Game and Fish Briefs

Electronic Posting System for Private Land Available 

Landowners interested in posting private land electronically for the 2022-23 hunting season can log into My Account on the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. The deadline for landowners to digitally post land is July 1, which is necessary to produce print material and digital content prior to hunting seasons that begin in August. 

The 2021 state legislature passed a bill to allow electronic posting of private land, giving landowners another option for posting private property. 

Landowners who enrolled land electronically last year can renew, add or modify posting designations during the enrollment period. Others posting for the first time might need to create a profile. To post land, proceed to the “Land Parcels/Electronic Posting” section at the bottom of the page and click “Search/Renew Land parcels.” The electronic posting system is linked to land descriptions based on county tax parcel information. 

The Game and Fish website has complete instructions for landowners, along with frequently asked questions for both landowners and hunters. 

Game and Fish Violations Tallied 

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s enforcement division tallied the number of hunting, angling and boating citations for 2021, and failure to carry a license was the number one violation. 

Game wardens issued more than 2,600 citations last year. Counties with the most violations were Ramsey (399), Williams (132) and Benson (125).  

The most common violations and number issued were: 

• Boating (846): inadequate number of personal flotation devices (247); failure to display boat registration (92); and use of unlicensed/unnumbered boat (63). 
• Licensing (493): failure to carry license (256) and hunting/fishing/trapping without proper license (213). 
• Fishing (406): aquatic nuisance species violations (137) and exceeding limit (81). 
• Small game (243): using shotgun capable of holding more than three shells (70) and failure to leave identification of game (62). 
• General (209): hunting on posted land without permission (58); use of motor vehicle off established trail (55); and loaded firearm in vehicle (48). 
• Miscellaneous (182): criminal trespass (71); minor in possession (30); and possession of a controlled substance (30). 
• Big game (170): CWD violations (20); tagging violations (18); and failure to wear fluorescent orange (17). 
• Wildlife management areas/refuge (82): Failure to obey posted regulations (50). 
• Furbearer (18): Shining (using artificial light) (7). 

While wardens issued more than 2,600 citations in 2021, that number hardly compares to the number of people contacted by wardens and no citations were issued. These license checks, boating safety inspections, public safety calls, wildlife issues, the list goes on, are as important as the number of citations issued. 

In total, game wardens made 51,100 field contacts in 2021. This number does not include public contacts at sport shows, state fair, local wildlife club meetings, school programs, hunter safety classes, and other community events. 

A summary of 2021 violations is printed in the Game and Fish Department’s February issue of North Dakota OUTDOORS. 

kim.fundingsland@mydakotan.com