North Dakota

Doug Leier: January news and notes from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department

Published

1 year ago

January 7, 2025

Doug Leier: January news and notes from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department

WEST FARGO – North Dakota’s hunting, fishing, trapping and conservation heritage is well known, and even those who don’t hunt or fish enjoy the outdoors of our great state. It’s part of why we live here. The great outdoors is ever changing from the impacts of weather and loss of habitat, to the cyclical nature of populations that ebb and flow as a function of nature.

While we spend time this winter pondering the long-term influence of North Dakota’s lean months on deer and pheasants, we’ll also keep our eyes and ears open for happenings at the biennial North Dakota legislative session.

Doug Leier is an outreach biologist for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Reach him at dleier@nd.gov.

Once again, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department will track hunting and fishing issues during the 2025 legislative session. This is helpful to those interested because keeping track of the changes to just one bill, for example, can be challenging.

Interested outdoor enthusiasts can follow proposed outdoors-related bills by going to the

Game and Fish Department website

at gf.nd.gov. A brief description of each bill will be included. To view each bill in its entirety, click on the hot-linked bill number.

2024 hunter education courses

If you were born after 1961 or are age 12 or older, you must take an in-person or home study certified hunter education course before you can get a firearm or bowhunting license in North Dakota.

Understanding this, especially if you have your sights set on hunting this fall, now is not the time to drag your feet. Most in-person courses are held from January through May.

Individuals interested in taking a hunter education class in 2025 must click the education link on the

North Dakota Game and Fish Department

website, gf.nd.gov. To register for a class, click on “enroll” next to the specific class and follow the simple instructions. Personal information is required. Classes are listed by city and can also be sorted by start date. Classes will be added throughout the year as they become finalized.

To receive a notice by email or SMS text message when each hunter education class is added, click on the “subscribe to news and alerts” link below the news section on the Game and Fish home page. Check the box labeled “hunter education” under the education program updates.

Children must turn 12 during the calendar year to take the home study course, and age 11 during the calendar year to take the traditional in-person class.

Hunting equipment removal

Tree stands, blinds, steps and other personal items such as cameras, must be removed from all wildlife management areas by Jan. 31.

Items not removed by then are considered abandoned property and are subject to removal and confiscation by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

North Dakota hunters receiving a survey this winter are encouraged to help with wildlife management by completing the survey online or returning it to the Game and Fish Department.

Big game, small game, waterfowl, swan, turkey and furbearer questionnaires are being sent to randomly selected hunters.

It is important hunters complete and return the survey, even if they did not hunt. The harvest survey allows Game and Fish to evaluate the hunting season, determine the number of hunters, amount of hunting activity and size of the harvest.

A follow-up survey will be mailed to those not responding to the first survey.

Doug Leier is an outreach biologist for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Reach him at dleier@nd.gov.

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North Dakota

2026 NFL Draft Profile: North Dakota State wide receiver Bryce Lance

Published

10 hours ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

The Denver Broncos made their big splash this offseason trading for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to bolster their offense. The position is now five deep at the position with Waddle, Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, and Pat Bryant.

The receiving corps has a lot of talent, but also a lot of questions. Sutton isn’t getting any younger and has a significant cap hit in 2027. Additionally, it’s the last year of Mims’ rookie contract. In my opinion, the Broncos don’t have a long-term replacement in the mix for Sutton at the X position, which could be an area they seek to address in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Broncos utilizing their second-round selection on a wide receiver is very unlikely. However, a player I believe they will carry a relatively high grade on his North Dakota State standout Bryce Lance. Lance broke out in 2024 during the Bison’s last FCS title with 75 receptions for 1,053 yards and 17 touchdowns catching passes from Cam Miller. This past year, he had 51 receptions, 1,070 receiving yards, and 8 touchdowns with projected Day 2 pick Cole Payton throwing him the ball.

He checks a lot of the boxes Head Coach Sean Payton covets at the position. Not only that, but I also believe he has the ability to be an explosive X receiver at the next level. Let’s do a deep dive regarding his strengths and weaknesses, and why and when the Broncos should consider selection him in this year’s draft.

Player Profile: Bryce Lance — Wide Receiver — North Dakota State

Height: 6’3” | Weight: 204 pounds | Arm Length: 32-1/8” | Hand Size: 9-1/4” | Age: 23 Years Old

40-Yard Dash: 4.34 seconds | 10-Yard Split: 1.49 seconds | 3-Cone Drill: 7 seconds

Vertical: 41.5” | Broad Jump: 11’1” | 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.15 seconds

Statistics: 57 games played, 26 starts, 127 receptions with 2,157 receiving yards. 25 receiving touchdowns, as well as 121 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Film Room & Highlights

Hart’s Scouting Report

Positives:

Good size and frame to handle being an X receiver on the outside in the NFL
Elite athlete who has top-tier speed and vertical playmaking ability
One of the most productive wide receivers in college football the past two seasons with a penchant for touchdowns and big-time plays that move the chains
Incredible ball tracker down the field with a knack for coming down with highlight reel catches in the endzone, much like Sutton
Amongst the best in this class most with respect to efficiency on outs, posts, corners, screens, and nine routes
Top-notch hops and strong hands who routinely comes down with contested catches
Ample special teams experience serving primarily in that fashion for the Bison in 2022 and 2023 after his redshirt season

Negatives:

Despite tremendous downfield speed, he doesn’t sport much short area quickness
Will likely need to add some strength and weight to handle the rigors of the next level
Route refining and release at the line of scrimmage will need some work to take on NFL caliber talent
Doesn’t have a lot of drops, but would like to see better catching technique, too often body catching instead of extending out and plucking from the air

Hart’s Projection: Top 75 Selection — Late Second Round, Early Third Round Value

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North Dakota

North Dakota boasts most wildlife refuges in the US

Published

22 hours ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

North Dakota boasts most wildlife refuges in the US

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Did you know that North Dakota has 63 wildlife refuges? That is more than any other state! These refuges are places where the land and water are protected to preserve the homes of animals dependent on the land.

North Dakota’s refuges are home to many animals, including moose, badgers, coyotes and more than 250 kinds of birds.

You can visit many of North Dakota’s wildlife refuges, including Audubon National Wildlife Refuge in McLean County, Lake Zahl National Wildlife Refuge in Williams County and Slade National Wildlife Refuge in Burleigh County.

Activities can range from fishing and hunting to enjoying hiking trails and photography.

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North Dakota

Wisconsin basketball wing announces transfer portal destination

Published

1 day ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin basketball wing announces transfer portal destination

Former Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball wing Jack Robison announced he’d be transferring to North Dakota State University.

The Bison landed the 6-foot-6 forward who still has two years of eligibility remaining.

The 2026 Summit League Champions finished the 2025-26 season 27-8 overall as they suffered a 92-67 defeat in the NCAA Tournament to No. 3 Michigan State.

With only two seniors on their roster a year ago, NDSU is looking to pick up right where they left off. Robison didn’t have a ton of playing time in his two-year career with the Badgers, but his 30 appearances helped him get his feet wet.

Robison averaged 1.8 minutes per game in 2025-26, which was up from the 1.2 he averaged as a freshman. Not only were his minutes up, but he appeared in four more games as he was beginning to catch Greg Gard’s attention.

The Badgers have a ton of turnover heading into 2026-27, but Robison was the first to announce where he’d be heading. Wisconsin still awaits John Blackwell’s decision to see if he’s staying in the Big Ten or not, but Badgers fans at least know where they can follow Robison’s career for potentially his final two collegiate seasons.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

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