North Dakota Outdoors Magazine August-September 2012 ...

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fFURBEARERSFURBEARERSFor season details, refer to the North DakotaGame and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov, or the 2012-13 furbearer hunting andtrapping guide.Trappers legally harvested fishers forthe first time last year in eastern NorthDakota, and the opportunity to pursuethis large member of the weasel family hasbeen expanded this year with an increasedquota of 15 animals.Spring surveys indicate muskrat andmink numbers increased statewide comparedto last year, with the highest indicescoming from central North Dakota. However,reduced water levels in many wetlandsthis summer may have a profound effect onnumbers of these semi-aquatic furbearersavailable this fall. The mink trappingseason will be extended into the spring tocoincide with muskrat seasons.Despite some slightly decreasing trends,coyotes and raccoons remain abundantthroughout the state, providing amplehunting and trapping opportunities. Foxand skunk trends are down statewidecompared to last year. Beaver numbers aresimilar to last year.Trappers and hunters harvested 74 bobcatslast season, an increase of 47 percentfrom the previous season. The milder winterno doubt contributed to this increase inharvest.The Game and Fish Department hasinitiated a research project on mountainlions in the badlands region, whichincludes tagging and radio-collaringmountain lions. Research objectivesinclude determining survival rates, habitatuse and mountain lion movements inNorth Dakota. Additionally, the researchwill assist in helping set hunting quotas infuture years.Starting this season, pelt tags will be distributedfor legally taken mountain lions.Research surveys also continue forriver otters in central and western NorthDakota. If you know of river otters inyour area, please contact Game and Fish at(701) 328-6300.Stephanie Tucker,Furbearer Biologist, BismarckMOUNTAIN LIONSZone 1 (early) Opens: Aug. 31Closes: Nov. 25Zone 1 (late) Opens: Nov. 26Closes: March 31, 2013Zone 2 Opens: Aug. 31Closes: March 31, 2013There is a quota of 14 mountain lionsin Zone 1 early season. If the quota isreached, the early season in Zone 1 willclose immediately. The quota in the lateseason is seven lions. If that quota isreached, the late season in Zone 1 willclose immediately.There is no mountain lion quota inZone 2.Mountain lions may be huntedstatewide by residents using legalfirearms or archery equipment duringregular hunting hours. BeginningNov. 26, mountain lions mayalso be harvested by pursuing withdogs. Cable devices and traps arenot allowed. The limit is one lion perhunter per season. Kittens (lions withvisible spots), or females accompaniedby kittens, may not be taken. Any liontaken must be reported to the Departmentwithin 12 hours and the entireintact animal must be submitted foranalysis. Legally taken animals will bereturned to the hunter.For more information, see the NorthDakota 2012-13 Furbearer Guide.FISHER TRAPPING AND CABLEDEVICESOpens: Nov. 26Closes: March 15, 2013There is a quota of 15 fishers. Ifthe quota is reached, the season will closeimmediately.Fishers may be harvested by NorthDakota residents only in the open area eastof U.S. Highway 281 and ND Highway 4.The limit is one animal per trapper per season.Any fisher taken must be reported tothe Department within 12 hours. The peltmust be removed from the carcass prior topresenting the animal to the Departmentfor tagging. The carcass shall remain withthe Department.For more information, see the NorthDakota 2012-13 Furbearer Guide.WEASEL HUNTINGOpens: Nov. 26Closes: March 15, 2013A long-tailed weasel in its white winter coat.CRAIG BIHRLE16 ND Outdoors August-September 2012
Mink, weasel and muskrat may behunted statewide with .22 caliber rimfirerifles or pistols, muzzleloaders of .45caliber or smaller, longbows and crossbows.WEASEL TRAPPINGOpens: Oct. 27Closes: March 15, 2013WEASEL CABLE DEVICESOpens: Nov. 26Closes: March 15, 2013MUSKRAT AND MINK TRAPPINGOpens: Oct. 27Closes: April 30, 2013MUSKRAT AND MINK CABLEDEVICESOpens: Nov. 26Closes: April 30, 2013Muskrat huts may be opened for insertionof traps or cable devices; however, thehuts must be restored to their approximateoriginal condition to prevent freeze-up.In addition, muskrats may be trappedstatewide with foothold traps or colonytraps using underwater sets that are atleast 2 inches under water, or trapped withconibear-type traps or cable devices withno more than 2 inches of the conibear trapor cable device above the water surfacefrom March 16, 2013, through April 30,2013. During this time, float-sets areprohibited, and trapping or cable deviceson the outside of any muskrat house orstructure of any size is prohibited.BOBCAT CABLE DEVICESOpens: Nov. 26Closes: March 15, 2013Open only in the area south and west ofthe Missouri River.The pelt and carcass of each bobcat mustbe presented to Game and Fish Departmentpersonnel for inspection and taggingprior to sale or transfer of possession, butno later than 14 days after the close of theseason. No bobcat pelt will be tagged untilthe animal is skinned and presented withthe intact carcass. The carcass shall remainproperty of the Department. No fur dealershall possess or purchase an untaggedbobcat.RED FOX, GRAY FOX, COYOTEAND BADGER CABLE DEVICESOpens: Nov. 26Closes: March 15, 2013RED FOX, GRAY FOX, COYOTEAND BADGER HUNTING ORTRAPPINGOpen year-round (Officially fromApril 1, 2012 – March 31, 2013)In addition, red fox, gray fox and coyotemay be hunted at any hour from Nov. 26,2012, through March 15, 2013. Anyhunter who engages in the hunting of redfox, gray fox or coyote during the timefrom half-hour after sunset to half-hourbefore sunrise, must hunt exclusively onfoot and use a predator call. The use ofa spotlight or any other artificial light isprohibited.BEAVER AND RACCOONHUNTING, TRAPPING ANDUNDERWATER CABLE DEVICESOpen year-round (Officially fromApril 1, 2012 – March 31, 2013)BEAVER AND RACCOON CABLEDEVICES ON LANDOpens: Nov. 26Closes: April 30, 2013From March 16, 2013, through April 30,2013, cable devices must be within 50 feetof water; they must be no more than 4inches off the ground and they must havea stop restricting loop size to 12 or lessinches in diameter.Beaver dams may be dismantled whentheir presence causes property damage.MUSKRAT AND MINK HUNTINGOpens: Nov. 26Closes: April 30, 2013BOBCAT HUNTING OR TRAPPINGOpens: Nov. 10Closes: March 15, 2013CRAIG BIHRLEAugust-September 2012 ND Outdoors 17
Page 2 and 3: MATTERS OF OPINIONTerry SteinwandDi
Page 4 and 5: 2012 HUNTINThe forecast for 2012 ca
Page 6 and 7: These extremes are easily identifie
Page 8 and 9: Pheasant hunters shot683,000 birds
Page 10 and 11: BIGGAMECRAIG BIHRLEDeer licenses fo
Page 12 and 13: ELKFor season details, refer to the
Page 14 and 15: MIGRATORYBIRDSThere shouldn’t be
Page 16 and 17: REGULAR DUCK SEASONLow Plains UnitO
Page 20 and 21: A sharp-tailed grouseutilizes the c
Page 22 and 23: FIRST TIMEStory and Photos by Craig
Page 24 and 25: Brittany Fish (above),Bismarck, and
Page 26 and 27: Upper left: Kari Charvart, Mandan,b
Page 29 and 30: WMA CAMPING RESTRICTIONSGAME AND FI
Page 31 and 32: CRAIG BIHRLEHunting permits for Nor
Page 33 and 34: North Dakota huntersare reminded to
Page 35 and 36: By Ron WilsonMy introduction to ruf

North Dakota Outdoors Magazine August-September 2012 ...

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