NDGF gives preview of 2025 seasons and reflects on 2024

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – 2024 was a great year for wildlife activities in North Dakota. North Dakota Game and Fish preview what’s in store for 2025.

Whitetail deer numbers in 2024 were still slowly rebounding from previous bad winters and disease, but upland game bird numbers looked pretty good.

“I think hunters experienced a really good upland game bird season, especially the combination of pheasants, sharptailed grouse, partridge,” said Jeb Williams, Director of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

Fishing continues to be good on many waterbodies in North Dakota.

“Fisheries, again, another great year. I think one of the challenges of open water season in 2024 was that we had an exceptional open water 2023. So the expectations I think were really high and sometimes that’s very hard to meet,” said Williams.

Weather always plays an important role in wildlife populations.

“So 2024 started out really good as far as moisture-wise, but in a lot of areas of the state, got pretty tough come middle part of July. And that’s definitely has carried into where we’re at now. So it’s going to be have to be something that we will have to monitor and know that it can and have some impacts on wildlife if that drought persists,” said Williams.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is always looking to partner with private landowners to create wildlife habitat and hunting access.

“Working in partnership with those individuals and for voluntary conservation programs where maybe the piece of property isn’t as productive from an agriculture standpoint, but has some opportunities and benefits when it comes to conservation,” said

And how are things looking heading into 2025 for our state’s wildlife populations?

“Numbers-wise from bird perspective are very good. Obviously, from a big game perspective, deer, we’re at a period of time where we’re kind of in rebuilding mode for some of these areas. But there’s some opportunities out there if people are willing to take advantage of things that are currently on the high of the roller coaster ride that we have in North Dakota with some of our outdoor opportunities,” said Williams.

Another highlight in 2024 was the PLOTS program, which added an additional 40,000 acres for hunting access.

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