Doug Leier: ND Game Wardens Issued Record Number Of Citations In 2014

Every year the North Dakota Game and Fish Department provides a report on the number of citations issued by state game wardens the previous year.

The statistics for 2014, recently published in the February 2015 issue of North Dakota Outdoors magazine, carry some not-so-positive news: Game wardens cited a record number of anglers, hunters and others with violations in 2014.

The grand total of 2,712, was up nearly 300 from the number of violations in 2013.

The number one violation for the past few years has been fishing or hunting without a license, and closely related, fishing or hunting without having the license “on your person.”

The numbers also show that McKenzie County again led the state in the number of citations. Williams, Stark, Ramsey and Burleigh counties rounded out the top five.

By law, North Dakota game wardens enforce all state laws on property that the Department owns or manages like wildlife management areas, and also on state sovereign land. Game wardens are licensed peace officers and they are also often called upon to assist other law enforcement agencies as well.

Here’s a listing of the Game and Fish violations summary for 2014.

Big Game

• Failure to accompany/transport other’s game 1
• Failure to wear florescent orange 6
• Tagging violations 23
• Exceeding limit 4
• Killing wrong species or sex 9
• Other big game violations 7

Total 50

Small Game

• Using gun able to hold more than 3 shells 79
• Hunting in closed season 12
• Illegal possession/taking 11
• Exceeding limit 56
• Failure to leave identification or sex of game 39
• Killing wrong sex or species 14
• Failure to accompany/transport other’s game 9
• Nontoxic shot violation 6
• Failure to carry federal waterfowl stamp 7
• Hunting in unharvested fields 11
• Other small game violations 42

Total 286

Boating

• Use of unlicensed or unnumbered boat 123
• Failure to display boat registration 34
• Operating without lights at night 22
• Inadequate number of PFDs 176
• Water skiing violations 41
• Reckless or negligent operation 2
• Operating vessel under influence/intoxicated 10
• Other boating violations 74

Total 482

Fishing

• Fishing with excessive lines 59
• Exceeding limit 114
• Fishing in closed/restricted area 19
• Failure to attend lines 16
• No identification on fish house 21
• Failure to remove fish house 2
• ANS violation 34
• Paddlefish violations 10
• Other fishing violations 74

Total 349

Furbearer

• Shining (using artificial light) 7
• Illegal possession/taking 2
• Harassing furbearers with motor vehicle 4
• Hunting/trapping in closed season 3
• Other furbearer violations 6

Total 22

General

• Use of motor vehicle off established trail 4
• Use of motor vehicle in restricted area 33
• Harassing wildlife with motor vehicle 12
• Hunting on posted land without permission 61
• Hunting before/after legal hours 33
• Wanton waste 7
• Aid in concealment of unlawful game 8
• Hunting in wrong unit/closed area 4
• Loaded firearm in motor vehicle 48
• Discharge of firearm within/on motor vehicle 2
• 440 yard violation 11
• Littering 70
• Other general violations 34

Total 327

Licensing

• Failure to sign/affix stamp 16
• Hunting/fishing/trapping without proper license 307
• Failure to carry license on person 325
• Misrepresentation on license or application 35
• Other licensing violations 21

Total 704

Wildlife Management Areas/Refuge

• Failure to obey posted regulations 83
• Camping 11
• Tree stand violations 6
• Possession of glass beverage containers 77
• Baiting on WMA 4
• Possession/discharge of fireworks 7
• Prohibited uses of motor vehicles 31
• Unlawful use of firearms 22
• Other WMA/refuge violations 3

Total 244

Miscellaneous

• Possession of controlled substance 9
• Possession of drug paraphernalia 14
• Open container 9
• Minor in possession 50
• Criminal trespass 19
• Other miscellaneous 28

Total 129