North Dakota Outdoors Magazine August-September 2012 ...

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Pheasant hunters shot683,000 birds lastseason.containing good habitat. In many instances, they evenbreed and winter in areas not normally considered goodturkey habitat. Like other game birds, poor production andchick recruitment has trimmed the overall population since2008.Almost all hunting units have experienced a decline inturkey numbers, leading to fewer hunting licenses. It’s tooearly to estimate a fall population as some nesting habitatalong the Missouri, Little Missouri and Souris river bottomlandswas disturbed during major flooding last summer.On a positive note, spring habitat conditions in much ofthe state looked quite good and the weather was almostperfect for nesting and brooding hens, likely adding moreyoung birds to the population than the previous three years.Even though license numbers are down in most huntingunits, with some preseason scouting and contacts, huntersshould be able to locate birds along wooded river bottoms,drainages and forested areas.Stan KohnSharp-tailed grouse arenative to North Dakota.CRAIG BIHRLEMIKE LALONDESHARP-TAILED GROUSEOpens: Sept. 8Closes: Jan. 6, 2013Daily Limit: 3Possession Limit: 12Shooting Hours: Half-hour before sunrise to sunsetUpland game species in North Dakota declined rapidlyfollowing three difficult winters. Last winter, however, setthe stage for a potential rebound going into the 2012 huntingseason if conditions are favorable for nesting and broodrearing.Most upland game species have the reproductive potentialto recover quickly from drastic reductions caused byweather, but there is a caveat. Recovery depends on thequality of habitat within the species’ home range and ifweather is favorable to allow chicks the opportunity tosurvive.In North Dakota, quality habitat is being lost as acreageenrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program is removedfrom the landscape. Additionally, fragmentation associatedwith energy development and loss of native prairie arenegatively affecting sharp-tailed grouse populations andother wildlife species.Summer sharptail brood counts, which are the mostaccurate predictor of the fall hunting season, were notconducted by the time of this writing. The data available islast year’s hunter harvest age ratios, which indicated poorproduction in many areas of the state for 2011, and springdancing ground trends, which showed a slight increase thisyear compared to 2011.Neither method can provide an accurate prediction forthis fall’s hunting season so hunters must wait for latersummer brood count reports.6 ND Outdoors August-September 2012
As a best guess, nesting conditionswere optimal with relatively mildweather across the state. SouthwesternNorth Dakota is enduring a significantdrought that will reduce insect productionand ultimately affect brood survival.The state’s northern tier had timelyprecipitation, but only time will tell howgrouse respond. Hunters should expectto see slightly increased numbers ofsharp-tailed grouse this hunting season.Aaron Robinson, Upland GameManagement Biologist, DickinsonRUFFED GROUSEOpens: Sept. 8Closes: Jan. 6, 2013Daily Limit: 3Possession Limit: 12Shooting Hours: Half-hour beforesunrise to sunsetRuffed grouse inhabited the nativeaspen woodlands in Rolette, Bottineau,Pembina, Walsh, and Cavalier countiesprior to European colonization. Thesebirds provide an interesting segmentof the North Dakota landscape, andare our only native woodland grousespecies.More than 40 years of ruffed grousecensus data in North Dakota shows thatbird numbers tend to cycle about every8-10 years. Even though native foresthabitat continues to shrink, these birdsare doing their best to adapt to what isavailable.Ruffed grouse hunting season dates,bag limits, number of hunters andharvest has remained fairly constantover the last 20 years.In 2010, it seemed wewere slowly movingout of the lowpoint in the populationcycle. However,spring drummingcounts in both 2011and 2012 showed adecrease from 2010.This spring’s drummingcounts weredown 37 percentstatewide from 2011,and dropped 24 percent in the TurtleMountains and almost 42 percent inthe Pembina Hills. In early July, nestingsuccess and production information onruffed grouse were unknown, but even ifthe population is low, it is always enjoyableto hike through North Dakota’snative woodlands in fall.Stan KohnHUNGARIAN PARTRIDGEOpens: Sept. 8Closes: Jan. 6, 2013Daily Limit: 3Possession Limit: 12Shooting Hours: Half-hour beforesunrise to sunsetThis fall, hunters will likely see slightlyhigher numbers of partridge in the fieldcompared to last year.Spring weather was favorable in manyparts of the state. A string of toughwinters reduced the adult breedingpopulation, but last winter should helpthe population recover heading intonesting season.Pockets of decent hunting may befound in areas where multiple pairsreproduced successfully, but hunters willneed to spend some time in the morningsscouting out potential areas.Aaron RobinsonSAGE GROUSE, PINNATEDGROUSEHunting seasons for sage grouse andpinnated grouse are closed again this fall.Sage grouse have beenslow to rebound insouthwestern NorthDakota.CRAIG BIHRLEWhile the number of strutting malesobserved during the spring sage grousesurvey was up 15 percent from last year,showing some hope for a strugglingspecies, the population remains wellbelow management objectives.This is the fifth year in a row thatNorth Dakota won’t have a sage grouseseason, and the third year in a row forno season on pinnated grouse, or prairiechickens, in the northeastern and southeasternparts of the state.Game and Fish Department biologistscounted 72 male sage grouse in springon 12 active strutting grounds. Last year,63 males were counted on 12 active leksin southwestern North Dakota.The number of males counted on lekseach spring has gradually declined since2000. In 2008, spring counts droppeddramatically throughout North Dakota’ssage grouse range due to West Nilevirus.Numerous conservation efforts havetaken place in the past four years whichwill hopefully help the sage grousepopulation recover. Sage grouse managementin North Dakota and theentire range of 11 western states is acollaborative effort.Sage grouse are North Dakota’s largestnative upland game bird. They are foundin extreme southwestern North Dakota,primarily in Bowman and Slope counties.Male prairie chicken spring boomingcounts have dramatically declined inrecent years. Wet conditions in easternNorth Dakota have contributed to poornesting success.TREE SQUIRRELSOpen Area: StatewideOpens: Sept. 8Closes: Jan. 6, 2013Daily Limit: 4Possession Limit: 12Shooting Hours: Half-hour beforesunrise to sunsetTree squirrels may be taken withfirearms loaded with shot, rimfire rifles,or with bow and arrows legal for takingupland game.August-September 2012 ND Outdoors 7
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 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 18 and 19: fFURBEARERSFURBEARERSFor season det
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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