We are in the middle of it now. Autumn is in full swing, the best time of the year.
If you don’t believe me about the best times of the year, ask anyone who hunts or fishes.
So many choices, so little time.
Brad Dokken
Almost all hunting seasons are in full swing except for deer rifle and muzzleloader seasons. Pheasant season opens Saturday, Oct. 12 in both North Dakota and Minnesota, and the season for grouse and other small game has already been going on for more than a month, with the sound of migratory geese and productivity. Occasional volleys of shotgun fire can be heard from high up in the sky. Everything marks the change of seasons, including morning waterfowl hunting.
And then there’s fishing.
For those who hang on to their fishing rods after Labor Day, fall offers some of the best fishing of the year. Looking back, nearly all of my biggest walleyes (including a beautiful 31 1/2-incher I released a few years ago) have yet to rise to the top (although I keep trying).
Most of the time, it’s also easy fishing. Drop the anchor or spot-lock your trolling motor and dunk jigs and minnows. Or use soft plastic or other artificial baits, depending on your preference.
I would like to get out on the water eventually, but for now my priorities are spending time in the woods and ruffed grouse hunting. It’s time for grouse and other ground-nesting birds, although bird numbers are definitely down thanks to heavy rains in the crucial late May and early June months.
Maybe it’s just me, but this year the autumn leaves seemed to appear later than usual. Additionally, hot, windy days that caused an outbreak of Asian ladybugs (nasty, stinging creatures that emit a foul odor when exposed to danger) have made it difficult to embark on outdoor activities in the fall.
In that sense, recent cool, frosty mornings and autumn leaves that have finally reached their peak are truly welcome events.
If there’s a lesson in this rambling ode to fall, it’s this: Seasons are fleeting and pass without us even noticing. So go out and have fun.
NDWF launches wildfire relief fund
The fall issue of the North Dakota Wildlife Federation’s “Flicker Tales” newsletter arrived in my inbox the other day. It included an article from John Bradley, the federation’s executive director, that I thought was worth sharing.
In response to recent devastating wildfires in western North Dakota, NDWF has launched an emergency relief fund to help ranchers affected by the disaster. Through the end of November, all donations to NDWF will be matched 1:1 up to $100,000, the newsletter states.
John Bradley, Executive Director of the North Dakota Wildlife Federation.
Donations will be used to repair fences and water tanks, improve soil health and grass planting, and fill in firebreaks.
“This is a critical moment for North Dakota’s ranching community and wildlife in general,” Bradley wrote in the newsletter. “The effects of these fires will be felt for years to come, but together we can begin the process of healing and recovery. The challenges are immense, but with your help, we can You can support your community and protect the wildlife that calls North Dakota home.”
For more information about our rescue efforts, contact the North Dakota Wildlife Federation at (701) 390-7196, visit our website at northdakotawildlife.org, or send a check to NDWF, Box 1091, Bismarck ND 58502 .
Also this week, news broke that the North Dakota Game and Fish Department is working with 10 other Midwestern states, including Minnesota, to survey residents about how they feel about fish and wildlife conservation issues. I received it.
To gather that information, Southwick Associates, a well-known research firm specializing in outdoor recreation, is emailing a survey to a random sample of hunters and anglers in each participating state. . Ultimately, the survey results will help participating state fish and wildlife agencies better understand the issues that matter to their constituents and offer programs that voters find valuable.
The investigation has just begun, so it will likely take some time before we have more information. I’d like to see the results and know what hunters, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts, not only in North Dakota but also in neighboring Minnesota, think. It would also be interesting to see if the priorities of the two states differ from those of their neighboring states.
We will update you as more information becomes available. stay tuned.
Brad Dokken joined the Herald in November 1985 as copy editor for Agweek magazine and has been outdoor editor for the Grand Forks Herald since 1998.
In addition to his role as an outdoors writer, Dokken has an extensive background in northwestern Minnesota and Canadian border issues and occasionally contributes articles on those topics.
Contact bdokken@gfherald.com, call (701) 780-1148, or @gfhoutdoor on X (formerly Twitter).
