Signs of spring honestly began weeks ago. For me, the first bald eagle pairs setting up their nests in February is proof that winter is losing its grip, and this year the turn of March brought unseasonably mild and record-breaking temperatures. The annual college basketball championship game and the first pitch of the Major League…
North Dakota Elk Hunters Had 67 Percent Success Rate In 2014
While it’s a long way from the nearest big game hunting season, the last month or so has had its fair share of North Dakota big game hunting news. Harvest statistics for moose, elk and bighorn sheep came out in February, followed by 2015 moose and elk season details in early March, and the State…
Doug Leier: ND Game Wardens Issued Record Number Of Citations In 2014
Every year the North Dakota Game and Fish Department provides a report on the number of citations issued by state game wardens the previous year. The statistics for 2014, recently published in the February 2015 issue of North Dakota Outdoors magazine, carry some not-so-positive news: Game wardens cited a record number of anglers, hunters and…
Doug Leier: Outdoors News And Notes
Every so often I catch myself with a few pieces of news and notes that might not generate a full column, but are worthy of passing along as reminders Tracking North Dakota Legislation For starters, with the 2015 North Dakota legislative session underway, tracking outdoors-related bills is easily accomplished from the State Game and Fish…
Doug Leier: Answering Common Deer Hunting Questions
Every year the North Dakota Game and Fish Department receives questions from deer hunters who want to clarify rules and regulations. Some common questions are listed below. I can’t find my deer license. What should I do? You must obtain an application for a duplicate license from the Game and Fish Department – by calling…
Doug Leier: North Dakota's Wildlife Highlights
As North Dakota gives pause to acknowledge the 125th anniversary of statehood, much will be made of its history, and thoughts of how the state will age into the future. And some of that history will revolve around wildlife and the outdoors, from the fur trade that attracted early explorers, to decimation of the vast…
Doug Leier: "No Hunting" Signs Don't Always Mean No Hunting
The popularity of North Dakota’s Private Land Open to Sportsmen program has created somewhat of an expectation for hunters. This year, the state has roughly 735,000 acres in the program and many hunters use these areas for at least some of their hunting experiences. And that’s basically the primary intention of PLOTS – sort of…
Doug Leier: A Look At Wildlife Research By Game & Fish
My job as an outreach biologist is everything from working with local media and civic and school groups, to checking on possible fish kills, and even surveillance of moose or other critters in places we’d rather not have them. I enjoy the variety and never pursued a career in natural resources with a goal of…
Doug Leier: Take The Decoys, Leave The Vegetation
Throughout the fall season, and honestly in about any discussion on the future of hunting, habitat and wildlife populations, you’ll read, see and hear discussion on the loss of habitat. Thankfully for now in North Dakota, only a small part of that is linked to aquatic nuisance species and the role they can play in…
Dour Leier: Reporting Poachers Can Be Rewarding
With fall hunting seasons rolling out almost every week now since Labor Day weekend, I field, hear and read many discussions on rules, regulations, poaching and “what if” scenarios. Sometimes they’re as simple as what to do or who to call if you witness something suspicious, like someone shooting at ducks during what might be…