The badlands of western North Dakota are one of the
unique regions for North Dakota outdoors, and a focal point for State Game and
Fish Department research and studies.
“It’s just a remarkable place for both critters and
people,” said Jeb Williams, Game and Fish wildlife division chief. “The
research projects provide the Game and Fish Department with additional
information about the animals being studied, which is a benefit to managing
those species in the best interests of the people of our state.”
A recent North Dakota Outdoors magazine article
highlighted some of these ongoing or completed studies.
Elk on the Move
Last winter, the Game and Fish Department, in
cooperation with the University of Montana, captured 90 elk – 70 cows and 20
bulls – and fit them with GPS collars in an effort to better understand elk
distribution and movements in the badlands.
“This research project will help us manage elk by
better understanding their home range and survival rates,” Williams said. “It
will also help us put together better survey protocols to better understand the
number of elk that are out there, so we are able to provide as many hunting
opportunities as possible for these prized once-in-a-lifetime animals.”
Mule Deer and Energy
Energy development in the badlands has in places altered
the landscaped inhabited by mule deer and other animals.
This study, completed a few years ago, included
fitting 90 mule deer –with radio collars. The collars allowed researchers to
track the animals and see how they reacted to a changes in the landscape, and
to see if landscape disturbance influenced mule deer reproduction.
“There are times during the year when mule deer are
pretty sensitive, such as during the fawning season and during the winter
months,” Williams said. “Some of the research showed that if there can be some
coordination between conservation groups, the Game and Fish Department and the
oil and gas industry, in terms of planning and timing of some of the
developments, that there are some benefits to mule deer.”
Bighorns Fill Rugged Niche
Bighorn sheep don’t have a big footprint in western
North Dakota because the especially steep, rugged habitat the animals rely on
is limited.
“It’s probably one of the species we get the most
comments on, the most photos of from people who are out hunting or simply
recreating in the badlands,” Williams said. This is an animal that people really
admire and really like to see in the wild.”
Bighorn sheep focus in the badlands of late has
followed a bacterial pneumonia outbreak detected in 2014.
“A lot of research has shown anytime you have a
pneumonia outbreak, that there is anywhere from 30 to 90% mortality in the
population,” Williams said. “We are closer to 30%, which is good news. We feel
better today about where our bighorn sheep population is compared to 2014.”
The complete article is available on the
Game and Fish website at gf.nd.gov