North Dakota Game and Fish Notes
The two-day young pheasant season in North Dakota, October 1-2, is a great opportunity to introduce a new outdoor hunter with limited competition.
That’s when legally licensed residents and nonresidents age 15 and younger can hunt rooster pheasants statewide. An adult at least 18 years old must accompany the young hunter in the field. The adult cannot carry a firearm.
Resident youth hunters must possess a fishing, hunting and fur certificate and a general hunting and habitat license. Young hunters who are not residents of states that provide a reciprocal license agreement for North Dakota residents are eligible for North Dakota resident licenses. Otherwise, nonresident junior hunters must purchase a nonresident small game hunting license.
Hunters over the age of 12 must have passed a certified hunter education course or obtain an apprentice hunter validation, which allows a person to hunt small game for one year of license without completing hunter education.
Daily bag limit and all other regulations apply for the regular pheasant season. See North Dakota Hunting and Trapping Guide 2022-23 for additional information.
PLOT Regulation
State law prohibits small game, waterfowl, furfowl, or large game hunting by nonresidents on acreage of private land open to sportsmen and in state wildlife management areas from 8 to 14 October, the first seven days of the pheasant season. However, non-residents may hunt on PLOTS owned by them during that week.
In addition, equipment such as tree stands, blinds, decoys, firearms, archery equipment, or trail cameras is not allowed to be left on the PARCEL overnight without the owner’s written permission.
Owner permission is always required for motorized vehicle access to PITCHES, for example, to place lures in a field, unless specifically noted on the PITCHES sign.
Motorists watch out for deer
Motorists should be on the lookout for deer along roadways at this time of year, as young animals disperse from their home ranges.
October through early December is the peak period for deer vehicle accidents. Motorists are advised to slow down and use caution after dark to reduce the chance of deer encounters. Most deer vehicle accidents occur primarily at dawn and dusk, when deer are most frequently on the move.
Motorists should watch for warning signs indicating deer are in the area. When you see a deer cross the street, look for a second or third deer to follow. Also, pay attention to roads marked with deer crossing area caution signs.
Deer vehicle accidents are sometimes unavoidable. If an accident occurs, law enforcement authorities do not have to be notified if only the vehicle is damaged. However, if the accident involves personal injury or other property damage, then it must be reported.
In addition, a permit is required before taking possession of a roadkill deer. Permits are free and available through rangers and local police.
A few precautions can minimize the chances of injury or property damage in a deer-vehicle crash:
- Always wear your seat belt.
- Don’t swerve or take the ditch to avoid hitting a deer. Try to brake as much as possible and stay on the road. Don’t lose control of your vehicle or crash into something else to avoid finding the deer. You run less risk of injury when hitting the deer.
If you see a deer ahead, immediately slow down and honk your horn.