The number of roosters heard during the North Dakota Game and Fish Department's 2026 spring pheasant crowing count survey was 23.2 crows per stop, up 9% statewide from last year. "Overwinter survival of adult pheasants has been outstanding. Typically, we lose up to 75% of our pheasant population each winter, but t...

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has confirmed invasive zebra mussels in Horseshoe Lake, Richland County, after detecting zebra mussel veligers in routine plankton tow net samples. Department aquatic nuisance species coordinator Ben Holen said subsequent follow-up sampling found additional adult mussels in the...

District 1 - Baudette area Last updated: 2026-06-16 CO Ben Huener (Roseau) checked anglers on the Roseau River and Lake of the Woods. A calf depredation was investigated. CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) spent the week monitoring ATV traffic throughout the area. Nuisance animal calls were handled during the week. CO Tony ...

By Doug Leier Farmers, ranchers and all landowners should be aware of a key deadline: July 1, 2026. This date serves as the cutoff for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department's electronic posting system. Electronic posting allows landowners to designate land as "posted" via a digital database. For these dig...

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has certified nine new state record fish this spring. Of the nine records certified so far this spring, two have been in the weight category, which requires the angler to harvest the fish and have it weighed on a certified scale. Seven of the records have been in the catch-...

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is asking for input on several special fishing regulation proposals. Each year, the Minnesota DNR reviews existing fishing regulations, proposes new special regulations that apply to individual waters and asks the public for input about the proposals. All new special regula...

Minnesotans wishing to hunt elk have through Tuesday, July 7, to apply for one of 12 elk licenses offered this year by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. "We've increased elk harvest opportunities this year based on higher elk counts from the 2026 aerial surveys compared to last year," said Paul B...

Summer is here, and as more boaters take to the water to fish or simply cool off South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) staff are reminding to practice Clean, Drain, Dry every time enjoying the water. "This is the time of year that zebra mussels can be microscopic and most easily transported from waterbody to wat...

GFP Commission Holds June Meeting PIERRE, S.D. - The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission held their June meeting at Heartland Energy in Madison June 11-12. FINALIZATIONS Mentored, Youth Deer, and Apprentice Hunting Seasons The Commission closed nine counties in southeast South Dakota for mentored, youth,...

After several months of intensive training, two new dog/handler teams have earned their detection certification and joined the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' K9 Unit. The two teams - Conservation Officer Matt Brodin and K9 Molly (Brainerd) and CO Mitch Nowak and K9 Hank (St. Peter) - will increase the K9 Un...

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department's 79th annual spring breeding duck survey conducted in May showed an index of about 2.4 million birds, down 9.5% from 2.66 million birds in 2025 and 2.9 million in 2024. The 2026 breeding duck index dipped below the 1948-2025 average for the first time since 1993, according to ...

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources today launched the first phase of its modernized electronic licensing system for anglers, hunters and trappers, replacing a system that has served the state for more than 25 years. "The Minnesota DNR is thrilled to bring this modern licensing system to Minnesotans toda...

By Doug Leier In North Dakota, summer's arrival has always been a bit of a tease. I was visiting with an old friend on the sidewalk the other evening and it didn't take long before the conversation turned the way it usually does this time of year - toward the weather and then getting back outside. "Feels like summ...

CO Nathan Garza (Duluth West) spent time on local lakes conducting boating safety enforcement and checking anglers. Reports from Island Lake indicate that fishing is good with many anglers seeing success. As a reminder starting July 1, 2026, operators 26 years and younger must possess a valid watercraft operator's perm...

GFP Commission to Hold Meeting at Heartland Energy in Madison The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission will hold their regular monthly meeting at Heartland Energy in Madison June 11-12. This meeting will be held via Zoom/conference call and livestream. Thursday's meeting will begin at 1 p.m. CDT. The publ...

North Dakota's free fishing weekend is June 6-7. All residents 16 and older can fish any North Dakota water without a license. Residents 15 and younger do not need a fishing license at any time of year. The weekend provides a great opportunity to try fishing for the first time or take someone new. Information on regula...

June is Great Outdoors Month, making it an ideal time to get outside and explore Minnesota's outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities. A perfect day to do so is Free Park Day on Saturday, June 13, which also coincides with National Get Outdoors Day. On this date, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will w...

The Minnesota Department of Resources recently launched more than 60 new state water trail maps. In addition to offering the most-accurate navigation to help paddlers explore everywhere from the Red River in the northwest to the Root River in the southeast, the new maps include recommended paddling sections across the ...

By Doug Leier On a chilly, rainy Friday night the police officer called and said a young girl had taken what she thought was an injured mother duck and rode off on her bike. The officer was unable to find the girl and the hen, while a dozen ducklings scurried around looking for mom. Maybe they'd survive? The next after...

Each year in early June, Take a Kid Fishing Weekend is an opportunity for adults to share the fun of fishing with kids. "This is a great time of year to take kids fishing. The weather is usually pleasant, and the fish are often found close to shores and piers," said Benji Kohn, Minnesota Department of Natural...