By Doug Leier One of the biggest days of the year for prospective deer hunters occurred Friday afternoon May 8. It's when the Game and Fish Department released the framework for the 2026 deer hunting season. This year's deer gun season will open Nov. 6 at noon and runs through Nov. 22, as wildlife managers continue a c...

A leisurely paced group paddle with local experts sharing their Red River knowledge. All skill levels welcome! SCHEDULE Backup dates will be the following week. Social on the Red River, May 27, led by Midwest Outdoors History of the Red River, June 17, led by Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County Animals and H...

Featured Update CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) spent time training and working with K9 Axel and assisted with an ATV safety class. Time was also spent checking anglers in the area and monitoring ATV activity. Swedberg and Axel also assisted with attempting to locate evidence relevant to the wildfire suppression plane...

The long Memorial Day weekend marks the traditional start of Minnesota's boating season, which means the state's lakes and rivers see increased traffic. While the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports that recent years have seen declines in boat-related fatalities (nine in both 2023 and 2024, and seven in 2...

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department offers a simple message to the well-intentioned who want to rescue what appear to be orphaned baby animals this time of year: don't touch them. Whether it is a young fawn, duckling, cottontail rabbit or a songbird, it is better to leave them alone. "Often, young animals ar...

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will lift the Tuesday-Wednesday no-camping restriction for Memorial Day week, which will allow overnight camping May 26-27 on those Wildlife Management Areas that otherwise have this two-day restriction in place. A complete list of WMA regulations is available on the Game and F...

Last Chance to Register There is still time to register to create your very own custom rain barrel! We must reach our class minimum by Monday otherwise the class will be cancelled. All skills levels are welcome! You can paint your barrel a simple solid color of your choosing or you can get creative. Dates: May 20 AND 2...

The Minnesota DNR began a large-scale elk research study in January to improve our understanding of baseline elk population dynamics (e.g., pregnancy rates, survival rates of adults vs. calves, survival rates of males vs. females, causes of mortality and movement amongst herds), as well as how elk use the landscape amo...

Each year, the Minnesota DNR completes an elk aerial survey in northwest Minnesota (Kittson, Marshall, Roseau and Beltrami counties) to determine a minimum count and help guide harvest quotas for the current population limits for each of the three distinct herds: Grygla, Kittson and Caribou-Vita. Aerial surveys can als...

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department recognizes National Safe Boating Week, May 16-22, an annual boating safety public awareness campaign that serves to educate boaters and water users heading into summer. A boat should have enough U.S. Coast Guard approved wearable life jackets on board for all passengers. North ...

Individuals interested in taking the exam to select candidates for district game warden positions must register by May 27. Exams are scheduled for 9 a.m. Central time at the following locations: June 2 - Minot Job Service Building, Minot. June 3 - West Fargo Police Department, West Fargo. June 5 - Game and Fish office,...

By Doug Leier l've never been mistaken as a master gardener, and I'm perfectly fine with that. I can borrow the neighbor's tiller and work up a patch of soil, but somewhere between turning dirt and planting the first spuds, my enthusiasm tends to fade. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate the dedication of North Dakota...

District 1 - Baudette area Last updated: 2026-05-11 CO Ben Huener (Roseau) assisted with instructing at Deputy Boat School at Camp Ripley. Assistance was given with a motor vehicle accident near Roseau. Anglers were checked on Lake of the Woods for the opening weekend of the walleye season. Fishing was slow, and minor ...

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department, in cooperation with state and federal partners and local stakeholders, plan to retreat Smishek Lake in May and June to eradicate the remaining zebra mussel population in the lake. "This spring, at ice-out, we surveyed the mussel population in Smishek Lake to evaluate the ...

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources encourages Minnesotans who see multiple dead fish in one area of a body of water to file a report by using a new online form or calling the state duty officer. "Reports from members of the public are an important way we receive information about fish mortality," s...

Licensed firearms turkey hunters who have not yet harvested a turkey during one of the 2026 A-E seasons can participate in the F season from Wednesday, May 20, through Sunday, May 31. Hunters who have not yet bought a turkey license can also purchase a license for the F season. Archery-only and youth ages 17 and younge...

Governor Tim Walz celebrated the 78th Governor's Fishing Opener this weekend, reeling in two Walleye and one White Bass alongside legislative leaders on the St. Croix River. On Friday, Governor Walz participated in interviews with local and statewide press, joined the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Com...

The North Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts has completed the first enrollment cycle for the Governor's Legacy Soil Health and Habitat Program. The program was launched through a $6.5 million Outdoor Heritage Fund grant awarded in December 2025, with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department serving as ...

PIERRE, S.D. - The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Commission held their May meeting at the Custer State Park Event Barn May 7-8. FINALIZATIONS Black Hills Firearm Elk Season The Commission voted to align dates for both antlerless elk and any elk tags in Unit H4 of the Black Hills elk firearm season. The antler...

North Dakota's 2026 deer season is set, with 39,100 licenses available to hunters, down 3,200 from last year, the lowest total in over a half century. Muzzleloader licenses were also reduced, and antlerless deer gun licenses are not available in several units. A total of 240 nonresident any deer archery licenses are av...