North Dakota
Pronghorn surveys completed, outlook good for upcoming hunting season
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – North Dakota Game and Fish (NDGF) Department big game biologists recently completed the annual aerial survey for pronghorns.
The 2024 pronghorn hunting season will have more opportunities for hunters in North Dakota.
“We’re going to have 1,265 licenses available for this hunting season, and that’s 845 licenses more than in 2023,” said Bruce Stillings, NDGF big game supervisor.
The July aerial survey indicated the overall pronghorn population is up about 30 percent from last year.
“We had higher adult survival and then better fawn recruitment from the fawns that were born in 2023. This year’s fawn-to-doe ratio was 50 fawns per 100 does, which is slightly better than 2023. The buck-to-doe ratio remains stable right at that, you know, 31 bucks per 100 does,” said Stillings.
Weather can play a key role in pronghorn populations.
“The winter of 2022-2023 was one of the most extreme on record, we saw about a 40% population decline, where this last winter was very mild and we saw a nice bump this summer,” said Stillings.
All seventeen pronghorn hunting units will be open in 2024.
“We’ve been able to open the eight units that we closed in 2023. Those northern badlands animals really made a nice jump. And then areas outside the primary range and the secondary range east of Highway 85 also showed some nice increases,” said Stillings.
The aerial survey is conducted using fixed-winged airplanes from July 1 through July 14.
“We cover over 13,000 square miles within about a ten-day period. This year we classified just over 1,200 groups of pronghorn that resulted in about just over 7,000 animals,” said Stillings.
In order to keep pronghorn populations heading in the right direction, we will need nonextreme winters and good fawning habitat.
The application deadline for the 2024 pronghorn lottery is August 7. Applicants can apply online on the Game and Fish Department’s website at gf.nd.gov
Copyright 2024 KFYR. All rights reserved.
MANDAN, N.D. (KVRR-KFGO) – Former North Dakota Game & Fish Director Terry Steinwand has been charged with molesting a child.
The Class “A” misdemeanor was filed after a Morton County District Court judge rejected a proposed plea agreement to a felony charge and prosecutors dismissed the charge while retaining the right to file an amended charge.
Steinwand is from Mandan. The 72-year-old is now charged with one count of sexual assault-offensive contact. The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in jail.
Steinwand was originally charged in September, 2025, when police say he admitted to sexual misconduct.
Steinwand worked for the Game & Fish Dept. for 40 years. He led the agency for about 15 years and retired in 2021.
(KNOX) – The North Dakota Board of Higher Education is being asked to weigh in on the reconstruction of Ray Richard’s Golf Course in Grand Forks. The upgrades and deferred maintenance improvements are the result of the pending DeMers Avenue/42nd Street Underpass project.
UND sold 6.5 acres of the nine hole course to the North Dakota Department of Transportation for the grade separation. During the road construction the golf course will be realigned and reduced to a par 34 course. UND will also address underground utilities and irrigation systems. The total cost is around 4.5 million dollars.
The course will close for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. The goal is to reopen in 2028. SBHE is expected to approve the design at its April 30th meeting.
Crews are expected to begin preliminary work on the $90 million dollar underpass project this week. The initial phase will have minimal impacts to traffic on both 42nd Street and DeMers Avenue. Larger impacts are expected later this summer.
MAPLETON, N.D. (Valley News Live) – Casselton Fire responded to a shop fire in rural Mapleton on Saturday afternoon, according to Casselton Fire Chief John Hejl.
Casselton Fire was dispatched to the scene at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Windy conditions escalated the fire before crews arrived, Hejl said.
Firefighters used defensive and offensive lines to control the fire upon arrival.
Casselton Fire was assisted by Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Casselton Ambulance, West Fargo Police Department, Davenport Fire and Mapleton Fire.
Copyright 2026 KVLY. All rights reserved.
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