Say Anything Blog

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released its preliminary report on mid-continent breeding ducks and habitats, based on surveys conducted in May and early June. Total duck populations were estimated at 37.3 million breeding ducks on the surveyed area. This estimate represents a 9 percent decline over last year’s estimate of 41.2 million birds, but remains 11 percent above the 1955-2007 long-term average.

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East of a line formed by the Missouri River to the eastern end of Lake Sakakawea, and then east of U.S. Highway 83 to the Canadian border, wolves in North Dakota are now classified as a furbearer protected with a closed season. Their designation is similar to that of black bear and river otter, which are also occasionally seen in the state, but do not have a population high enough to allow for a regulated hunting and/or trapping season. Furbearer status, however, does not protect wolves if they threaten livestock or on rare occasions present a threat to humans.

West of the Missouri River-U.S. Highway 83 line, wolves remain a federal endangered species that can only be killed after repeated instances of depredation, and then usually only by designated federal authorities.

To better understand the disparity, consider a wolf that is causing problems for a livestock producer. In Richland County in southeastern North Dakota, a landowner could justifiably shoot a wolf harassing cows and calves, even though it hadn’t attacked any livestock. In Divide County in the northwestern part of the state, a landowner could face federal charges for shooting a wolf without specific approval or authorization, even if it had just killed and was still in the process of eating a calf.

North Dakota’s pheasant harvest in 2007 was the highest in more than 60 years, according to statistics released by the state Game and Fish Department.

“To sum it up, we had an outstanding hunting season last fall,” said Stan Kohn, upland game management supervisor. “We carried a large breeding population into spring. We predicted a good number of broods and chicks last summer, and they were there. And good fall weather brought out the hunters.”

In 2007, North Dakota had 107,574 pheasant hunters, the first time the state has surpassed the 100,000 mark. Resident and nonresident hunters were both at all-time highs. The number of resident hunters increased to 71,870 (up from 68,216 in 2006) and the number of nonresident hunters increased to 35,704 (up from 31,633).

The total bag was 907,434 roosters, compared to 750,787 in 2006. The record harvest was 2.4 million in both 1944 and 1945. Birds bagged per hunter increased from 7.5 to 8.4, and each hunter spent on average six days afield last year.

Counties with the highest percentage of pheasant harvest by resident hunters include McLean (9.7 percent), Burleigh (9.3 percent), Dickey (5.1 percent), Ransom (4.9 percent) and Sargent (4.6 percent). Top counties for nonresident hunters were Hettinger (18.4 percent), Dickey (7.8 percent), McIntosh (5.7 percent), LaMoure (5.5 percent) and Bowman (5.4 percent).

Following a relatively mild winter with minimal mortality, 2008 spring counts indicated a 36 percent increase statewide in the number of pheasants heard crowing compared to last year.

“Crowing counts were up from 31 percent in the southwest to 53 percent in the northeast,” Kohn said. “These increases in the crowing count index do point to a strong spring breeding population.”

Pheasant crowing counts are conducted each spring by observers driving standardized routes throughout North Dakota. The number of rooster pheasants heard crowing is recorded and compared to previous years’ data. The index does not measure actual numbers or population density, but is an indicator of the population trend of breeding roosters in the state.

While crowing counts identified an increase in spring numbers, Kohn said the fall pheasant population largely depends on reproductive success and survival of young birds in June through mid-August. “The month of June offered almost ideal conditions for egg hatch and chick survival,” he added.

North Dakota’s pheasant population has been strong the last several years thanks to mild winters, good nesting and brooding cover, and improved winter cover. “But the loss of Conservation Reserve Program acreage may have an impact on pheasant populations and land available to hunt on in the future,” Kohn said.

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First off is to begin scheduling a few fishing excursions. Short or long, near or far don’t just pencil them in, fill every calendar slot you see with a half day, short evening or full weekend. Sure it sounds a bit elementary but mental notes are easily deleted and shuffled through to the recycle bin. Think back to last August and the empty frustrating feelings of not getting your spouse, kids, dad or grand-father back casting or boating alongside you. Don’t tell yourself, “we’ll see…something might work” pick up the phone and get a date scheduled. You’ll thank me later. And one last point on summer fishing trips. Make an oath to yourself and all involved you’ll hold fast to the date and not look for a weak reason to cancel. If you’d rather not fish, don’t schedule it. Reason’s NOT to do something are easily picked out of the clouds. Following through will server all better.

Doug Leier with Michelle Turnberg on The Valley Today with cameo by Matt-Rawk-Granite..life jacket model for the next millenia…

It’s Independence Day weekend and we’ll still bring you and update from the outdoors. Today from 4-5PM on AM 790 KFGO with Captaim Tom from reelinonthered.com we’ll talk catfishing and also from the Outdoors Live kitchen--Uncle Lynn with some reminder from the world of fish and wild game cooking.

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As the United States celebrates our 232nd birthday this Independence Day I must but take a moment to celebrate the legacy of spending time outdoors. I can’t help but assume our heritage of hunting and fishing was born out of necessity and still to this day in terms of the popularity of seafood and the healthy lean protein found in wild game meat, subsistence hunting and fishing has been replaced more recently by choice. And it’s this same choice that has provided a Montana centurion decades of angling enjoyment.

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here’s a cross post from http://www.outdoornewsguy.com on finding more to do outdoors this summer. The growing popularity of watchable wildlife.

I really don’t care if it’s mowing the lawn, going for a hike or just pulling over along side the road to check out a turtle or odd looking bird, time is better when we can appreciate the other species sharing our outdoors. It doesn’t have to be hunting, fishing or trapping--active or consumptive outdoor recreation. Sometimes I get a thrill ‘shooting’ with a camera.

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As the latest ban takes effect in California count me a skeptic as to the across the board benefit provided the target species of California condors. Am I a condor hater? Not one bit, I’m more frustrated with the seeming attribution to hunters as the source for the condor struggles. As has been duly noted for centuries lead has been used in an array of commercial practices and is found naturally occurring. I don’t doubt other means of preventing mortality in condors is part of the plan, don’t doubt it one bit, but lead has been used in paint, batteries, in plumbing, insecticides and more.

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hen under control, working its way slowly through crackling logs surrounded by melon-sized rocks in a fire ring, it is pleasing and beneficial. When out of control, pushed by winds through dry prairie grasses, it is both dangerous and devastating.For people who spend time outdoors, campfire is good and wildfire is bad. So for much of the last century, forest and prairie land managers went to great lengths to prevent or suppress fires that had the potential to burn large areas.

full">http://www.outdoornewsguy.com">full post at http://www.outdoornewsguy.com

I still contend that a/c or air conditioning has lead to the demise of our neighborhoods in the USA. People are used to 72 degrees and any deviation is a reason to NOT go outside. It’s to hot to go out. To humid, to windy, to cloudy, to cool.....so instead of sitting on the front porch making conversation with neighbors people sit inside and watch TV

That’s not the case in our home as even with a/c we spend all our down time outdoors. But here it is July 1 and we’ve not turned on the central air yet. Why have it? I figure we’re down to 2 months to even have a use for it. but we’re spoiled...and need to have the security of a/c if we want to use it.

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A lost big game hunter of the Yukon or a broke down sea angler adrift at sea will do anything in the name of self preservation. I learned that as a teenager reading the book ALIVE, the story of the South American Rugby team’s who’s plane crashed in the mountains and the struggle to survive including the desperation of cannibalism. Pushed to the edge and limit humans take whatever necessary steps to survive, so really the issue of illegal wildlife trade in poverty and war stricken countries, while mostly untold, is less surprising than the recoil on my shot-gun. It’s inevitable.

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As Lake Sakakawea begins to refill...it’s gainined 11 vertical feet in the past month or so, since May. Which is huge when we are talking about vertical feet, and the amount of flooded acreage it stretches out across.

Creating better access, flooded vegetation for fish habitat. Not to mention giving communities a sigh of relief which depend upon the big lake for drinking water. Get this: we are inching closer to an elevation of 1820 (around 1818 last I checked) it has been 5 years since we could say that. wow....even that surprises me.

keep it up!

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The frame work for the 3rd Fargo metro deer hunt has been set. Another tool used to help manage urban wildlife populations.

The state of the pheasant hatch with Regional Biologist Jesse Beckers from Pheasants Forever, how are the duck’s doing on the nest with Mike Johnson, waterfowl biologist. All that and more Saturday from 4-5PM on AM 790 KFGO.

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