ND GNF Weekly Newsletter 29-Mar-06

[marine_man]

- Open Fires Banned on Oahe WMA until June 1

- Life Jacket Loan Kits Available to Recreation Areas

- Time to Think Boating Basics

- District 7 Game and Fish Advisory Board Meeting Set

- Game and Fish Pays $436,000 in Property Taxes

Open Fires Banned on Oahe WMA until June 1

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will again prohibit open burning this spring on property managed south of Bismarck and Mandan, as a means to reduce potential for wildfires on a heavily wooded recreation area along the Missouri River, according to Greg Link, assistant wildlife chief.

All open burning, including campfires, will be banned until June 1 on the Oahe Wildlife Management Area along both sides of the Missouri River. Oahe WMA covers more than 16,000 acres along Lake Oahe south of Bismarck-Mandan, in portions of Burleigh, Emmons, and Morton counties. Burning restriction signs will be posted at all entrances to the WMA.

Because of the combination of high use by anglers, campers, and other outdoor enthusiasts, and heavy vegetative fuel loads along this river property, these woodlands are exceptionally prone to wildfires prior to spring green-up, Link said.

Life Jacket Loan Kits Available to Recreation Areas

Operators of lake recreation areas in North Dakota can take part in a program that promotes safety to water recreationists.

The program is designed to make life jackets available for boaters, anglers and jet skiers who have either forgotten, misplaced or just don’t have enough life jackets along for an outing.

A life jacket loan kit will be sent to sites interested in the program. Each kit includes nine Type III personal flotation devices, consisting of three infant, three 30-50 pound and three 50-90 pound life jackets.

The package of loaner PFDs is free, and sites cannot charge to loan out the life jackets, said Marty Egeland, outreach biologist for the state Game and Fish Department, Grand Forks. Public and private entities can apply for the kits, which are for only lake and river areas, not swimming pools.

Recreation area managers interested in becoming part of the program should contact Egeland at 795-3811.

Time to Think Boating Basics

Youngsters ages 12-15 wanting to operate a boat or personal watercraft with at least a 10 horsepower motor must first pass the state’s Boating Basics Course. The course is free and available for home-study from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s Bismarck office, or in a classroom setting held periodically around the state, according to Nancy Boldt, boat and water safety coordinator.

The Boating Basics Course isn’t just for kids. Major insurance companies give adult boat owners who pass the course a premium discount on boat insurance.

The course covers legal requirements, navigation rules, getting underway, accidents and special topics. Each part has 2-5 chapters that elaborate on topics such as weather, rules of the road, laws, life saving and first aid.

For more information on Boating Basics write to Nancy Boldt, North Dakota Game and Fish Department, 100 N. Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck, ND 58501-5095; or call 701-328-6300.

District 7 Game and Fish Advisory Board Meeting Set

Outdoor enthusiasts in Burleigh, Emmons, Grant, Kidder, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Oliver, Sheridan and Sioux counties are invited to attend the District 7 Game and Fish Advisory Board meeting on Tuesday, April 18, at 7 p.m. in Turtle Lake.

The meeting, hosted by the Turtle Lake Wildlife Club, will be held at the wildlife clubhouse, located one mile east and one-quarter mile north of Turtle Lake. Contact Bob Boe, 448-2402, for more information. District advisor is Frank Kartch, Bismarck.

Advisory board meetings, held twice each year, provide citizens with an opportunity to discuss wildlife issues and ask questions of their district advisors and Game and Fish Department personnel.

Game and Fish Pays $436,000 in Property Taxes

Each year the North Dakota Game and Fish Department pays taxes to 50 counties in which the department owns or leases land. In February, Game and Fish paid more than $436,000 for last year’s taxes, according to Doug Howie, assistant private lands coordinator.

The Game and Fish Department owns or manages more than 185,000 acres statewide. This land is managed for wildlife habitat and public hunting.

The payments, called “in-lieu-of-tax payments,” are the same as property taxes paid by private landowners. Game and Fish has paid taxes on its lands since 1965, Howie said.

The department does not own or manage any land in Billings, Traill or Renville counties. Following is a list of counties and the tax payments they received.

County

Tax Due

County

Tax Due

County

Tax Due

Adams

170.25

Grant

490.15

Ramsey

1,623.36

Barnes

4,803.01

Griggs

352.68

Ransom

1,454.40

Benson

2,800.33

Hettinger

2,769.01

Richland

14,950.58

Bottineau

4,506.86

Kidder

10,485.20

Rolette

17,901.42

Bowman

1,750.90

LaMoure

5,486.52

Sargent

12,931.89

Burke

799.35

Logan

1,185.16

Sheridan

65,111.35

Burleigh

24,568.70

McHenry

615.63

Sioux

402.86

Cass

6,519.75

McIntosh

5,151.35

Slope

1,884.63

Cavalier

23,389.88

McKenzie

19,533.12

Stark

242.94

Dickey

9,989.74

McLean

46,475.32

Steele

8,648.52

Divide

2,908.60

Mercer

13,847.49

Stutsman

6,208.77

Dunn

7,683.35

Morton

17,873.33

Towner

1,813.24

Eddy

3,750.36

Mountrail

11,068.91

Walsh

8,892.59

Emmons

2,385.82

Nelson

2,460.10

Ward

96.85

Foster

2,518.02

Oliver

1,716.64

Wells

31,378.97

Golden Valley

226.01

Pembina

6,911.74

Williams

6,195.06

Grand Forks

10,542.98

Pierce

1,015.88