ND GNF Newsletter

[marine_man]

2010 Deer Gun Season, Winter Aerial Population Survey Summarized

North Dakota deer hunters took approximately 67,000 deer during the 2010 deer gun hunting season. Bill Jensen, big game biologist for the state Game and Fish Department, said overall hunter success was 64 percent.

Game and Fish made available 116,775 deer gun licenses in 2010, with more than 99 percent issued to hunters.

Hunter success for antlered white-tailed deer was 68 percent, and antlerless whitetail was 63 percent.

Mule deer buck success was 68 percent, while mule deer doe hunters had a success rate of 70 percent.

Hunters with any-antlered or any-antlerless licenses almost exclusively harvest white-tailed deer. These buck and doe hunters each had a success rate of 64 percent.

Hunters drawing a muzzleloader license had a success rate of 46 percent, while young hunters during the youth season had a success rate of 55 percent.

Jensen said significant snow cover this past winter enabled the Game and Fish Department to complete aerial deer surveys in all monitoring blocks and long-term study areas. The surveys took longer to complete than usual – all of January and February – due to poor weather conditions.

“Deer numbers in many parts of the state continue on a downward trend following three consecutive difficult winters,” Jensen said. “Coupled with an aggressive harvest approach on antlerless deer in units with deer numbers above management goals, this has resulted in a reduction in the deer population in many, but not all, units.”

Aerial observations in units south and west of the Missouri River indicate white-tailed deer numbers remain stable to increasing, and mule deer numbers are stable.

Large monitoring blocks in the northwest and north central portions of the state (3A1, 3A4, 2K1 and 2K2) have been stable to declining over the last three years, while the Cando area (2E) has shown declining deer numbers. The Wing-Tuttle (2J1 and 2J2) and Dawson (2I) areas show stable to decreasing deer numbers over the last three years.

Survey areas in the Red River Valley show decreasing to stable deer numbers in unit 2A, while units 2B, 2C and 2D show a stable to slightly increasing deer population.

Game and Fish staff will fly the annual mule deer survey in April after the snow melts.

The department is in the process of determining recommendations for licenses in the 2011 deer proclamation. These recommendations will be discussed with the public at the upcoming Game and Fish advisory board meetings, scheduled for the week of April 18. The proclamation will be sent to the governor’s office for approval in late April.

In addition to harvest rates and aerial surveys, the department monitors a number of other population indices to determine license numbers, including deer-vehicle collision reports, depredation reports, hunter observations, input at advisory board meetings, and comments from the public, landowners and department field staff.

Spring Turkey Season Opens April 9, Licenses Remain

North Dakota’s spring turkey season opens Saturday, April 9 and continues through May 15.

Hunters are reminded a 2011-12 hunting license is required, as last year’s 2010-11 licenses expired March 31. In addition to the spring turkey license, hunters must have a fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate, and a general game and habitat license. Also, hunters ages 16 and older must possess a small game license, or combination license.

Hunters who do not have a spring turkey license for the 2011 season can still apply in Bowman (unit 06), Mountrail (unit 31), Slope (unit 44) or Stark (unit 45) counties. Only those hunters who do not have a license are eligible to apply.

These first-come, first-served licenses are available online at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s HSOforum, gf.nd.gov, or call (701) 328-6300 to request an application. Only North Dakota residents are eligible to apply.

Game and Fish Advisory Board Meetings Announced

Outdoor enthusiasts are invited to attend a North Dakota Game and Fish Department advisory board meeting in their area.

These public meetings, held each spring and fall, provide citizens with an opportunity to discuss fish and wildlife issues and ask questions of their district advisors and agency personnel.

The governor appoints eight Game and Fish Department advisors, each representing a multi-county section of the state, to serve as a liaison between the department and public.

Any person who requires an auxiliary aid or service must notify the contact person at least five days prior to the scheduled meeting date.

District 2 – Counties: Bottineau, Burke, McHenry, Mountrail, Pierce, Renville and Ward

Date: April 18 – 7 p.m.

Location: Senior Citizen Center, Douglas

Host: Douglas Wildlife Club

Contact: Dwight Lies, 337-6258

Advisory board member: Richard Anderson, Willow City, 366-4625

District 3 – Counties: Benson, Cavalier, Eddy, Ramsey, Rolette and Towner

Date: April 18 – 7 p.m.

Location: Lake Region State College, Devils Lake

Host: Lake Region Anglers

Contact: Ralph Gardner, 662-5639

Advisory board member: Tracy Gardner, Devils Lake, 662-5639

District 1 – Counties: Divide, McKenzie and Williams

Date: April 19 – 7 p.m.

Location: Montana Dakota Utilities, Williston

Host: Upper Missouri United Sportsmen

Contact: Wayne Aberle, 770-6902

Advisory board member: Jason Leiseth, Arnegard, 586-3714

District 4 – Counties: Grand Forks, Nelson, Pembina and Walsh

Date: April 19 – 7 p.m.

Location: Heritage Center, Icelandic State Park, Cavalier

Host: Sportsmen’s Club

Contact: Ervin Fott, 521-0368

Advisory board member: Ronald Houdek, Tolna, 262-4724

District 5 – Counties: Cass, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele and Traill

Date: April 20 – 7 p.m.

Location: Legion Hall, Hankinson

Host: Southeast Sportsmen of Richland and Sargent Counties

Contact: Paul Berg, 242-7305

Advisory board member: Loran Palmer, West Fargo, 282-8479

District 8 – Counties: Adams, Billings, Bowman, Dunn, Golden Valley, Hettinger, Slope and Stark

Date: April 20 – 7 p.m.

Location: Slope England Co-op, New England

Contact and advisory board member: Wayne Gerbig, Amidon, 879-6353

District 6 – Counties: Barnes, Dickey, Foster, Griggs, Logan, LaMoure, McIntosh, Stutsman and Wells

Date: April 21 – 7 p.m.

Location: Chieftain Conference Center, Carrington

Host: Central Dakota Sportsmen

Contact: Larry Weninger, 652-3123

Advisory board member: Joel Christoferson, Litchville, 973-4981

District 7 – Counties: Burleigh, Emmons, Grant, Kidder, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Oliver, Sheridan and Sioux

Date: April 21 – 7 p.m.

Location: Community Center, Linton

Host: North Dakota Fur Hunters and Trappers Association

Contact: Phil Mastrangelo, 667-9380

Advisory board member: Frank Kartch, Bismarck, 751-3414

Sharp-tailed Grouse Observation Blinds to Open

Several national wildlife refuges and a state wildlife management area will offer sharp-tailed grouse observation blinds for public use this spring. The blinds are popular with wildlife photographers and others interested in watching the spring courtship rituals of sharp-tailed grouse.

Grouse blinds typically receive widespread interest and are available by reservation only. Those locations offering blinds usually start taking reservations for late March or early April, weather permitting. Peak grouse dancing activity usually occurs from mid-April into early May.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has an observation blind at Lonetree Wildlife Management Area southwest of Harvey. Call (701) 324-2211 for reservations.

Contact the following national wildlife refuges for information on blind reservations:

* Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge, Kenmare, (701) 848-2722.

* Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge, Kenmare, (701) 385-4046.

* Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Moffit, (701) 387-4397.

* Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge, Pingree, (701) 285-3341.

* Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, Berthold, (701) 468-5467.

* J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge, Upham, (701) 768-2548.