March_April 2013.pdf - North Dakota Game and Fish

2012 BIGHORN, MOOSEAND ELK HARVESTSPaddlefish SnaggingSeason OpenerNorth Dakota’s paddlefishsnagging season opensMay 1 and is scheduled tocontinue through the endof the month. However,depending on the overallharvest, an early in-seasonclosure may occur with a36-hour notice issued bythe state Game and FishDepartment.Snag-and-release of all paddlefishis required on Sundays, Mondays andTuesdays. Those planning to participateduring snag-and-release-only days needto have in their possession a currentseason, unused paddlefish snagging tag.Use or possession of gaffs is prohibitedon snag-and-release-only days, and, ifit occurs, during the snag-and-releaseextension period.Mandatory harvest of all snaggedpaddlefish is required on Wednesdays,Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Onthese days, all paddlefish caught must betagged immediately. The use or possessionof a gaff hook within one-half milein either direction of the Highway 200bridge on the Yellowstone River is illegalat any time during the snagging season.Legal snagging hours are from 8 a.m.to 10 p.m. daily. One tag per snagger willbe issued. Snagging is legal in all areas ofthe Yellowstone River in North Dakota,and in the area of the Missouri Riverlying west of the U.S. Highway 85 bridgeto the Montana border, excluding thatportion from the pipeline crossing (rivermile 1,577) downstream to the upperend of the Lewis and Clark WildlifeManagement Area (river mile 1,565).If the season closes early because theharvest quota is reached, an extendedsnag-and-release-only period will beallowed for up to seven days immediatelyfollowing the early closure, but not toextend beyond May 31. Only snaggerswith a current season, unused paddlefishsnagging tag are eligible to participate.Only a limited area at the confluence ofthe Missouri and Yellowstone rivers isopen to this extended season snaggingopportunity.All paddlefish snaggers must possessa paddlefish tag in addition to a validfishing license and certificate that may berequired.PHOTO COURTESY OF GREG GULLICKSONHarvest statistics released by the NorthDakota Game and Fish Department showoverall hunter success during the 2012 season forbighorn sheep was 100 percent, 93 percent formoose and 62 percent for elk.The Department issued three bighornsheep lottery licenses and one auctionlicense. All four hunters harvested abighorn ram.The Department issued 143 moose licenseslast year. Of that total, 139 hunters harvested129 animals – 80 bulls and 49 cows/calves. Harvestfor each unit follows:2012 MOOSE HARVESTUNIT HUNTERS BULLSCOW/CALFSUCCESSRATEM4 6 0 2 33M5 5 4 1 100M6 14 5 8 93M8 15 15 0 100M9 30 15 13 93M10 69 41 25 96The Department issued 315 elk licenses lastyear. Of that total, 302 hunters harvested 188elk – 101 bulls and 85 cows/calves. Harvest foreach unit follows:2012 ELK HARVESTUNIT HUNTERS BULLSCOW/CALFSUCCESSRATEE1 67 14 31 69E2 123 34 44 63E3 73 37 3 56E4 38 16 7 61CRAIG BIHRLE36 ND Outdoors March-April 2013