The Daily News

I know it’s hunting season but we have some North Dakota fishing news too. It appears natural walleye reproduction was excellent this year on Devils Lake and the Missouri River from Lake Oahe to Garrison Dam.

The annual fall reproduction survey by the N.D. Game and Fish Department, which is done by netting, showed the number of young-of-the-year walleye in Devils Lake to be the third highest on record.

“This is a significant finding because in all of Devils Lake, we only had a small number of fish stocked into East Bay,” said Scott Gangl, fisheries management section leader. ”We’ve seen good natural reproduction on Devils Lake in the past, and when conditions are right, stocking doesn’t contribute as much as Mother Nature to the walleye population.”

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Gangl noted the stretch of water from Garrison to the headwaters of the Lake Oahe also experienced good reproduction. Since the river isn’t stocked, surveys give a good indication of both reproductive success and the survivability of the young fish.

Statewide, however, the story isn’t the same, due to a cool, late summer. Dropping water levels in some areas didn’t help either. The walleyes in Lake Audubon have shown very good improvement in age structure due to a good cisco population. Ciscoes are a major food source on Audubon and reproduction for that species was good.

Even though Lake Sakakawea rose 20 feet this year, the high water didn’t come until after the spawning run took place so it was no help. That said, if water levels remain high through to spring there could be excellent reproduction in 2009 because the high water has flooded lots of brush, grass and trees providing plenty of cover for young fry.

The high water also contributes to the health of the rainbow smelt population in Lake Sakakawea, which is a primary forage of the walleyes and northern pike. That population has been severely depressed in recent years and is due to bounce back.

Advising that fall reproduction surveys are not an indication of fishing success, Gangl said, “Good reproduction or stocking success is certainly the first step to good fishing, but those little fish have to survive their first couple of winters before they get to a size that anglers can catch.”

HUNTER’S SMOKER

The Red River Area Sportsmen’s Club will be holding their 20th Annual Hunter’s Smoker this coming Friday, October 24th. This event will be held at the Wahpeton Eagles Club and the doors will open at 6 p.m.

This is one of the major fund raising events put on by the club and it will follow the usual format with lots of raffles, games and door prizes. It’ll cost you $10 to get in the door but your beverage and stew/chili supper is free.

You should know who benefits from the efforts of the Red River Area Sportsmen’s Club – you! Many local programs and events direct toward youngsters are supported in some way by the funds raised by the club. They include the Youth Fishing Derby, Youth Ice Fishing Derby, Youth Waterfowl and Pheasant hunts, Youth Trap Club, Catfish Tournament, Conservation Camps, 4H Shooting Sports, Junior Wildlife Club and Junior Duck Stamp Contest.

Organizations and clubs who also receive support from RRASC include the Head of the Red Shooting Grounds and Trap Club, Ducks Unlimited, Richland County Pheasants Inc., Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Wild Turkey Federation, ND Wildlife Federation, ND Sportfishing Congress, SE Sportsman’s Club, Game Warden Museum, Hunt of a Lifetime and Twist of Fate.

Projects that receive a share of the funds raised include those that improve fishing opportunities on the Ottertail River, Red River, Grass Lake and Mooreton Pond. Others include Scout projects, U.S. Fish and Wildlife projects, scholarships and Chahinkapa Zoo projects.

That’s not even a complete list! Somewhere, somehow, if you’re into the outdoors in this region, you benefit from the efforts of the members of the Red River Area Sportsmen’s Club. They could use your support by attending the smoker (don’t worry, no one will be smoking) on Friday evening. At the very least you’ll get a great supper, be able to swap hunting stories and maybe even win something.

WET ROADS

I can’t remember a fall as wet as this one has been. The fields are still very wet which means the roads, or at least some of them, are also soggy. When you’re out there hunting, whether you’re looking for pheasants, ducks or deer, avoid the muddy, un-graveled roads if possible. Even if you don’t get stuck you’ll tear them all up with ruts and the landowner is the one who ends up repairing those unimproved section line roads.

All you have to remember is to use some common sense and have respect for both private and public property.

DEER MOVING

We’re coming into that time of year when deer really start to move. Bucks are especially active as they begin to think about procreation. They’re seeking does and not much gets in their way, including roads. Motorists are warned every year at this time to be on the lookout for deer and it’s good advice. There is also a lot of corn around this year and that makes it easy for deer to bolt onto the roadway with little or no warning.

Slow down in deer country and even in open terrain keep your eyes peeled because a deer can run up on the road and surprise you. Never trust a whitetail. A mule deer will often stand on the edge of the road and not even raise its head as you pass by but a whitetail can easily looked relaxed then jump right in front of you.

If a deer does jump in front of you do not swerve to avoid it. You’re almost always better off to brake hard and hit the deer rather than swerve. Attempting to avoid the deer can cause you to lose control of your vehicle and if you leave the roadway you could be injured or killed. Resist the natural reaction to steer away from the deer unless there’s plenty of room, you’re going slow enough and there’s no other traffic.

Finally, if you do hit a deer and want to keep it or remove the antlers you need a permit to possess the animal. These free permits are available from any game warden or law enforcement officer. That also applies to any skulls with antlers you may pick up.

GUN SEASON

As long as we’re talking about deer, here’s your reminder that the gun season for deer is less than three weeks away. That means it’s time to get prepared for the hunt by getting that rifle, shotgun or muzzleloader ready to go. With only two weekends between now and the season time is running short to get your firearm sighted in. This is especially true if you’re switching to a different type of bullet due to the lead contamination issue.

The best place to sight that weapon in is at the Head of the Red Rifle Range northeast of Breckenridge. Memberships are only $10 and they are available at Breck Tesoro in downtown Breckenridge.

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