Department of Fish and Game Summaries
Youth, Military Waterfowl Weekend
Introduce a youth to duck hunting during the two-day Youth Waterfowl Weekend in North Dakota on September 17-18. Also, the special waterfowl season for veterans and active military is scheduled for the same weekend.
The North Dakota Department of Fish and Game has a Virtual Duck Hunting Mentor webpage with all the basics, including license requirements, regulations, gear recommendations, and tips for finding a place to hunt. Legally licensed resident and nonresident youth waterfowl hunters age 15 and under, and veterans and members of the Armed Forces on active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserves on active duty (other than for training), they can hunt ducks, geese, coots, and mergansers statewide.
The daily bag limit and species restrictions are the same as for regular duck and goose seasons. However, the two additional blue-winged teals allowed during the first 16 days of the regular season are not allowed during this weekend.
Qualifying resident and nonresident junior waterfowl hunters must possess a general hunting and habitat license. Nonresidents of states that do not provide a reciprocal license agreement for North Dakota residents must purchase the full package of nonresident waterfowl licenses. Veterans and members of the Armed Forces must possess a resident hunting license, which includes a general and habitat hunting license and a small game hunting license. Hunters over the age of 16 must also possess a federal waterfowl stamp, and youth over the age of 12 must have passed a certified hunter education course.
Additionally, all hunters must be certified by the Harvest Information Program. Hunters who do not certify HIP when purchasing a North Dakota license can add it by visiting the state Department of Fish and Game website at gf.nd.gov.
Hunters were asked to send envelopes of wings
Hunters can help in the effort to control North Dakota’s highland game birds by collecting feathers from captured birds and sending them in envelopes with the wings.
The birds included in the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s game wing survey, which has been in practice for decades, are ring-necked pheasants, sharp-tailed grouse, partridges, turkeys and grouse. Collecting enough pheasant specimens is usually never a problem, but ensuring enough sharptail and partridge feathers can be. Game and fish biologists will take as many sharptail and partridge feathers as they can get because the more collected, the better the data.
Biologists can determine whether birds are male or female, age ratios, survival, nesting success, hatching dates, and overall production. What biologists learn from the samples is vital to help control North Dakota’s highland game birds. Instructions for sending the wing data are printed on the envelope. Hunters interested in receiving wing packs should visit the Game and Fish website, gf.nd.gov.
Season for young deer hunters
Friday, September 16 at noon Central Time marks the beginning of a nine-and-a-half-day deer hunting season for young licensed hunters. Residents who are 11, 12 or 13 years old in 2022 can hunt antlerless whitetail deer statewide. Resident deer hunters who are 14 or 15 years old in 2022 may hunt statewide with a junior season license for any deer except mule deer with antlers in units 3B1, 3B2, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 4F where a special license is required. required.
After opening day, hunting hours are from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. Orange clothing is required for Junior Hunters and Mentors. Every young deer hunter must be under the direct supervision of an adult. The adult is prohibited from carrying a firearm or bow while accompanying the young hunter in the field during the youth season. The young deer season closes on September 25.
Sandhill Crane Season
The North Dakota sandhill crane season begins on September 17 and ends on November 13. The limits are three daily and nine in possession in Unit 1 (west of US Highway 281), and two daily and six in possession in Unit 2 (east of US Highway 281). Shooting hours are from half an hour before sunrise to 2 pm every day.
Hunters are urged to use caution and identify birds to avoid shooting endangered whooping cranes as they begin their fall migration. In addition to other required licenses, resident hunters need a $10 crane permit, while non-residents need a $30 permit. Hunters can purchase a license online at the North Dakota Department of Fish and Game website, gf.nd.gov.
Harvest Information Program certification is required. To become HIP certified, go to the Game and Fish website.