Welcome to Mitchell Hunting

Opening day for North Dakota residents is Sept. 24 for ducks, geese, coots and mergansers. Nonresidents may begin hunting waterfowl in North Dakota Oct. 1.

The daily bag limit for ducks is six per day. The federal framework is similar to last year, except the scaup or bluebill limit has been reduced from three to two per day. Pintails and canvasbacks are once again limited to 39 days, and can be taken only from Sept. 24 through Nov. 1.

The hunting season for Canada geese and light geese will close Dec. 22, and the season for white-fronts closes Dec. 4. Shooting hours for all geese shall be one-half hour before sunrise to 1 p.m. each day through Oct. 29. Beginning Oct. 30, shooting hours are extended until 2 p.m. each day.

Extended shooting hours for Canada geese and white-fronted geese are permitted on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with shooting hours on those days from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

The daily bag limit for Canada geese during the regular season is three, with six in possession. White-fronted goose daily limit is two, with four in possession, and light goose limit is 20 daily, with no possession limit.

The special youth waterfowl hunting season is Sept. 17-18. Legally licensed residents and nonresidents 15 years of age or younger can hunt ducks, coots, mergansers and geese statewide. A licensed adult at least 18 years of age must accompany the youth hunter into the field. The daily bag limit and species restrictions are the same as for regular duck and goose seasons. Youth hunters may take one pintail and one canvasback daily during this special season.

Season regulations include three nonresident waterfowl zones that were used in 2004, or the option for nonresidents to purchase a statewide license. There is no cap on the total number of nonresident waterfowl hunters for 2005.

The boundaries of the three waterfowl hunting zones for nonresidents are the same as in 2004. Nonresidents who designate zones 1 or 2 may hunt that zone for only one 7-day period during the season. Nonresident hunters who have chosen to hunt in zone 1 or 2 and wish to use the full 14 consecutive days allowed must use the other 7 days in zone 3. Hunters in zone 3 can hunt that zone the entire 14 days.

The state legislature in 2005 added an option for a statewide nonresident waterfowl license with no zone restrictions for $125.

In accordance with state law, nonresidents are not allowed to hunt on Game and Fish Department wildlife management areas or conservation PLOTS (Private Land Open To Sportsmen) areas from Oct. 8-14.

All waterfowl hunters must register with the Harvest Information Program prior to hunting. Hunters purchasing a license from the department's Bismarck office, web site (discovernd.com/gnf), or instant licensing telephone number (800-406-6409) can easily get a HIP number.

Otherwise, hunters must call 888-634-4798, or log on to the game and fish web site, provide the registration information, and record the HIP number on their fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate. Those who HIP registered to hunt the spring light goose season do not have to register again, as it is required only once per year.

Hunters should refer to the 2005 North Dakota Waterfowl Hunting Guide, available in early September, for further details on the waterfowl season.

The season opens for sharptails, partridge and ruffed grouse Sept. 10, while sage grouse hunters will have to wait until Sept. 26.

The number of sharp-tailed grouse seen during brood surveys is down this year, but there's likely a reason for that, said Jerry Kobriger, upland game management supervisor for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Dickinson. "I don't feel it's significant due to the tremendous amount of cover this year," Kobriger said. "While all the cover is excellent for grouse, it does make for difficult census conditions."

Kobriger noted an increase in the average grouse brood size - nothing significant, but an increase nonetheless.

North Dakota 's buffaloberry crop is better than last year, which could be a good sign for sharptail hunters. "In years of a good crop of buffalo berries, hunters seem to do better, particularly when hunting conditions are warm and dry," Kobriger said.

Total harvest for sharptails dropped more than 30 percent in 2004, from nearly 150,000 birds in 2003 to just over 100,000 grouse in 2004.

The outlook for Hungarian partridge heading into the breeding season wasn't the best, but things have improved for the nonnatives. "Total partridge seen on brood survey routes has increased," Kobriger said. "Partridge numbers are up, production is better this year and hunters should find a few more birds than last year."

Last season, hunters bagged about 52,000 birds, down 41 percent from 2003 when hunters harvested nearly 90,000 Huns, the highest total in many years.

North Dakota 's ruffed grouse survey indicated a 37 percent population increase this spring compared to 2004, according to Stan Kohn, upland game bird biologist. "Hopefully, this indicates we are on a slow movement upward in the population."

Sunrise counts taken on survey routes this spring showed increases in male grouse drumming activity in the Turtle Mountains, Pembina Hills and McHenry County (J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge).

The season for sharptails, partridge and ruffed grouse is open through Jan. 8, 2006. The daily limit is three and possession limit is 12. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

The 2005 sage grouse survey showed an increase in the number of strutting male sage grouse observed compared to last year. Biologists counted 225 males this spring, up from 144 in 2004.

The three-day sage grouse season closes Sept. 28. The daily and possession limit is one, and shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

For further season information and regulations, hunters should consult the North Dakota 2005-06 Small Game Guide.