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.

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.

North Dakota’s 2010 moose, elk and bighorn sheep proclamation has been finalized and applications are available at the state Game and Fish Department’s website. The deadline for applying is March 17.
A total of 561 elk licenses are available to hunters this fall, the same as in 2009.
Units E1 and E2 license holders are able to hunt during the bow and regular seasons. Prior to this year, applicants had to choose either the archery or firearms option. Hunters must use legal archery equipment during the bow season, but can use either legal firearms or archery equipment during the regular season. However, hunters are restricted to unit and type of elk as designated on license.
Similar to 2009, units E3 and E4 will each have a September and October any-elk season, an extended season for all any-elk license holders in November and December, and a season for antlerless elk beginning in September and continuing through December.

E3 and E4 lottery license holders must hunt in their unit for the first three days of the season. After the first three days, lottery license holders may hunt either unit. Landowner preference license holders may only hunt in their unit.

Unit E5, which includes the remainder of the state not included in units E1-E4, is open to all lottery license holders. Hunters may only take the type of elk designated on their license.

A total of 173 moose licenses are available in 2010, an increase of 25 from last year. All moose hunters are allowed to hunt during the bow and regular seasons with the appropriate legal archery equipment or firearm. Hunters are restricted to unit and type of moose as designated on license.

The boundary for moose hunting units M10 and M11 has been adjusted to focus more hunting pressure on the Missouri River bottoms area south of Williston where moose numbers have been increasing. Unit M11 has been reduced in size with the northern boundary now U.S. Highway 2. Unit M10 has been expanded west to the Montana border.

Unit M1C will remain closed due to an extremely low moose population in the northeastern portion of the state.

The bighorn sheep season will open two weeks later in October to coincide with the rut, allowing hunters a better opportunity to harvest an adult ram. Six licenses, an increase of one from 2009, are available in three units – one license in Units B1 and B3, three in Unit B4, and one license auctioned through the Midwest Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation. The bighorn sheep hunter drawn in Unit B1 is also eligible to hunt in Unit B2.
To apply online, or to print out an application to mail, access the Game and Fish Department’s website, gf.nd.gov. License vendors are scheduled to have paper applications by March 8.

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.

here’s another one of those situations that churns my stomach. A moose poacher and left to rot. I’m not giving an credit to poachers who shoot illegally and take the game. It’s stealing from law abiding legal hunters regardless, but these are just another level of wrong. Here’s the short skinny from Brad Dokken and the GFH.

DEVILS LAKE — The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is looking for information on a moose that was shot and left near Devils Lake.
According to Chris Knutson, district game warden for the Game and Fish department in Devils Lake, the adult cow moose was shot sometime the evening of Dec. 27 south of U.S. Highway 2 near the turnoff to Channel A northwest of Devils Lake.
Anyone with information about the poaching incident can call the state’s Report All Poaching hot line at (800) 472-2121 or the Game and Fish Department’s district office in Devils Lake at (701) 662-3617

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is cautioning hunters this fall to be on the lookout for a bull moose with a large white “X” on each front shoulder. The moose was released at the Erie Dam Wildlife Management Area in Cass County on Oct. 14, after it was immobilized and removed from a south Fargo business area.

Hunters need to be aware of this and not shoot the moose, says Greg Link, Game and Fish assistant wildlife division chief, because the drugs used to immobilize the 1,000-pound animal will remain in its muscle tissue for several months. Moose hunting season in unit M6, which encompasses the Fargo area, opens Nov. 20 and runs through Dec. 13.

The moose was first reported at 5:43 a.m. north of Interstate 94, near the interchange with 45th Street in southwest Fargo. Fargo Police Department officers responded and along with other agencies and individuals, created a barrier to keep the moose from moving out into traffic or threatening people until a local veterinarian arrived to immobilize the animal.

That process went fairly smooth, Link said, and the moose was released at Brewer Lake, about 25 miles northwest of Fargo, later in the morning. “This was a good outcome,” Link added, “but it doesn’t always turn out that way. Immobilizing wildlife is risky for both the animal and people involved. In this instance, we are fortunate that everything worked out.”

Game and Fish officials expect the paint on the moose to wear off over time, and by next fall hunters will not need to worry about residual drugs in the muscle tissue.