# 2003 North Dakota Waterfowl Regulations



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

This is in todays Bismarck paper

Regulations for small game set
By RICHARD HINTON, Bismarck Tribune

North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven signed the paperwork on Tuesday to set season dates and bag limits for many of the state's fall hunting seasons and to make official the three-zone concept and restrictions on hunting days for nonresident duck hunters.

The 2003-04 small game and furbearer proclamation does not include waterfowl regulations, which will be added in late August after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service establishes a framework.

What nonresident duck hunters will see this fall is three zones, two small zones in the south central and central parts of the state and a third that covers the remainder of the state. Nonresidents who designate a small zone, either zone 1 or 2, may hunt that zone for only one seven-day period. Nonresident hunters who want to hunt in zone 1 or 2 and use all 14 days must hunt the other seven days in zone 3. Nonresidents cannot hunt both zones 1 and 2, but hunters can hunt zone three for the 14 days. There is no cap on visiting duck hunter numbers, however.

The zones do not affect resident hunters.

"It's a good, solid plan," Hoeven said Tuesday. "We're trying to bring people together and come up with a good balance."

The issue has been hotly debated with several measures introduced in the 2003 legislative session. On one side are rural business owners who benefit from out-of-state hunters' visits. On the other side are resident hunters who believe the crush of visiting hunters is destroying the quality of their hunting.

The proclamation also includes a provision that allows only North Dakota residents to hunt from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 of the regular waterfowl season, if the FWS framework allows for an early opening date of Sept. 27. Otherwise, the season will open Oct. 4 for resident and nonresident hunters.

Hunting season lengths and bag limits for upland game and furbearers in 2003 are essentially unchanged from last year, said Dean Hildebrand, North Dakota Game and Fish Department director. Sandhill crane hunting zones, season structures and bag limits also are basically the same, Hildebrand said.

The proclamation, however, does contain several significant changes:

The 2003 Legislature made changes in the nonresident upland game and waterfowl license fee structure. The cost of a nonresident small game license, as set by the Legislature, is $85. Nonresidents also need a $2 license certificate and $13 general game and habitat stamp to complete their small game license. Nonresident upland game licenses are now valid for either one 10-day period or two five-day periods. Nonresidents may purchase more than one license. The small game license is needed for nonresidents to hunt migratory sandhill cranes and mourning doves, in addition to resident upland birds such as pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, Hungarian partridge and others.

The nonresident waterfowl license is now separate from the small game license. It costs $85, as well, and remains good for 14 days or two seven-day periods. The seven-day statewide license no longer is available. The nonresident waterfowl license used to be a $10 add on.

Nonresidents will not be able to hunt pheasants on North Dakota Game and Fish Department wildlife management areas or on land enrolled in the Game and Fish Department Private Land Open to Sportsmen program from Oct. 11 through Oct. 17. However, nonresidents may hunt waterfowl and upland game, such as sharp-tailed grouse or partridge, during that time on WMAs and PLOTS areas. This new provision was passed by the state Legislature this year.

A statewide September Canada goose season, which targets resident populations, will be held Sept. 1-15 with a bag limit of five geese and a possession limit of 10 geese. The 2003 season has been reduced by one week as a result of a three-year evaluation conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that looked at the percentage of small, migrant geese taken during the third week of September. Over the three-year evaluation, the harvest of small geese exceeded 10 percent, which is the threshold allowed under federal harvest regulations.

Wanton waste of upland and migratory game birds has been clarified in an effort to reduce "dumpster dumping," in which people simply throw away birds so they can be under their possession limit and continue to hunt.

In another legislative action, hunters may take raccoons with the aid of a flashlight with a power of not more than six volts rather than four volts as in the past.

The use of snares is not permitted on Game and Fish wildlife management area tracts until after the close of upland game bird season, which is Jan. 4. Some changes have been made concerning snares and the material from which they are made. Most important is that individuals who are making snares from components must be responsible for ensuring they have locks that break or disassemble at 350 pounds or less.


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## Miller (Mar 2, 2002)

In reading, I don't see anything about a cap. So I take it it's wide open?


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## rap (Mar 26, 2002)

no cap.


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## OneShot (Aug 1, 2003)

I guess the days that I could buy $35 non res licenses are over then? (insert image of man with weak smile and greying hair, here)

I love North Dakota and its wild game...and I guess $100 for a license isnt too bad. Its inevitable that they would clip the non res for time alloted to hunt and where. Its just always a shame to see things changing...but, with larger populations, and more hunters, come restrictions.

That being said, I still hope to make it over for a few days. I have a new GSP (born 5/7/03) and I doubt that it will be a hunter by then, but it will love the wide open spaces and long walks in the late afternoon just the same. Cubby will come to love NoDak as much as I have...I have belly crawlled the grain fields north of Cando and waded into Devils lake up to my armpits to get ducks, and the first Canadian and first snow I ever shot were there in those same fields.

To good times, and to changing times...lets make the best of it all!


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## Jay Dog (Aug 9, 2002)

Memo to non-residents: if you don't want to deal with the zones, the price, or even the eventual cap.....live here.


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## Pointers01 (Oct 1, 2002)

Jay Dog said:


> Memo to non-residents: if you don't want to deal with the zones, the price, or even the eventual cap.....live here.


I would if I could earn a living, have to eat and support a family.
pointers01


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## FACE (Mar 10, 2003)

Pointers01; Not to be offensive but these Nodak Res. on this site seem to be doing that just fine. Your comment sounds insulting!


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## Pointers01 (Oct 1, 2002)

FACE said:


> Pointers01; Not to be offensive but these Nodak Res. on this site seem to be doing that just fine. Your comment sounds insulting!


Was not mean to be an insult. :beer: Would love to be able to live in Nodak. Great place. Sorry if it came off that way.
Pointers01


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## jimboy (Apr 1, 2003)

pointer, no offense taken. your absolutely right. I have to leave cause I can not pass on the opportunities that are available out of state. And with the way things are going it is no longer worth staying here. my dream of owning a little part of paradise is a fantasy while I am living here. I just can't get ahead and the leaders of this state keep making decisions that make it increasingly difficult to tollerate living here.


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## prairie hunter (Mar 13, 2002)

Good North Dakotans make exceptional Minnesotans :wink:


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## jimboy (Apr 1, 2003)

I can't argue with you on that prairie hunter. This is my last horah! after this season jimboy will officialy be a NR. the scourge of the earth :lol: 
But I will be able to afford the finer things and explore opportunities that do not exist here. but make no mistake, Jimboy will return again some day even if it is to burry my stinking carcass!!!! :rock:


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## Travis (May 15, 2003)

Thanks for posting the regulations. I am a NR who will be making my first trip to NoDak this year. I have a frien who lives hear now but he grew up just outside of Bismark somewhere near Dawson. He told me that I have to try it out there and then Ill never want to leave. Who knows maybe I wont leave. Hope everyone has a great season and I am looking forward to making the trip and meeting new people.

Travis
:beer:


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## Drakekiller (Apr 3, 2002)

Non Residents will not be able to hunt anything on any state land the first week of the pheasant season.That includes Grouse,ducks,deer(bow).Lands include plots,WMA's, and any land the G&F pays taxes on. N.D At. General ruled last week on House Bill 1223.


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## marsue (Aug 8, 2003)

Wouldn't be more be more simple for th NR's to be told where they can hunt. All this golby **** about plots and ND leased land doesn't mean any thing unless you live there. 
The NR's should be made to where a NR on their back incase they stray on the sacred local ground. This will make identification easier, just incase they are not acting like NR's. They should also be made to use only paper money with NR stamped on it to follow their trail.


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## Drakekiller (Apr 3, 2002)

Stamping money would be a good idea!Then the mith about how much money NRs spend would show that they only spend 14% of what residents spend in the state.


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## marsue (Aug 8, 2003)

Do not forget about the public services the NR's do not use up. I do not think they have any children in your schools for starters. Are any drawing unemployment from ND? 
No wonder most states like tourist.


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## ducksndogs (Aug 12, 2003)

So I got in contact with the folks at the Game & Fish Dept to help me clarify the...

Note: Nonresidents may not hunt on lands owned or leased by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department including Private Lands Open To Sportsmen (PLOTS) for the first week of pheasant season (October 11-17).

...statement on the http://www.state.nd.us/gnf/hunting/waterfowl.html website. I am a MN res who has been visiting the state of ND for the last few years, and I've thoroughly enjoyed it. A little more each year. But with the enjoyment comes some frustration. First a cap. No problem. I'm all for it, and am surprised there is not one this year. Now, the restrictions on NR's in particular areas. I know I have options for the date, but not really as my hunting partner can only get off that week. And I know I have options for private land, and I will certainly go that route. But the question in the back of my mind is, whats next. As I started saying, I contact Fish & Game to confirm. They confirmed. I also inquired why this was passed. They replied... "The law was passed by the legislature so they must have been lobbied by hunters to pass it." I love the state of ND and the fine hunting and the fine people I've been fortunate to meet. I look forward to many more years to come in ND.

Have a great season everyone.


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## indsport (Aug 29, 2003)

Just a quick note for non residents. PLOTS program land and NDG&F owned land constitute less than 1% of the land in North Dakota. For the first week of pheasant season, the other 99% of North Dakota is potentially open for hunting. PLOTS maps and others are available free of charge on the ND Game and Fish website.


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