North Dakota Fishing and Hunting Reports

[huntnfish]

I filled one of my doe tags Friday about a half hour before dark. It was only only one of two deer seen all weekend. Its going to be another year like last year. Called it a day early today with the rain.

[Springerguy1]

Worse opener we've had in 30 years - ended up with one doe, there were four of us in the party. We did opt not to shoot some smaller does but few opportunities due to the corn. Talking with a relative it doesn't sound good that the harvest will move fast. He told me the elevators will probably only take corn on certain schedule since they will have to dry all of the corn. Heading back on Friday with my son - was hoping to hunt waterfowl and pheasants but looks like we'll have to chase some deer as well. Oh well, makes you appreciate the season's that are somewhat "normal" - although the last two years it feels like the rain will never end.

[harvey lee]

We had probably the best opener ever. Many deer shot but the bucks are not quite to the full rut yet.

I talked to my son who is hunting this week and he said the bucks are starting to move a bit very early in the morning with the cooler temps. By 9am, the bucks are gone until the next morning. We just need a little cooler weather and they should be running the does well.

Still a few does with fawns in tow.

Friday and Saturday evening I saw approx 81 deer with approx 5 bucks included. The bucks could have cared lesss about the does in the field. I did watch one buck rub on a fence post but never once went towards the does.

I would guess by this weekend, things should be looking good. I see on weather.com that it could snow Monday and Tuesday next week and that could be the trigger to set them off.

We have no corn in our area we hunt so it was business as usual.

[TylerS]

Our opener was mediocre. Shot six deer for six guys. That may seem like a lot, but you have to keep in mind that we generally get six deer on the first day alone.

Certainly had chances, but few and far between. Oh well, it was still fun! Always good to get out, sit on the ground, and wait for all the yahoos that can't sit still for more than five minutes to push the deer right in your lap!

Will be out again this weekend. Crop report was not good from my uncle who took my cousing out last Saturday. They didn't see a single deer the entire day. Hopefully the cooler temps and maybe (dare I say it lest I jynx myself) snow will help get the deer moving.

Good luck to everyone for the rest of the season!

[rangerforme]

How long does it usually take for a non-resident to draw a buck gun tag?

[KEN W]

Depends on the unit......3-6 years.

[iffwalleyes]

God we had a rough week in the field. Man the deer a just not moving during the day at all way too much crops for them to hide in. We did get a few. I did get a smaller buck on Sun. I now have one does tag left for noth of Valley City for this week

[harvey lee]

Good luck Jason. The bucks around the Leonard area really started to run on Saturday when the wind tirn and was out of the NW and the temps dropped. Bucks were running all day. I saw 6 in less than an hour Sunday and my friends daughter shot a 10 at 1 in the aft on Monday.

[LMITOUT]

Last week I made a trip back to ND for some pheasant hunting and on Veteran's Day I traveled to the SW part of the state to visit my sister and her family on their farm. I took my nephew out with me because he has caught the hunting bug in a bad way and after a short walk we ended up with two roosters. He tagged along behind with his "shot" as he calls it, a toy double barrel shotgun, and I took care of business with the 16 gauge Citori O/U. He was grinning ear to ear and it was a great day to be out visiting the family.

Here's a picture of my nephew with my GSP, Holly, and our bounty for the day.

[marine_man]

Nice work Lmitout!

marine_man

[Tom7227]

A friend wants to go to some tractor graveyard near Asimore??? and then go prairie dog hunting. I've never been out that way. Will we be able to find some shooting or will we have to travel elsewhere? I've done the dogs in SD but never up north so I don't know where they are.

Any info is appreciated.

Thanks

Tom

[Jmnhunter]

hey tom, there are few towns about 20-25 miles SW of Mandan but they get hit hard. this is the 1st time i've been trying for them so i'm still learning. i went out early april when it was nice but they were finicky. so you may have to check aerial photos around asimore

[KEN W]

Spring Mule Deer Survey Complete

Western North Dakota’s mule deer population has decreased slightly for the second consecutive year, based on observations during the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s annual spring mule deer survey in April.

Biologists counted 2,272 mule deer in 291 square miles, compared to 2,483 in 2009. Mule deer density per square mile was 7.8, a slight decrease from 8.5 in 2009.

Bruce Stillings, big game biologist, Dickinson, said the badlands mule deer population index still remains higher than the long-term average.

Biologists have completed aerial surveys of the same 24 study areas since the 1950s. The survey assists the department in obtaining solid mule deer population data for the badlands, such as demographic trends and production ratios (buck-to-doe and fawn-to-doe).

[NDLive]

You’re gonna lose a jig doing that

This started late last fall when the kids and I took a trip to the tailrace. Fishing was off and getting a bite was all work. We were anchored in the current with the usual out the back or side, and jigging back to the boat. No fish, not even a swing and a miss. My hard drive went into search function and out came this idea that maybe a little different presentation might trigger a strike. It did!

Fox Island in Bismarck is about as urban a boat ramp as I have ever fished. Even with the fantastic bite that has been going on there were only about 15 other trailers in the lot. Great ramp by the way, all pavement , complete with a cleaning station. We got the day going with a slow drift behind the first sand bar we came to. That was pretty much the pattern for the next 3 locations.

I get all tense and begin to second guess what I’m doing when other boats are putting in fish and I’m not. Several other boats have at least one fish and I’m still waiting for # 1. Spot # 4 before it finally comes together in a slack water area just a couple of miles south of the ramp.

Normally I drift with the current and pitch or vertical jig. It’s how I’ve fished for years and still do but I’m finding that a little different twist has been filling the livewell on tuff days. I hold the boat in the current with the electric. Making very short pitches upstream, 20 to 30 feet. I glue my eyes on the line and wait for touchdown. The second it lands I give a lift and 3 or 4 frantic cranks. Often I only get 3 or 4 lift-drops before I’m back to the boat. Fast fishing!

Maybe it’s the speed, maybe a more natural presentation but whatever it is, it works! Seems the speed triggers the strike. You won’t need a super sensitive feel but extremely fast reflex is essential. Strikes are hard and quick. I vary my cast from directly upstream to just off center where the jigs slips downstream and passes the side of the boat. Once the jig is parallel to the boat I crank in for another cast.

This presentation is a lot of work and it requires constant focus. You make hundreds of short little casts but the reward is nothing short of astounding. Does it work every time out? Not, but the last 4 trips out to the river it has put fish in the boat faster than all of my more traditional approaches. I suspect several savvy fishermen have been doing this for years but it’s brand new to me. Amazing, I’m going to call it Windows 7 and it was my idea!

[Rick]

Fox Island in Bismarck is about as urban a boat ramp as Greg has ever fished. Even with the fantastic bite that has been going on there were only about 15 other trailers in the lot. Great ramp by the way, all pavement, complete with a cleaning station. They got the day going with a slow drift behind the first sand bar they came to. That was pretty much the pattern for the next 3 locations.

Pitching Upstream

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[NDLive]

Legend has it

In the deep past a regular scene at Tobacco Gardens was of a man walking through the mist lugging equipment down the steep rugged badlands to get to the water. Once on shore Floyd would set back and patiently wait. Legend has it Floyd caught more fish from this point than anyone, including the swarms of anglers who would boat in from all directions to challenge his status.

Cabins, camping, slips, gas, bait, tackle, oh and a selection of my favorite lures for Sakakawea. Welcome to Tobacco Gardens. Peg has the bacon frying along with anything else you could want for a homemade breakfast. She keeps it all together on top of being cook, gracious host, lawn care specialist, the list goes on. If this was my place things would be different. It would fold the first season. I like to fish, not work.

I woke up at 3 am to the sound of rain. The next time my peepers opened it was 5 am and you could still hear the sound of rain. At 6 am driving through New Town it was darker than when I got up, except for the lightning. I pulled into Tobacco Gardens at 7:30 and rain was beginning to let up as skies lightened. That’s when the crabby old lady showed up with the wind, Mother Nature.

With east winds at 27 the plan was to head into the waves to the beacon and then drop in cranks and coast back. The plan had one flaw, no fish. There was a backup. Move from the 15 foot range in shallow and see if they were up feeding. They weren’t!

Hey, didn’t Peg mention something about soup. I don’t want you guys to start thinking I’m getting old and gotta go in for lunch but how can you let down a sweet, gracious ND gal trying to make living. I think at the end of this pull we better make the run back to the restaurant. Just then, God in His infinite goodness rewarded our sacrifice with a fish for Rex. See it pays to think of others first.

Back out for more fun as temps are dropping and wind is increasing. I don’t normally fish in 30 + wind and at some point common sense should kick in but we do have a semi-protected area to fish. More of the same is not working. Cranks deep, cranks shallow, cranks fast, cranks slow. How about we try the jigs?

I love to jig but not when crabby is trying to rip the rod from my hand every time I relax my grip. I can’t even tell when I’m snagged let alone sense a subtle walleye bite. The electric is cranked and we are just coming to Floyd’s favorite rock when a decent sauger somehow attaches itself to my jig. Let’s see, that’s about 1 fish for every 4 hours. You sure you want a limit?

Floyds point is textbook perfect. Rocks cover the shoreline and bottom out to 12 feet. There it takes a plunge into 20. Somewhere I read this is what the experts call a feeding shelf. Maybe if Floyd was still alive he could tell ya for sure. No matter what you call it, it’s a great walleye location that you should stop at when heading out to the big water from Tobacco.

The woman can’t quit till she’s made her point. At 35 mph it blows water loose from the surface and keeps a refreshing mist cooling any exposed skin. Like it ain’t cold enough already. Show off Rex quietly hooks his second fish of the day, another sauger. I think 3 is a limit, ain’t it?

Don’t let me scare you off. Even though I have to constantly remind myself of this fact it is still true. If you are a fisherman, wind is your friend. Just need to learn how to use it to your favor. You know, the walleye chop theory. I’m developing a theory of my own, about a crabby old lady that needs anger management classes.

[LMITOUT]

Gotta love that ND wind.

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.”

[cbrooks]

I just drove back from DL. I thought my boat and trailer was gonna tip over a few times from the wind. I like a walleye chop but this striaght force winds are gosh darn ridiculous. I guess I'm a pessimist:)

[NDLive]

It’s impossible to tell from this distance. Doesn’t that look like a head moving?

4 Bears marina is our launch site for a day on “The River” as it is locally called. The upper end of Sakakawea is normally the first to turn on. If you are looking for camping $12 will get you a full RV hook up. Obama should have such a stimulus package. I can’t pitch my tent for $12 a night. Gas, bait, tackle, groceries topped off with a concrete ramp and fish cleaning station.

An unexpected call from a fishing buddy got us started in the right direction. Kevin suggested south to Diamond Head in the Hunts Along area. We started shallow in 9, moved to 15 and settled in 24 because that is where the bait seemed to begin. This school of smelt is over 2 miles long and covers the bottom like heavy storm clouds.

The tackle box was emptied in an effort to fine tune the presentation. We settled on cranks but most boats seemed to do better than us using live bait. I’d say the Sauger bite is the strongest right now with a Walleye now and then and a few Northern or White Bass mixed in. Talking with other boats it sounds like a good starting depth would be 30 and go both directions from there.

Sakakawea is where I learned to crank and nothing treats me better on Sak than Reef Runners. From the little Rip Shads to the big Deep Divers, in my opinion, they will out fish any other crank. With water color off a bit I sent down a Mud Minnow and turns out it was the right guess.

It’s been too long since I dropped the big lures in deep (93 ft back) and put the speed on at 3mph. Today’s results fired off with Northern after Northern. In fact they became a nuisance after the first 15. With all the flooded vegetation we can expect to see the big northern fishery back soon.

At 3 mph the clicker really screams when a big fish latches on. When you have 30 feet of line out and the fish is all but straight down you can start to smile.

Of all the ways to catch Walleye nothing comes close to the satisfaction of big fish on big lures. This one was no disappointment. A few pictures and back for another day.

Water temps in the high 60’s were a welcome sight. Not so welcome was the lack of wind. Most of the day was flat calm. Even though we moved around a bit we pretty much stuck to the west shore in 24 feet all day. Bait is everywhere and when we would get into areas where the clouds were broken up into smaller balls we seemed to catch fish.

Fish move in a reservoir and where they are this morning is not where they will likely be this afternoon. Don’t get too settled on a specific location or where they were last time out. Move, move, move. It is more a game of interception than sit and wait.

From reports on the water fishing is pretty good both directions from 4 Bears Marina. Antelope Flats to the north is getting lots of attention. If headed south I would go straight to Diamond Head and work both directions. The bluffs on the west shore held the most bait today and just a slight breeze will create a mudline due to the high water.

Over the years I have seen rattlers swimming across the lake, coyote out for a morning dip, even seen antelope swimming across the lake! Oh ya and the time I saw the loch ness feeding along shore. Ya, I got pictures and no they ain’t blurry. This however was a first. Too far to tell for sure but no question it was moving very slowly across the lake headed into Hunts Along Bay.

Not one to let a mystery go unsolved we motored cautiously in its direction. At a safe distance, otherwise known as “maximum telephoto range” for my camera, I snapped my first photo. Sensing the creature was not alarmed I moved in closer for another shot. Good Grief, what is a navy seal doing swimming across Sakakawea. I’ve seen it all now, well unless I get another glimpse of Nesse.

[NDLive]

More photos from Sakakwea out of 4 Bears Marina

[NDLive]

Sakakawea is up over 40 feet from its drought years. Flooded vegetation is providing the perfect nursery for an amazing comeback. This video filmed June 24,2010 is an example of what we can expect in the years to come.

Watch in HD at: http://hsoshow.com/video/197/Sakakawea-Badlands-Walleyes

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[NDLive]

“You’re in trouble Schoneck.” Ya, tell me about it

Three years ago this area was a mine field of 100 year old stumps camouflaged by 18 inches of water. Quietly waiting for an opportunity to chew a lower unit off the back of your boat. Today with water levels at 1847, just 5 feet short of full, those same stumps are 40 feet down. The lifecycle of a reservoir is often harsh but the rewards of transformation sweet.

I’ve outgrown my need for camping unless it gets me closer to the boat ramp. Lewis & Clark State Park does just that. With a badlands backdrop it is easy to escape to a time undisturbed by busyness. Down the lake a ways is Lund’s Landing. Nestled tight in an ash coulee draw with all you could hope for in a lake resort including homemade pie.

I like help, reports, specific info, locations, GPS numbers. Today I’m armed with nothing but my wits. “You’re in trouble Schoneck.” Ya, tell me about it. Water levels have us all fishing a new reservoir and the fish are as displaced as the fishermen. It’s one of those days when you just go fishing. Where do you begin in a lake that stretches beyond the horizon?

I like to start shallow and move out if I have to. With a submerged tree line beginning at 14 feet I got up next to the cottonwoods and started the day. First guest was Mr. Northern but he didn’t stay long. Wasn’t invited in the first place. So the morning went. Make a pull, move, make a pull, move.

The high flows from the Yellowstone in MT bring a lot of the badlands to ND and it settles out in the upper section of Sakakawea. Water is a little dirty today so lure color can be important. I tend toward the oranges and yellows in off colored water. Reef Runner’s Mud Minnow, Flame, or Bumblebee all can be good. First pick would be Mud Minnow and I always have a Firetiger down, at least to get started.

Yet another move, crossing the lake from Beaver to the south shore. I started in 14 again but got too shallow and found our first walleye by accident. Call me simple but I figerd why not stay shallow for a while. Number two came in 12 feet and that is where I stayed for most of the day.

No pattern, no perfect speed, all I have sorted out today is most fish like a Bomber 24a dressed in Firetiger, 12 feet down. I should have mentioned when talk’n about color that white can be good in dirty water. I have a few Wonderbread Black in the Bombers but nothing going today, not even a Northern.

My hopes were high with the first fish and when the second Walleye came in the same area I expected an easy limit. Who invented expectations anyway? They should come with one of those 3 paragraph warnings you get with a prescription. May cause delusions. May cause sudden depression. Can leave you feeling---, well you get the picture.

Geez how I’d like to come home and brag about the great day on the water. How I cunningly evaluated the facts and sorted through each nuance to put together a winning limit. BUT. One more Walleye and my limit was over. I did go through a fun bunch of White Bass and the small Saugers have me hopeful of better days coming.

No Sakakawea is not what she used to be. I remember days of 100 plus fish and limits of released Walleyes averaging well over 6. I also remember days of low, low, water and low, low, fish numbers. Sakakawea has us a bit on the spoiled side and when she ain’t up to snuff I can be hard on her. Transformation, we haven’t arrived, but we are in the process. The big stuff is just around the corner, maybe even the next move.

Sakakawea Badlands Walleyes....ENJOY the show.

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[NDLive]

“You’re in trouble Schoneck.” Ya, tell me about it

Cowboy Country Walleyes

The western end of Sakakawea is mule deer country, cowboy country, and fishing country. Walleyes and Sauger move back and forth from the upper Missouri and Yellowstone foraging on smelt. Upper Sakakawea can be one amazing fishery. Last summer I caught two sauger on one crank. Ya, I know, unbelievable!

Watch in HD! http://hsoshow.com/video/199/Cowboy-Country-Walleyes

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[NDLive]

Fishing out of Tobacco Gardens last August the "I can’t believe it" happened. Two Sauger on one crank. Ya, I know what you’re thinking. I didn’t believe either and I was there in person looking at it. My mind simply could not process what I was seeing. I finally blew out the cobwebs and grabbed the camera.

[NDLive]

Today is a swallow the crank, front treble, the fight is on bite.

Sakakawea elevation: 1850 Translated into English it’s the same sensation as when the tub is filled to overflowing. You slip in carefully to keep’er from going over.

High water last year confused both fish and fishermen. Early in the season we found fish in 30-50 ft of water. We never did see a shallow shoreline bite. How things can change in a year. Welcome to Sakakawea’s best. The back bay shallow bite. Trees, grass, cattails, weeds and walleyes all mixed together with spinners, lindys, and cranks. It ain’t easy and you will lose stuff but what you gain is well worth the expense.

Brendles Bay Resort is front and center on the best walleye bay on Sakakawea. Lake store, cabins, freezer for your fish, gas, bait, tackle. Harley’s got it all; he will even update you on the latest bite. Keep in mind there is a limit on this kind of fun. Enjoy the fish but please practice catch and release.

In a normal year back bays have been going strong for several weeks by now but we no longer have normal with water levels just a few feet short of going over the top. Rising water has kept Sakakawea cooler this season delaying the warm water shallow bite until early July. Let me tell you, when it came around it turned on full bore.

Each day on a walleye lake is different than the day before. I was out on Tuesday and the fish were so off it was like hooking into a dish rag. Nothing affects a walleye like the weather. Word was a big lightening storm passed through overnight. I had to slow down, go deeper, and switch to more subtle cranks like Bomber 24A’s. We caught fish but not many.

You can determine the mood of fish by how they are reacting to your presentation. If you live bait, some days you have to feed line, some days you just hold on. If you fish cranks, some days you have to go subtle, some days high action fast. Sorting this out will help you fill the frying pan.

I normally begin with a mix of fast action cranks and subtle cranks. I also will mix soft, natural colors with some bright, in your face colors. If fish just grab and hang on with little fight it’s a clue to how they feel. Notice if they are caught on the front hook or back hook. Fish hooked on the back treble are off and you need to approach them a bit more carefully. Today is a swallow the crank, front treble, the fight is on bite.

Wind was forecast and wind we got, pushing 30 for much of the day. I like to be able to turn around on fish and make another swipe at ‘em but today we made long pulls, picked up and started over. Most of the day we stayed in 12 but did spend time in 8-9 thinking they have to be shallow with this wind. Never did find a shallow bite.

This area of Shell Creek is pretty flat with some structure where the old creek channel meanders through. I looked for the areas that topped at 10 on my map. The mapping is off by a couple of feet putting us in 12 feet of water. These flat top areas seemed to hold the fish and are easy to stay on, even in a big wind.

We started with Reef Runner’s Little Ripper Deeps, switched around and ended the day with Jointed 5’s and Jointed Grappler Shads. Most fish were in the 20’s and we released fish several inches bigger. In fact I didn’t expect us to get our limits as fish size was over the top.

Even with active fish we still had to work to make it happen. Sorting out speed, color, and lure action takes time and effort. Then staying on top of depth, location, and fish movement can keep you busy. Add into the mix that all of the above is constantly flux and changing as the day progresses. All it takes to send a man to the moon is a big budget, ingenuity and good math. Coming home with fish, now that takes some doing.