Landowners Seek Doe Hunters
North Dakota Game and Fish Department big game biologist Bill Jensen is currently working with 44 landowners in 24 hunting units across the state who would like to host antlerless deer hunters in 2009.
“The current list of landowners has more than 540 openings for doe hunters,” Jensen said. “We will continue to add landowners and doe hunters over the next several months, and by time the season is over with we could match more than 700 antlerless deer hunters with about 50 landowners.”
Landowners participating in 2009 are located in hunting units 2C, 2D, 2G2, 2I, 2J1, 2J2, 2K1, 2K2, 3A2, 3A3, 3A4, 3B3, 3C, 3D1, 3D2, 3E1, 3E2, 3F1, 3F2, 4A, 4B, 4D, 4E and 4F.
“The program is designed to direct antlerless hunters to specific areas to reduce deer depredation problems in the future,” Jensen said. “It is not intended for buck hunters.”
The Game and Fish Department first started working with landowners in developing a contact list in 2006, and the program has been very successful, Jensen said. “In fact, several landowners have now dropped out of the program because they have developed solid relationships with hunters the past few years that they now welcome them back every year,” he added. “This is how we intended it to work.”
Interested hunters can get their name on a list of possible participants by accessing the Game and Fish Department’s website at gf.nd.gov. Hunters who do not have Internet access can call the department’s main office in Bismarck at (701) 328-6300.
Hunters will provide their address, hunting unit(s) where they hold valid antlerless licenses, and if using rifle, muzzleloader or bow. In addition, some landowners are looking for hunters who use a shotgun with a slug barrel for land located near residential areas.
From this list the department will select the number of hunters landowners have agreed to host. These hunters will be sent the landowner’s name, phone number and any information relating to the landowner’s specific situation.
Not everyone who signs up will end up with a new place to hunt, Jensen said, because not everyone’s schedule will match up with a landowner’s, and more people will likely put their name on the list than there are landowners.
North Dakota’s 2009 regular deer gun season runs from Nov. 6-22. In addition, a special herd reduction season in units 2C and 2D is open from Sept. 25 – Oct. 1, and another in units 3E1, 3E2, 3F1, 3F2 and 4F is open from Oct. 2-9. The archery season extends from Sept. 4 through Jan. 3, 2010; the youth season is from Sept. 18-27; and muzzleloader runs from Nov. 27 – Dec. 13.
HIP Certification Required for Migratory Bird Hunters
Migratory game bird hunters are reminded to register with the Harvest Information Program prior to hunting in North Dakota this fall.
HIP certification is required for all migratory bird hunters, regardless of age, before hunting ducks, geese, swans, mergansers, coots, cranes, snipe, doves or woodcock.
Hunter compliance is essential in order to obtain reliable national and regional estimates of annual harvest of all migratory game bird species. These estimates provide information biologists need to make sound decisions concerning hunting seasons, bag limits and population management.
Hunters who purchase a license through the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s electronic licensing system (gf.nd.gov) or instant licensing telephone number at (800) 406-6409 can easily get HIP certified.
Otherwise, hunters can access the department’s website, or call (888) 634-4798 and record the HIP number on their fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate.
Those who registered to hunt the spring light goose season in North Dakota do not have to register with HIP again, as it is required only once per year. However, hunters must HIP register in each state for which they are licensed before hunting migratory game birds.
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Topic: NDGF newsletter - Aug. 10 (Read 1862 times)
