Dakota Recreation Report

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Outdoor notes

- North Dakota Game and Fish Department taking registration for Oct. 24-28 Becoming an Outdoors-Woman bow-hunting workshop, Lake Metigoshe State Park, Bottineau. Contact BOW coordinators Nancy Boldt, 701-328-6312, or Brittany Fish, 701-527-3075, or email ndgf@nd.gov or go to the website, (gf.nd.gov) for details.

- Friday: Golden Valley Pheasants Forever (PF) banquet, Beach Fairgrounds, 5:30 p.m.

- Saturday: Pheasant and fall turkey seasons open.

- Saturday: McKenzie County Pheasants Forever (PF) banquet, Watford City Veterans Bldg., 6 p.m.

- Oct. 19: Knife River PF banquet, Beulah Grandview Restaurant, 6 p.m.

- Oct. 20: Southwestern Area PF banquet, Dickinson Elks Club, 6 p.m.

- Oct. 21: Unit 2 sandhill crane season closes.

Fishing

- NDGF Department District game wardens: Little fishing activity on Lake Sakakawea.

- Bismarck, Dakota Tackle, Missouri River/area lakes: Fewer anglers on the Missouri River but some are finding shore-fishing success. Fair shore-fishing success for salmon on Lake Sakakawea. No recent reports from small area lakes.

- Dickinson, Andrus Outdoors, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Limited activity on Lake Sakakawea and area lakes.

- Dickinson, Runnings Farm and Fleet, Lake Sakakawea/area lakes: Spotty walleye success on Lake Sakakawea. Try jigs and minnows around McKenzie or Skunk bays in 18 to 24 feet. Look for movement into shallower water with continued cooler temperatures. Missouri River water elevations are low.

- Garrison, Cenex Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Limited activity on Lake Sakakawea, Lake Audubon and Missouri River.

- Glen Ullin, Fitterer’s, Lake Tschida: A few anglers still on the water with occasional success.

- Mandan, Southside MVP, Missouri River/area lakes: Missouri River remains fair for small walleye.

- New Town, Van Hook Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea: Campground and bait shop close after Sunday.

- Pick City, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Some salmon success on Lake Sakakawea in the early morning or late afternoon hours. Try casting spinners or nightcrawlers on bobbers. Occasional walleye but angler numbers are limited. Missouri River tailrace remains better at night for walleye with catfish success during the day in the chutes. Try 3-way swivels. Look for walleye success down river during the day using minnows or nightcrawlers.

- Watford City, One-Stop, Lake Sakakawea: Limited activity.

- Williston, Scenic Sports, Lake Sakakawea/Missouri River: Missouri River and Lake Sakakawea continue producing fair walleye success. Water levels are low on the river so use caution.

Hunting

- NDGF Department game wardens: Not many youth hunters out during the special youth pheasant season but pheasant numbers are up in the southwest. However, there’s less cover on the landscape. Birds are concentrated in numbers with most of the corn harvest complete. Local birds around McLean County and southern Ward County moved out with some northern Canada geese moving in, although overall waterfowl numbers are lower. Overall fair success. Snow geese moving along the Canadian border with the migration getting underway.

- Northwest North Dakota: More interest in duck hunting is taking place in the region. Pheasant numbers look good in places but can vary.

- South-central North Dakota: Fair goose success around Bismarck-Mandan area.

- Southwest North Dakota: Look for nice pheasant numbers throughout many areas of the southwest and west river. Bow hunters are finding nice-sized deer but not big numbers. Coyote numbers remain strong. Patterson Lake holding some ducks with geese along White Lake east of Amidon.

- West-central North Dakota: Good numbers of ducks throughout the eastern end of Lake Sakakawea and northern McLean County. Cranes moving in and out of the region. Look for nice pheasant numbers for the opener.

Numbers to know

- NDGF Department main Bismarck office: 701-328-6300; website (http://gf.nd.gov).

- NDGF Department Dickinson office: 701-227-7431.

- Report All Poachers: 800-472-2121.

- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bismarck, website: (www.fws.gov/northdakotafieldoffice).

- Dakota Recreation Report: (www.dancingprairiearts.com).

Patricia Stockdill

Tags: rec report, dakota recreation report, outdoors