ND GNF Weekley Newsletter 08-Mar-06

[marine_man]

Bighorn Sheep, Elk and Moose Seasons Set

Additional sheep and elk hunting opportunities highlight the 2006 special big game seasons, according to Randy Kreil, wildlife chief for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

Applications are now available for prospective moose, elk and bighorn sheep hunters. To apply online, or to print out an application for mailing, access the Game and Fish Department’s HSOforum, gf.nd.gov. License vendors are scheduled to have applications by March 14. The deadline for submitting applications is March 22.

Six bighorn sheep licenses are available in four units, up from four licenses and two units in 2005. One license is available in units B1, B2 and B4; two in Unit B3; and one license auctioned through the Minnesota-Wisconsin Chapter of the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep. Portions of units B3 and B4 will be closed to hunting due to the reintroduction of bighorn sheep in those areas this past January.

Bighorn sheep regular season dates run from Sept. 22 – Oct. 22, with bow season from Sept. 15 – Oct. 22.

A total of 241 elk licenses are available, an increase of 40 from last year. Unit E1, open to hunting for antlerless elk only in 2005, will be open to hunting for antlered elk, except in December during the antlerless-elk only portion of the season. “More licenses, including 20 antlerless-only licenses, are available in Unit E3 in an attempt to reduce the number of elk outside of Theodore Roosevelt National Park,” Kreil said.

Units E3 and E4 will have a second open period this year, Kreil said, also in an effort to increase elk harvest outside the park. “These changes were made based on recent increases of elk sightings during the department’s fall mule deer survey, National Park Service data collected on radio-collared elk, and input gathered from local landowners and department field staff,” he added.

Bow season dates for units E1 and E2 are Sept. 1 – Oct. 1. Regular season dates are as follows: Unit E3, Aug. 11-27; Unit E4 early, Aug. 11-17, and late, Aug. 18-27; Unit E1, Oct. 6-29 and Dec. 1-10; and Unit E2, Oct. 6-29 and Nov. 17 – Dec. 17. The second open period for units E3 and E4 is Oct. 6-29.

A total of 129 moose licenses are available in 2006, the same as last year. Unit M10 has an increase of 10 licenses. However, Unit M1C, which had 10 licenses last year, is closed due to a continued moose population decline in the northeastern portion of the state.

Bow season dates for all moose units are Sept. 1 – Oct. 1. Regular season dates for units M4, M8, M9 and M10 are Oct. 6-29. Regular season dates for units M5 and M6 are Nov. 24 – Dec. 17.

Bighorn sheep, moose, and elk lottery licenses are issued on an once-in-a-lifetime basis in North Dakota. Persons who have received a license through the lottery in the past are not eligible to apply for that species again.

Spring Turkey Licenses Remain

The 2006 spring wild turkey lottery has been held and 326 licenses remain in six units. These licenses will be issued only as a first license – only one license per hunter – and are available on a first-come, first-served basis, reports Carrie Whitney, licensing supervisor for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

Licenses remain for the following units: Unit 06, Bowman County, 55 licenses; Unit 15, Emmons County, 41; Unit 19, Grant and Sioux counties and a portion of Morton County, 91; Unit 21, Hettinger and Adams counties, 61; Unit 31, Mountrail County, 57; and Unit 45, Stark County, 21.

Only paper applications mailed to or delivered to the Game and Fish Department’s Bismarck office will be accepted for these remaining licenses. Hunters who do not have a license for the 2006 spring season can print out an application for mailing at the department’s HSOforum, gf.nd.gov; or call 328-6300 to request an application.

Only North Dakota residents are eligible to apply.

Hunter Education Classes Filling Up, Register Online

Individuals interested in taking a hunter education class should register soon as classes are filling up quickly, according to Jim Carter, hunter education coordinator for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

“Space is becoming limited, and some classes are already full,” Carter said.

Access the Game and Fish Department home page at gf.nd.gov, click on the online services tab, and then click on “online course enrollment” under the hunter education heading. Classes are listed by city, and can also be sorted by start date. To register for a class, click on “enroll” next to the specific class, and follow the simple instructions. Personal information is required. Enrollment for some classes requires calling the instructor’s phone number.

It is important to not procrastinate, Carter said, because 70 percent of all classes take place by the end of May. “We are running out of room even in some of the larger communities,” Carter said. “For example in Bismarck the next available class is in August. All classes prior to that are already filled.”

If a class is already full and nothing else is available in the local area, hunter ed applicants might have to look in other communities in the county, Carter said.

Those who do not have access to the internet and want to sign up for a class can call the hunter education program in Bismarck at 328-6615.

State law requires persons born after Dec. 31, 1961 to pass a certified hunter education course to hunt in the state. Hunter education is mandatory for youth who are turning 12 years old, and children can take the class at age 11.

[CAJ]

Was wondering if the Game and Fish has dropped some of the PLOT land in your area. Here in Divide county, they are not paying for this anymore. They said there money is short so they dropped the payment. Guess they want to spend there money where the most people are, so the little guy gets less again. caj

[marine_man]

I haven't been paying real close attention to it, but I haven't heard too much on them dropping off on the PLOTS land...

It'll be interesting to see what happens in the next couple of years given that the CRP program isn't going to be as big as before...

marine_man

[harvey lee]

Marine-Man

Correct me if im wrong. I thought that the N.D.game and fish changed thier law the last time you legislators meet.

I thought that if there are turkey tags left after the lottery,that non-residents could apply for remaining tags at a higher cost.

[marine_man]

harvey lee-

I believe that regulation applies to the fall wild turkey hunt and not the spring wild turkey hunt... see this link:

ND Game and Fish Wild Turkey Regs

For more info...

marine_man

[harvey lee]

You are correct with the bad news. I guess I will have to wait until fall and hope there are a few tags left.