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I have been seeing allot of snow geese around the Volin, Wakonda, and Centerville area. They are landing in and staying over night on the flooded fields. It makes it very hard to get at the groups of birds, as they are in the flooded fields. I did find some in corn stubble and wheat fields around Wakonda and Volin.

Volin area, estimate around 3 to 5 thousand birds. Wakonda, estimate around 2 thousand. Centerville, estimate around 3 thousand.

Ruben

From the Wagner/Lake Andes area:

The majority of the snow goose flocks have been flying by Lake Andes and continuing north. Wednesday’s SSW wind provided a tail wind and the geese were flying extremely high, with seemingly no intention of stopping. Flocks have been flying by day and night for almost a week, with relatively few stopping. Very few seem to be using the still ice covered Lake Andes, with most birds roosting and utilizing the abundant sheet water in the agricultural fields and pastures.

GFP

There are good numbers of snow geese sitting in the flooded fields and sloughs West of Onida in Sully County down to the Spring and Cow Creek in Hughes County.

Some of these birds are flying around from field to field which could give the pass shooters a great opportunity.

GFP

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.

North Dakota Game and Fish Department officials were notified this morning by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Veterinary Services that a sick-looking mule deer taken last fall in western Sioux County has tested positive for chronic wasting disease. This is the first time CWD has been detected in a North Dakota animal.

Dr. Dan Grove, Game and Fish Department wildlife veterinarian, said a hunter in unit 3F2 shot an adult buck that did not appear to be healthy. “As we do with our targeted surveillance efforts, we collected the sample to test for CWD and bovine tuberculosis,” Grove said.

The Game and Fish Department’s targeted surveillance program is an ongoing, year-round effort that tests animals found dead or sick.

“We have been constantly monitoring and enhancing our surveillance efforts for CWD because of its presence in bordering states and provinces,” said Greg Link, Game and Fish Department assistant wildlife division chief.

In addition to targeted surveillance, the department annually collects samples taken from hunter-harvested deer in specific regions of the state. In January, more than 3,000 targeted and hunter-harvested samples were sent to a lab in Minnesota. As of today, about two-thirds of the samples have been tested, with the one positive result. The remaining one-third will be tested over the next month.

Link said monitoring efforts have intensified in recent years and all units have been completed twice throughout the entire state.

“The deer population in unit 3F2 is above management goals, and hunter pressure will continue to be put on the population in that unit again this fall,” Link said. “We are going to be aggressive with licenses and disease surveillance in that unit.”

Since the department’s sampling efforts began in 2002, more than 14,000 deer, elk and moose have tested negative for CWD.

CWD affects the nervous system of members of the deer family and is always fatal. Scientists have found no evidence that CWD can be transmitted naturally to humans or livestock.

To apply online, including 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.

New snow goose status reports will be provided as we receive notice of major movements and concentrations. The information will also be available on the Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge hotline (605) 885-6401.

South Dakota resident light-goose hunters need a 2010 SD Migratory Bird Certification stamp in addition to their small game license.

Nonresident hunters should note the Migratory Bird Certification is included as part of the nonresident snow goose license, so nothing else is needed.

Tuesday, March 16
Low flying flocks near St. Charles in Gregory County.

Monday, March 15
Just wanted to let you know that while at work on the east side of sioux falls sunday mid-afternoon I had seen