North Dakota’s 2013 moose, elk and bighorn sheep proclamation is finalized and applications are available at the State Game and Fish Department’s website. The deadline for applying is March 27.

A total of 111 moose licenses are available in 2013, 32 fewer than last year.

Randy Kreil, Game and Fish Department wildlife chief, said a downward population trend in the northeastern portion of the state is of great concern. “Unit M1C will remain closed,” Kreil said, “and in addition, unit M4, which encompasses the Turtle Mountains, is also closed this year.”

In 2012, unit M4 had only seven moose licenses, Kreil added, with only two moose harvested.

Game and Fish is also making a couple of other changes designed to bolster the moose population. All licenses this year are for “any moose,” while in previous years some were specific to antlerless moose. “We think that the ‘any’ tags will protect the cow segment of the population,” Kreil said, “as records indicate most hunters choose to fill their ‘any’ tags with a bull rather than a cow.”

The moose season in units M8, M9 and M10 will open a week later than in previous years to avoid the peak of the rut. Data collected over the last year indicates a number of unbred cows were documented in those units, Kreil said, and opening the season a week later in October may improve breeding success by reducing disturbance during the peak of the mating season.

A total of 261 elk licenses are available to hunters this fall, 40 fewer than last year.

The number of elk licenses in units E3 and E4 is reduced by 40 due to the successful population reduction effort by the National Park Service in Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s south unit. A total of 937 elk – 701 adult cows – were taken out of the park by the reduction effort, and an additional 363 elk were taken by licensed hunters in E3 and E4 during the last three hunting seasons. Based on a recent elk survey, the estimated number of elk in the park is below 200, Kreil said.

On the positive side, elk unit E1 has been expanded to include parts of the Turtle Mountains, due to a growing elk population largely attributed to animals migrating in from Canada.

The bighorn sheep season will have four licenses available, the same as last year. One license is available in units B1/B2, B3 and B4. In addition, one license is auctioned through the Midwest Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation. The bighorn sheep hunter drawing the license in units B1/B2 is eligible to hunt both units.

To apply online, access the Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov. Paper applications will be available on the website (for printing) and at license vendors the week of March 11.

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

Moose, Elk and Bighorn Sheep Seasons Set

North Dakota’s 2013 moose, elk and bighorn sheep proclamation is finalized and applications are available at the State Game and Fish Department’s website. The deadline for applying is March 27.

A total of 111 moose licenses are available in 2013, 32 fewer than last year.

Randy Kreil, Game and Fish Department wildlife chief, said a downward population trend in the northeastern portion of the state is of great concern. “Unit M1C will remain closed,” Kreil said, “and in addition, unit M4, which encompasses the Turtle Mountains, is also closed this year.”

In 2012, unit M4 had only seven moose licenses, Kreil added, with only two moose harvested.

Game and Fish is also making a couple of other changes designed to bolster the moose population. All licenses this year are for “any moose,” while in previous years some were specific to antlerless moose. “We think that the ‘any’ tags will protect the cow segment of the population,” Kreil said, “as records indicate most hunters choose to fill their ‘any’ tags with a bull rather than a cow.”

The moose season in units M8, M9 and M10 will open a week later than in previous years to avoid the peak of the rut. Data collected over the last year indicates a number of unbred cows were documented in those units, Kreil said, and opening the season a week later in October may improve breeding success by reducing disturbance during the peak of the mating season.

A total of 261 elk licenses are available to hunters this fall, 40 fewer than last year.

The number of elk licenses in units E3 and E4 is reduced by 40 due to the successful population reduction effort by the National Park Service in Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s south unit. A total of 937 elk – 701 adult cows – were taken out of the park by the reduction effort, and an additional 363 elk were taken by licensed hunters in E3 and E4 during the last three hunting seasons. Based on a recent elk survey, the estimated number of elk in the park is below 200, Kreil said.

On the positive side, elk unit E1 has been expanded to include parts of the Turtle Mountains, due to a growing elk population largely attributed to animals migrating in from Canada.

The bighorn sheep season will have four licenses available, the same as last year. One license is available in units B1/B2, B3 and B4. In addition, one license is auctioned through the Midwest Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation. The bighorn sheep hunter drawing the license in units B1/B2 is eligible to hunt both units.

To apply online, access the Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov. Paper applications will be available on the website (for printing) and at license vendors the week of March 11.

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

2012 Bighorn Sheep, Moose and Elk Harvests

Harvest statistics released by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department show overall hunter success during the 2012 season for bighorn sheep was 100 percent, 93 percent for moose and 62 percent for elk.

The department issued three bighorn sheep lottery licenses and one auction license. All four hunters harvested a bighorn ram.

The department issued 143 moose licenses last year. Of that total, 139 hunters harvested 129 animals – 80 bulls and 49 cows/calves. Harvest for each unit follows:

The department issued 315 elk licenses last year. Of that total, 302 hunters harvested 188 elk – 101 bulls and 85 cows/calves. One additional license was auctioned by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the hunter was unsuccessful in harvesting an elk. Harvest for each unit follows:

Don’t wait until tomorrow. That’s to late as North Dakota’s 2011 moose, elk and bighorn sheep peadline for applying is March 30.A total of 501 elk licenses are available to hunters this fall, a decrease of 60 from last year.The number of elk licenses in units E3 and E4 has been reduced by 100 due to the successful population reduction effort by the National Park Service in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Randy Kreil, North Dakota Game and Fish Department chief of wildlife, said 300 any-elk licenses will be available in units E3 and E4, and there will be no antlerless licenses issued in these two units in an effort to give hunters the maximum opportunity to harvest an elk.“A total of 406 cow elk were taken out of the park by the reduction effort, and an estimated 76 cow elk were taken last fall by licensed hunters in E3 and E4,” Kreil said. “This harvest effectively reduced the cow elk population in and around the park by at least one third.”Kreil said the successful elk reduction effort in TRNP this past year, and the possibility of similar results the next two years, will reduce elk numbers dramatically in units E3 and E4. Therefore, elk licenses will likely be reduced even further in future years.Certain private lands in units E1 and E2 could open to hunting of antlerless elk from Aug. 12 – Sept. 30 if depredation problems occur and other measures are proven ineffective.A total of 163 moose licenses are available in 2011, a decrease of 10 from last year.The boundary for moose hunting unit M11 has been expanded to allow hunting over a wider area in western North Dakota where moose numbers have increased south of Williston along the Missouri River corridor.“This area will be monitored closely in the coming years to see if populations decrease now that Lake Sakakawea is full and much of the habitat that allowed the moose population to grow is under water,” Kreil said.Unit M1C will remain closed due to an extremely low moose population in the northeastern portion of the state.The bighorn sheep season will be similar to last year with six licenses available – one license in units B1/B2, two in units B3 and B4, and one license auctioned through the Midwest Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation. The bighorn sheep hunter drawing the license in units B1/B2 is eligible to hunt both units.To apply online, access the Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov. Paper applications will be available on the website (for printing) and at license vendors the week of March 14.Bighorn sheep, moose and elk lottery licenses are issued as once-in-a-lifetime licenses in North Dakota. Hunters who have received a license through the lottery in the past are not eligible to apply for that species again.

Today marks the National Park Service deadline to apply if your interested in being considered as a volunteer for the elk reduction efforts:

North Dakota state officials are encouraged that the National Park Service has started recruiting volunteers to help reduce the elk population in Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s south unit.

The NPS announced details of the process July 19. Under the plan, volunteers will have an opportunity to harvest elk within the park using firearms. The plan includes having five teams, each consisting of one team leader and four volunteers, in the park each week for 12 weeks, beginning in November 2010. Therefore, a maximum of 240 volunteers may be needed.

“This is very close to the alternative we recommended to the NPS, and North Dakota citizens asked for,” said Terry Steinwand, North Dakota Game and Fish Department Director. “We offer our support to the Park Service as this alternative is put into place, and we encourage North Dakotans to take the lead and submit an application.”

The NPS is the agency responsible for managing TRNP and is developing and implementing actions intended to reduce elk numbers in the park. The Game and Fish Department role as a cooperating agency is to provide technical advice and assistance to the NPS as it implements the process, and to facilitate the transfer of elk meat to the volunteers.

“We have worked to give North Dakotans an opportunity to help reduce the park’s elk population and keep part of the meat,” said Gov. John Hoeven. “Now we look forward to helping the Park Service succeed with this plan.”

In coordination with the park elk removal plan, Game and Fish has its elk seasons in units E3 and E4 outside the park open during November and December. In addition, the Department also plans to recommend an amendment to the proclamation that would allow licensed E3 and E4 elk hunters who were not successful during the regular season, to take cow elk outside the park in January.

Individuals who received a North Dakota elk license in the past are eligible to apply. In addition, participating in this elk reduction management plan does not eliminate someone from future consideration for a North Dakota elk license.

For more information on the application process, access the TRNPS website at Requires PDF Viewer www.nps.gov/thro/upload/Application_Instructions.pdf. A question and answer summary of the elk reduction plan is available atRequires PDF Viewer www.nps.gov/thro/upload/Elk-Reduction-FAQ.pdf.

 

 

 

Saturday at 3PM is this weekend Outdoors Live. Valerie Naylor from the National Park Service on the elk reduction program. Clay Whittlesey from Fargo Park District previews the Midwest Waterfowl Fest and we talk zebra mussels and the Red River with Lynn Schlueter Don’t forget our weekly Central Dakota Outdoors report with Pat Stockdill

Listen live on AM 790 http://www.kfgo.com
podcast at http://www.outdoorslive.podcastpeople.com
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North Dakota state officials are encouraged that the National Park Service has started recruiting volunteers to help reduce the elk population in Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s south unit.

The NPS announced details of the process July 19. Under the plan, volunteers will have an opportunity to harvest elk within the park using firearms. The plan includes having five teams, each consisting of one team leader and four volunteers, in the park each week for 12 weeks, beginning in November 2010. Therefore, a maximum of 240 volunteers may be needed.

“This is very close to the alternative we recommended to the NPS, and North Dakota citizens asked for,” said Terry Steinwand, North Dakota Game and Fish Department Director. “We offer our support to the Park Service as this alternative is put into place, and we encourage North Dakotans to take the lead and submit an application.”

The NPS is the agency responsible for managing TRNP and is developing and implementing actions intended to reduce elk numbers in the park. The Game and Fish Department role as a cooperating agency is to provide technical advice and assistance to the NPS as it implements the process, and to facilitate the transfer of elk meat to the volunteers.

“We have worked to give North Dakotans an opportunity to help reduce the park’s elk population and keep part of the meat,” said Gov. John Hoeven. “Now we look forward to helping the Park Service succeed with this plan.”

In coordination with the park elk removal plan, Game and Fish has its elk seasons in units E3 and E4 outside the park open during November and December. In addition, the Department also plans to recommend an amendment to the proclamation that would allow licensed E3 and E4 elk hunters who were not successful during the regular season, to take cow elk outside the park in January.

Individuals who received a North Dakota elk license in the past are eligible to apply. In addition, participating in this elk reduction management plan does not eliminate someone from future consideration for a North Dakota elk license.

For more information on the application process, access the TRNPS website at www.nps.gov/thro/upload/Application_Instructions.pdf. A question and answer summary of the elk reduction plan is available at www.nps.gov/thro/upload/Elk-Reduction-FAQ.pdf. A link to the NPS website is also available on the Game and Fish website at www.gf.nd.gov.

2009 Bighorn Sheep, Moose and Elk Harvests

Harvest statistics released by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department show overall hunter success during the 2009 season for bighorn sheep was 100 percent, 90 percent for moose and 42 percent for elk.

Three bighorn sheep units were open in 2009. One license was issued in units B1 and B3, and two licenses were issued in unit B4. One additional auction license holder was able to hunt any open area. All five hunters tagged adult rams.

The department issued 147 moose licenses last year. Of that total, 133 hunters were successful, harvesting 83 bulls and 50 cows/calves. 

The department issued 577 elk licenses last year. Of that total, 245 hunters were successful, harvesting 141 bulls and 104 cows/calves.

moose-elk-bighorn sheep application deadline is midnight TONIGHT-apply online at www.gf.nd.gov

Applications for this fall’s bighorn sheep, elk and moose hunting seasons must be in the mail and postmarked before midnight March 17.
To apply online, including preferential landowner moose and elk applicants, access the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov. Applications are also available at Game and Fish offices, county auditors and license vendors.
Individuals mailing applications to the department are advised to mail early because some post offices use the following day’s postmark for mail received after regular hours. The department’s online application feature will be deactivated March 17 at midnight.
Bighorn sheep, moose and elk lottery licenses – including second choice cow elk licenses – are issued as once-in-a-lifetime licenses in North Dakota. Hunters who have received a license through the lottery in the past are not eligible to apply for that species again.