailed grouse or partridge, during that time on WMAs and PLOTS areas. This new provision was passed by the state Legislature this year.
A statewide September Canada goose season, which targets resident populations, will be held Sept. 1-15 with a bag limit of five geese and a possession limit of 10 geese. The 2003 season has been reduced by one week as a result of a three-year evaluation conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that looked at the percentage of small, migrant geese taken during the third week of September. Over the three-year evaluation, the harvest of small geese exceeded 10 percent, which is the threshold allowed under federal harvest regulations.
Wanton waste of upland and migratory game birds has been clarified in an effort to reduce "dumpster dumping," in which people simply throw away birds so they can be under their possession limit and continue to hunt.
In another legislative action, hunters may take raccoons with the aid of a flashlight with a power of not more than six volts rather than four volts as in the past.
The use of snares is not permitted on Game and Fish wildlife management area tracts until after the close of upland game bird season, which is Jan. 4. Some changes have been made concerning snares and the material from which they are made. Most important is that individuals who are making snares from components must be responsible for ensuring they have locks that break or disassemble at 350 pounds or less.
Regulations for small game set
By RICHARD HINTON, Bismarck Tribune
North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven signed the paperwork on Tuesday to set season dates and bag limits for many of the state's fall hunting seasons and to make official the three-zone concept and restrictions on hunting days for nonresident duck hunters.
The 2003-04 small game and furbearer proclamation does not include waterfowl regulations, which will be added in late August after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service establishes a framework.
What nonresident duck hunters will see this fall is three zones, two small zones in the south central and central parts of the state and a third that covers the remainder of the state. Nonresidents who designate a small zone, either zone 1 or 2, may hunt that zone for only one seven-day period. Nonresident hunters who want to hunt in zone 1 or 2 and use all 14 days must hunt the other seven days in zone 3. Nonresidents cannot hunt both zones 1 and 2, but hunters can hunt zone three for the 14 days. There is no cap on visiting duck hunter numbers, however.
The zones do not affect resident hunters.
"It's a good, solid plan," Hoeven said Tuesday. "We're trying to bring people together and come up with a good balance."
The issue has been hotly debated with several measures introduced in the 2003 legislative session. On one side are rural business owners who benefit from out-of-state hunters' visits. On the other side are resident hunters who believe the crush of visiting hunters is destroying the quality of their hunting.
The proclamation also includes a provision that allows only North Dakota residents to hunt from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 of the regular waterfowl season, if the FWS framework allows for an early opening date of Sept. 27. Otherwise, the season will open Oct. 4 for resident and nonresident hunters.
Hunting season lengths and bag limits for upland game and furbearers in 2003 are essentially unchanged from last year, said Dean Hildebrand, North Dakota Game and Fish Department director. Sandhill crane hunting zones, season structures and bag limits also are basically the same, Hildebrand said.
The proclamation, however, does contain several significant changes:
The 2003 Legislature made changes in the nonresident upland game and waterfowl license fee structure. The cost of a nonresident small game license, as set by the Legislature, is $85. Nonresidents also need a $2 license certificate and $13 general game and habitat stamp to complete their small game license. Nonresident upland game licenses are now valid for either one 10-day period or two five-day periods. Nonresidents may purchase more than one license. The small game license is needed for nonresidents to hunt migratory sandhill cranes and mourning doves, in addition to resident upland birds such as pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, Hungarian partridge and others.
The nonresident waterfowl license is now separate from the small game license. It costs $85, as well, and remains good for 14 days or two seven-day periods. The seven-day statewide license no longer is available. The nonresident waterfowl license used to be a $10 add on.
Nonresidents will not be able to hunt pheasants on North Dakota Game and Fish Department wildlife management areas or on land enrolled in the Game and Fish Department Private Land Open to Sportsmen program from Oct. 11 through Oct. 17. However, nonresidents may hunt waterfowl and upland game, such as sharp-tailed grouse or partridge, during that time on WMAs and PLOTS areas. This new provision was passed by the state Legislature this year.
A statewide September Canada goose season, which targets resident populations, will be held Sept. 1-15 with a bag limit of five geese and a possession limit of 10 geese. The 2003 season has been reduced by one week as a result of a three-year evaluation conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that looked at the percentage of small, migrant geese taken during the third week of September. Over the three-year evaluation, the harvest of small geese exceeded 10 percent, which is the threshold allowed under federal harvest regulations.
Wanton waste of upland and migratory game birds has been clarified in an effort to reduce "dumpster dumping," in which people simply throw away birds so they can be under their possession limit and continue to hunt.
In another legislative action, hunters may take raccoons with the aid of a flashlight with a power of not more than six volts rather than four volts as in the past.
The use of snares is not permitted on Game and Fish wildlife management area tracts until after the close of upland game bird season, which is Jan. 4. Some changes have been made concerning snares and the material from which they are made. Most important is that individuals who are making snares from components must be responsible for ensuring they have locks that break or disassemble at 350 pounds or less.
