Game Warden Exam Set for August 26

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has scheduled an examination to select candidates for the position of district game warden. The test is at 10 a.m., Aug. 26, at the department's main office in Bismarck.

Applicants must register to take the exam by submitting a letter of intent to chief game warden Robert Timian, North Dakota Game and Fish Department, 100 N. Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck, ND 58501‑5095. Letters of intent must be submitted before 5 p.m., Aug. 22.

Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and have a bachelor's degree. Other requirements are a current North Dakota peace officer license, or eligibility for a license, and a valid driver's license. Candidates must have excellent interpersonal skills in communications and writing, and must not have a record of any felony convictions.

Game wardens enforce game and fish laws and related regulations in an assigned district and other locations as determined by the department. Wardens normally work alone under varied conditions, at all hours of the day, night, and weekends. In addition to law enforcement duties, wardens assist in the areas of public relations, education programs, and hunter and boat safety education.

Game warden duties also require the ability to perform physically demanding tasks involving lifting and carrying large, heavy objects, walking and running over uneven terrain and tolerating adverse weather and other environmental conditions.

Selection procedures include an evaluation of the application, a structured oral interview, background and reference checks, and psychological and medical examinations.

The salary for beginning game wardens through training is $3,000 per month. Upon successful completion of training, the salary range is $3,550‑5,916 per month. Wardens also receive the state benefits package, including travel allowance. Uniforms and other equipment are provided.

Increased Limit Proposed for Early Canada Goose Season

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is recommending a bag limit increase for the early Canada goose season. The annual small game proclamation, which includes early Canada goose regulations, will be submitted to the governor's office this week for approval.

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The proposal includes a daily limit of eight and a possession limit of 16. In addition, Game and Fish is recommending an opening day of Saturday, Aug. 13. In previous years, the season opened Aug. 15.

Limits and shooting hours for the early season are different from the regular season. Shooting hours during the early season are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily.

Normal licensing requirements for the regular season, including a federal duck stamp, apply to the early season. Nonresidents who hunt in Benson, Ramsey, Towner, Sargent and Richland counties during the early season may do so without counting against their 14-day regular season license.

All migratory bird hunters must register with the Harvest Information Program prior to hunting. Hunters who purchase a license through the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website or instant licensing telephone number (800) 406-6409 can easily get HIP certified. Otherwise, hunters can 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.

Waterfowl rest areas, closed to hunting during the regular season, will be open during the early season. Most land in these rest areas is private, so hunters may need permission to hunt.

The early hunting season is intended to reduce local Canada goose numbers. Despite liberalized regulations the past several years, with longer seasons, large bag limits and expanded shooting hours the statewide population remains high, with numbers well above population goals.

As proposed, the early season would end in the Missouri River zone Sept. 7, while the rest of the state would have an ending date of Sept. 15. The Missouri River zone closes early to provide additional late season hunting opportunities by adding these days to the end of the regular season.

For additional information and regulations, hunters should refer to the Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov.

Walleye Stockings Complete

North Dakota Game and Fish Department fisheries personnel, along with staff from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fish hatcheries, recently stocked 8.3 million walleye fingerlings in 88 lakes and rivers across the state.

Jerry Weigel, fisheries production and development section leader for the Game and Fish Department, said while this year's goal was to meet or exceed last year’s record stocking of 11.5 million walleye, challenges from flooding and cooler spring weather reduced hatchery output.

The Garrison Dam (7.7 million fingerlings) and Valley City (600,000) national fish hatcheries were both hampered by Mother Nature – Valley City with high flows and Garrison Dam with limited food production due to a cool spring and record releases.

Despite those challenges, Weigel said fish quality was good and stocking conditions were great, with lots of cool water and flooded vegetation at the stocking sites. “Given all the problems with the cool spring and flooding, production turned out remarkably well,” he said.

That was also the case with northern pike (2.3 million stocked in 59 waters), and early indications are that stocking efforts and natural reproduction have set the stage for another good year for both walleye and pike.

Fisheries personnel will know more this fall when crews check on survival rate of the stocked fish and determine the amount of natural reproduction.