Articles

ND deer licenses take hit

North Dakota’s lower deer and pheasant populations in recent years have generated many discussions. In terms of recent history the numbers are smaller, but compare the deer license allocation from the 1970s or pheasant harvest numbers from the early 1980s, and hunters have a little more to consider.

• Deer

New fishing license is needed

It’s hard to believe when I glance at the calendar that it’s May, and not June or maybe July.

• Fishing

Best time to fish is any free time

I’m the first to admit I’m not a professional angler. When it comes to tips and tactics on how to land a lunker walleye or fill a stringer in short order, I’ve got more questions than answers.

• Fishing

Spring brings pike spawning

As far as I can tell, few people are complaining out loud about the early arrival of spring in 2012.

• Fishing

Year-round fishing seasons are well received by anglers

Each week I close my column with my contact email information. Later, when the inbox dings to signal a new message has arrived, I’m never certain what the pretense for the email is, but I do enjoy the electronic communication.

• Fishing

Silver carp new ND nuisance

Last fall, an angler caught a silver carp in North Dakota’s portion of the James River near LaMoure.

• Fishing

Bald eagles not an unusual sighting

When the phone rings and the caller on the other end of the line is excitedly relaying an unusual wildlife observation, I do my best to join the adrenaline rush brought on by a possible rare or uncommon sighting.

• Eagle

The fishing seasons come and go, all are different

At 40, I don’t necessarily consider myself old, but I do know I’m old enough to remember the drought of the late 1980s and early 1990s when Devils Lake was hardly visible from Minnewaukan, and one day I walked across the parched bottom of Hobart Lake in Barnes County.

• Fishing

Best stories are always the ones that got away

I’ve had the opportunity to hunt many different places and species across North Dakota, much of it a result of having lived in more than 10 different zip codes across the state.

• Stories

End of a mild winter to start of spring

Winter began Dec. 21 and ends March 21. Or so says the calendar, if you prefer a specific date, rather than a change in weather, to note the arrival and departure of seasons.

• Walleye

Columns

Spring is all around

Signs of spring are all over these days. Spring turkey season is days and not weeks away. The turning of the calendar means you’ll need a new 2009 fishing license, and snow geese continue to roll through the state.

Explaining the early Canada goose hunt

Non hunters and hunters who don’t target Canada geese may be taken off guard a bit when learning those hunters they’ve seen and heard are out taking part in the early Canada goose season in North Dakota—for good reason.

Thoughts already are turning to the fall

Here it is barely summer and a lot of us are already looking ahead to what the fall hunting season might provide. While some prospects are risky to try to pin down just yet, spring weather conditions can give us some ideas about how various species have fared so far.

A little planning, organization can make boat launches uneventful

As we wade a little deeper into summer, I often preview the Fourth of July holiday and summer vacations with a safety reminder for anyone spending time in, on and around our lakes, rivers and reservoirs. So I’ll reiterate the only guarantee for a memorable outdoor excursion is for all participants to return home safe.