[KEN W]

1223 passed the Senate yesterday.
It looks like it was amended to take out the early opener for pheasants,but the section to allow res. only the first 7 days is the only part left.
The house version still has both parts in so it will have to go to conference committee.

 

[Dick Monson]

Ken, was that residents only first week, or residents only on PLOTS? I believe the ND Wildlife Federation had lobbyed it that way. The vote was 42-2, and the article said "pheasantgate" was brought up several times on the floor.

 

[KEN W]

Dick...it says land owned or private land enrolled in GNF programs.
That doesn't mean WPA's.

 

[prairie hunter]

What a mess this one could be.

Ken your right Section 1 was eliminated in the senate. This simply means the pheasant opener can be anytime - just like last fall. The reading of the original bill was amended to read pheasant season could open not before Oct 1 and could not start the same weekend as duck. Thus pheasant season would likely open no earlier than the second weekend of October. No such rules in the senate version.

Thus pheasant gate could occur again - private land / Fed WPA hunts only for NRs the first seven days. Residents only on NDG&F WMA and PLOTs.

The bill would also prohibit NRs from waterfowl hunting on PLOTS and ND G&F land during the first seven days of pheasant season.

This will be A mess to enforce - I would guess.

 

[KEN W]

Looks fine to me,course I'm not a non-res.I don't hunt PLOTS the first week anyway,but there are a lot of ND hunters who are tired of competing with non-res on these acres.I've heard reports of non-res. camping out the night before there just to be first.
PH...I don't see a problem with non-res hunting PLOTS for waterfowl the first week of pheasant season...just make sure you have steel in you pockets,and don't shoot at any roosters.Of course,the wardens are going to have fun with this.

 

[prairie hunter]

Ken you may not have a problem with NRs hunting waterfowl on GMAs or PLOTs the first week of the season, but with the bill as now written the NDG&F will.

I emailed them. Their response was: the bill as written, prohibits all NR hunting (waterfowl, deer bow, grouse) on these lands the first week of pheasant season.

Bill has absolutely no impact on me - at all.

Again, the bill as written is messy at best for good enforcement. NG G&F has done a good job at making rules and regs simple - not complicated.

Your vision of the bill is better.

 

[Dan Bueide]

PH, there's been much debate on this site as to whether 1223 creates a "reasonable" spiff for residents. But, I don't see much in the way of problems in terms of enforcement. The small game proc is always out b/4 the waterfowl, so by the time the waterfowl comes out the pheasant opener has been set. Both procs will have a statement alerting nonresident hunters of the new law (almost all state/province procs have a "what's new for 200_" section in the front). These areas are always well signed. Shouldn't be much other than a "bright line" as to whether someone's violating or not. I would think to species-differentiate would make enforcement more difficult.

 

[prairie hunter]

You and I (plus most resident ND) see things much different that the average NR. We grew up here and know the roads, land, and signs like the back of our own hand. For many - much is taken for granted.

Many others do not see it the same way.

So a group of hunters is on the Lonetree hunting grouse and ducks in early October. Friday is good. Saturday pheasant opener starts and for seven days NRs need to stay away from the land with orange signs. Easy for some - difficult for many to understand.

How about the people around Rugby or Devils Lake - this make any sense at all ??

Ignorance an excuse to violate the law - absolutely not.

The point is ND G&F has made an effort if not a policy to simplify hunting regs and rules - this is 180 degree polar opposite of that trend.

Hey with NRs off the state land for seven days and residents only hunting weekends = more birds on the state land later in the season. Yea for me.

 

[KEN W]

Your're right PH...it does say" for the purposes of hunting," so PLOTS would be off limits for non-res. for hunting anything for 1 week.
You are also correct in that it is pretty much not necessary north of Hwy. 2.We don't have many pheasants up here.But to make it simple I think it should be statewide.
With this bill,the legis. will at least do SOMETHING for the res. hunter.