Editor
03-29-2010, 09:49 AM
Grant Program Aims at Recruiting Young Hunters, Shooters
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department invites clubs and organizations to submit an application for the Encouraging Tomorrow’s Hunters program, a grant program developed to assist in recruitment of the next generation of hunters and shooters.
Past funding has enabled several groups to conduct youth pheasant and waterfowl hunts, while others have sponsored trap and shooting events, including archery and rifle shooting.
Any club or organization interested in conducting a youth hunting or shooting event can get more information, including a grant application, from outreach biologist Pat Lothspeich at (701) 328-6332.
The deadline to apply for a 2010 grant is April 21.
2009 Bighorn Sheep, Moose and Elk Harvests
Harvest statistics released by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department show overall hunter success during the 2009 season for bighorn sheep was 100 percent, 90 percent for moose and 42 percent for elk.
Three bighorn sheep units were open in 2009. One license was issued in units B1 and B3, and two licenses were issued in unit B4. One additional auction license holder was able to hunt any open area. All five hunters tagged adult rams.
The department issued 147 moose licenses last year. Of that total, 133 hunters were successful, harvesting 83 bulls and 50 cows/calves. Harvest for each unit follows:
Unit
Issued
Bulls
Cow/Calf
Success Rate
M4
7
4
1
71
M5
5
4
1
100
M6
15
12
2
93
M8
25
13
10
92
M9
25
14
8
88
M10
60
31
23
90
M11
10
5
5
100
The department issued 577 elk licenses last year. Of that total, 245 hunters were successful, harvesting 141 bulls and 104 cows/calves. Harvest for each unit follows:
Unit
Issued
Bulls
Cow/Calf
Success Rate
E1
70
15
17
46
E2
90
32
20
58
E3
290
64
44
37
E4
127
30
23
42
Department Receives $54,000 for Bighorn Sheep Management
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department received two checks totaling $54,000 at the March 6 Midwest Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation annual meeting in Bloomington, Minn.
North Dakota’s 2010 bighorn sheep auction license, which allows the winning bidder the rare privilege of pursuing a North Dakota bighorn on a self-guided hunt, sold for $35,000. The department also received $19,000 to cover the costs of last February’s bighorn capture and transplant.
One hundred percent of the auction license proceeds are used to enhance bighorn sheep management in North Dakota.
Zone 2 Mountain Lion Season Closes March 31
While the 2009-10 mountain lion season in zone 1 closed Dec. 11 after the zone’s predetermined quota of eight cats was filled, the majority of the state remained open. But that will change the end of the month when zone 2 closes March 31.
Zone 2 is the remainder of the state outside of the badland’s unit in western North Dakota. No mountain lions have been taken by hunters in zone 2 so far this season.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department invites clubs and organizations to submit an application for the Encouraging Tomorrow’s Hunters program, a grant program developed to assist in recruitment of the next generation of hunters and shooters.
Past funding has enabled several groups to conduct youth pheasant and waterfowl hunts, while others have sponsored trap and shooting events, including archery and rifle shooting.
Any club or organization interested in conducting a youth hunting or shooting event can get more information, including a grant application, from outreach biologist Pat Lothspeich at (701) 328-6332.
The deadline to apply for a 2010 grant is April 21.
2009 Bighorn Sheep, Moose and Elk Harvests
Harvest statistics released by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department show overall hunter success during the 2009 season for bighorn sheep was 100 percent, 90 percent for moose and 42 percent for elk.
Three bighorn sheep units were open in 2009. One license was issued in units B1 and B3, and two licenses were issued in unit B4. One additional auction license holder was able to hunt any open area. All five hunters tagged adult rams.
The department issued 147 moose licenses last year. Of that total, 133 hunters were successful, harvesting 83 bulls and 50 cows/calves. Harvest for each unit follows:
Unit
Issued
Bulls
Cow/Calf
Success Rate
M4
7
4
1
71
M5
5
4
1
100
M6
15
12
2
93
M8
25
13
10
92
M9
25
14
8
88
M10
60
31
23
90
M11
10
5
5
100
The department issued 577 elk licenses last year. Of that total, 245 hunters were successful, harvesting 141 bulls and 104 cows/calves. Harvest for each unit follows:
Unit
Issued
Bulls
Cow/Calf
Success Rate
E1
70
15
17
46
E2
90
32
20
58
E3
290
64
44
37
E4
127
30
23
42
Department Receives $54,000 for Bighorn Sheep Management
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department received two checks totaling $54,000 at the March 6 Midwest Chapter of the Wild Sheep Foundation annual meeting in Bloomington, Minn.
North Dakota’s 2010 bighorn sheep auction license, which allows the winning bidder the rare privilege of pursuing a North Dakota bighorn on a self-guided hunt, sold for $35,000. The department also received $19,000 to cover the costs of last February’s bighorn capture and transplant.
One hundred percent of the auction license proceeds are used to enhance bighorn sheep management in North Dakota.
Zone 2 Mountain Lion Season Closes March 31
While the 2009-10 mountain lion season in zone 1 closed Dec. 11 after the zone’s predetermined quota of eight cats was filled, the majority of the state remained open. But that will change the end of the month when zone 2 closes March 31.
Zone 2 is the remainder of the state outside of the badland’s unit in western North Dakota. No mountain lions have been taken by hunters in zone 2 so far this season.