A Duck Band’s Beginning

It was right around first light when I ventured outside of our sleeping quarters at J. Clark Salyer National Refuge Headquarters near Upham, ND last week (in early September). I noticed the picnic table was still full of grills, empty plates of goose, and some empty beer cans. Luckily, I packed it in a bit [...]

North Dakota Pheasant Numbers Down, Good Year Expected

North Dakota’s roadside pheasant survey conducted in late July and August revealed lower bird numbers than last year. Total pheasants and brood observations were down 31 percent statewide from last year, while average brood size was down 13 percent, according to Stan Kohn, upland game management supervisor for the state Game and Fish Department. Pheasant [...]

Pheasants Forever Pheasant Hunting Forecast

Pheasants Forever Pheasant Hunting Forecast Save for Iowa, where devastating weather negatively impacted the pheasant population, the remainder of the core pheasant powerhouses – the Dakotas, Kansas, Minnesota and Nebraska – will provide great opportunities for you to slide roosters into your vest this fall. The good news is easy to digest: South Dakota has [...]

Chasing Walleyes on Devils Lake in September

Normally my falls are reserved solely for hunting.  With so much going on and so many outdoor options to choose from, it’s hard to really do it all.  Typically, I only take out the boat to fish a couple times after hunting starts.  This month, I already have 7 days scheduled on Devils Lake and [...]

Still Too Early for Fishing Around Bismarck

Spent about 4 hours on the Missouri River south of Bismarck, out of Fox Island. We fished a lot of spots and pitched jigs and ran some cranks.  We caught about a dozen smallies and only one 16″ walleye (although extremely healthy and thick). What surprised me the most was the amount of gizzard shad [...]

Early Fall for the Missouri River in ND

It’s hard to believe that it’s August and I’m already writing about fall fishing on the Missouri River.  The reality is the rising water levels in northern Lake Oahe in S. North Dakota is probably having a big effect.  There has been good fishing reported all summer long along the state line, and lately there [...]

North Dakota Goose Hunting Opener Recap

Well the August 15th goose opener in North Dakota is officially in the record books. Despite a lot of concerns over heat and mosquitoes, I can say I only swatted a handful of skeeters in 3 mornings and typically we were out of the field before 8:00 a.m. so heat wasn’t an issue. After 3.5 [...]

Gearing up for Goose Hunting Opener

This year in 2008 marks a first for goose hunting in North Dakota – it’s starting VERY early.  To my knowledge, we get to start the season earlier than any state in the lower 48 and that date is this Friday, August 15th.  Since the talk of this new season started there has been a [...]

Man Made Walleye Heaven

I caught up with an old high school friend from Fargo earlier this spring. Evidentially he found his way to the Nodak Outdoors forum during the spring snow goose season and we stayed in touch. We spent some time catching up on a couple short fishing trips across the region and he had many stories [...]

Missouri River Walleyes Still Going Strong

Missouri River Walleyes This can be a depressing time of year for walleye anglers who live along the Missouri River in North Dakota. By this time of year, the bigger fish have either migrated downstream to deeper water in Lake Oahe in South Dakota or they are holding in deeper water up by the Garrison [...]

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