North Dakota
North Dakota legislative resolution marks first step toward federal protection for wild horses
MEDORA, N.D. — A resolution passed by the North Dakota Legislature is the first step in seeking federal protection to ensure the future of the wild horse herd at
Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Legislators this week overwhelmingly
passed
Senate Concurrent Resolution 4006,
which urges Congress to pass legislation protecting the herd.
“It’s important because it puts North Dakota on record saying they’re important and should have full protection,” said Chris Kman, president of Chasing Horses Wild Horse Advocates of Dickinson, a leading proponent for keeping a viable herd.
Park officials proposed eliminating the wild horses from the park in a recent environmental review and are injecting the mares with birth control to prevent reproduction in the herd.
The resolution notes “significant concerns regarding the management of the wild horse herd by Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the long-term health and preservation of the herd” and urges Congress to enact legislation “establishing federal protections for the wild horses to ensure the herd’s long-term health and preservation.”
A herd of about 200 wild horses, grouped in separate bands, has roamed the south unit since before Theodore Roosevelt National Park was established in 1947. A study found
the ancestry of the herd likely traces back to the open-range ranching era of the 1880s,
when Roosevelt ranched in the Badlands.
Following public outcry,
park officials in April 2024 abandoned an environmental review
— which Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., flatly called a horse-removal process — and agreed to maintain a herd of horses but said they would reduce the size of the herd.
Six months later, in October 2024,
the park conducted a helicopter roundup of the horses.
During the roundup, all mature mares were injected with GonaCon, a birth-control drug the park has used aggressively since 2009.
Most of the mares have received multiple injections of the drug, which Colorado State University researchers found to be highly effective after two doses — and determined that
19 of 24 mares failed to regain fertility after two doses.
Patrick Springer / The Forum
As a result of the park’s use of GonaCon, horse advocates fear the park is deliberately creating a non-reproductive herd. Kman said Bruce McCann, the park’s chief of natural resources, told her late last year that the park is using GonaCon with the intent of creating a sterile herd.
The park has not responded to The Forum’s request for comment on the assertion that it is deliberately working to sterilize the herd.
Rangers were out darting mares in the park on Thursday, March 27. Park records show every mare was dosed with GonaCon last year, Kman said.
“GonaCon is not meant to be used every year, so what are they doing?” she said. “Eradicating the herd.”
Now that legislators have sent a clear message to Congress, Kman said she will ask the North Dakota congressional delegation to press the National Park Service to impose a moratorium on any further horse removals and the use of birth-control drugs.
“Federal legislation takes a long time, as you could imagine,” and likely would take several years to pass, if successful, she said.
Hoeven is preparing to take legislative action to protect the horses, spokesperson Alex Finken said.
“Last year, Senator Hoeven secured a commitment from the National Park Service to maintain wild horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and he is working to introduce legislation to ensure the NPS maintains a herd of free-roaming horses on a permanent basis,” Finken said.
The herd, which the State Historical Society of North Dakota has said is historically significant, is threatened by the park’s usage of birth control, Kman said.
“The use of GonaCon absolutely has to stop,” she said. Births in the horse herd have dropped sharply, with 10 foals born last year, two of which died. There were more than 40 births in 2017, a number Kman said was too high. A healthy balance must be struck to maintain the herd’s genetic viability, she said.
As a result of the removal of young horses and the aggressive use of birth control, the horse herd is rapidly aging, Kman said. A 24-year-old mare named Tanker recently died, and many other horses are also reaching the end of their lifespan, Kman said.
“There’s a lot of older horses in the park that are going to be dying over the next few years,” adding urgency to the need for federal protection, she said.
There are precedents for federal protection of National Park Service horses, Kman said. The horses at Cape Lookout National Seashore on North Carolina’s Outer Banks and Ozark Scenic Riverways in southern Missouri are protected by federal law, she said.
Patrick Springer first joined The Forum in 1985. He covers a wide range of subjects including health care, energy and population trends. Email address: pspringer@forumcomm.com
Phone: 701-367-5294
MINOT, N.D. (KMOT) – After eight weeks of episodes, one of the two teachers representing North Dakota on the FOX reality show ‘The Floor’ made it to a duel—and survived.
On Wednesday’s episode, Julie Johnson, who teaches at Our Redeemer’s in Minot, was called up from the floor for a duel.
She won her face-off against another contestant, in a category on famous teachers in television and film.
After winning, Johnson chose to return to the floor. Contestants have the option of returning, or continuing to challenge others.
North Dakota’s other representative, Jeremy Johnston, who teaches at Rugby Public School, has yet to be challenged for a duel.
The pair are two of the 32 remaining contestants.
New episodes air Wednesdays at 7 p.m. on FOX and streaming next day on Hulu.
Related coverage: UPDATE: Pair of teachers to represent North Dakota on this season of ‘The Floor’
Copyright 2025 KFYR. All rights reserved.
North Dakota
Guest Column: Celebrating innovation and opportunity in North Dakota on National Rural Health Day
It is no secret that there are many challenges confronting rural health care right now, from workforce shortages and declining reimbursement rates to threats to programs like 340B that support safety-net hospitals. But this week, as we celebrate National Rural Health Day on Nov. 20, I am reminded of the many reasons to be hopeful about the future of rural health care.
Earlier this month, the state of North Dakota applied for a share of the $50 billion that will be distributed nationwide beginning next year as part of the newly established Rural Health Transformation Program. With $1 billion on the line for North Dakota, the program could be one of the single greatest investments in rural health that our state has ever seen.
The Rural Health Transformation Program was designed to spur innovative and sustainable approaches to better serve the farmers, ranchers and small business owners who call rural communities home. And in order to qualify for funding, North Dakota crafted an application that demonstrates a strong vision for improving the health of our neighbors and stabilizing rural health care delivery.
As a health system that’s proud to serve mostly rural areas, Essentia Health was grateful to share our ideas for how hospitals can stabilize essential services, such as behavioral health and emergency care, while advancing workforce development and value-based care for the rural and Tribal communities we are privileged to serve. As we wait for the funding to be awarded, I am confident that North Dakota’s application is strong because it reflects the real experience and perspectives of compassionate caregivers on the front lines of rural care.
Here’s why I’m excited by this opportunity:
Attracting and retaining a strong health care workforce remains one of the most significant challenges confronting rural care. North Dakota’s application dedicates over $162 million to train and retain a high-skilled workforce through new residencies, workforce pipelines and recruitment and retention grants.
At Essentia, we’ve had success with first-of-its-kind training programs that address critical gaps in our health care workforce. We just celebrated the first graduate of our surgical technologist apprenticeship program in Fargo. These are the kinds of innovations we must continue pursuing to help care teams like ours advance our mission to make a healthy difference in people’s lives.
If awarded this funding, North Dakota plans to deepen its work to bring high-quality health care closer to home – a mission that Essentia Health whole-heartedly stands behind. With fewer clinicians to staff brick-and-mortar facilities, we need to get creative to meet people where they are – through new methods and in new spaces. A person’s access to expert care shouldn’t be determined by their zip code.
Essentia’s mobile mammography program is one example of how we can enhance access to preventive care without relying on traditional settings. The program brings essential mammography services directly to our neighbors in rural areas and could be expanded across other specialties. Since we rolled out this service, we hear repeatedly from patients who acknowledge they likely wouldn’t have done a screening if it hadn’t been available locally. Rural Health Transformation funds could be used to deploy mobile medical units to rural, underserved communities, with specific services tailored to the greatest needs of the community.
Finally, this funding would allow us to expand scalable programs, like our community health workers and community paramedics. These programs provide tailored support to patients with the goal of diminishing the rate of chronic disease, improving the health of our rural neighbors and reducing emergency room visits and hospital admissions.
The work to transform the future of rural health care has already begun at Essentia Health. The Rural Health Transformation Program represents an opportunity to expand our efforts to bolster our health care workforce, strengthen a care model that prioritizes prevention and patient outcomes and make it easier for North Dakotans to access comprehensive health care close to home.
As we celebrate National Rural Health Day, I am hopeful for the future of rural health care and especially grateful for my talented colleagues, whose dedication to advancing rural health care strengthens the communities where they live and work.
Dr. Stefanie Gefroh is the Essentia Health West Market president.
North Dakota
North Dakota’s State Park Nestled In The Sheyenne River Valley Is A Hidden Gem For Camping And Fishing – Islands
North Dakota is often stereotyped as a flyover state, but this Midwest gem has a lot to offer visitors. The North Dakota Badlands have been recognized by National Geographic as one of the best places in the world to travel to in 2026, and Theodore Roosevelt National Park is one of the best national parks to spot wildlife. The landscapes here vary between prairie grasslands and river valleys. It’s also one of the best states for pristine views of the Northern Lights. But what about off-the-beaten-path gems? Fort Ransom State Park is one under-the-radar destination that’s well worth visiting in the Peace Garden State.
Covering 950 acres, Fort Ransom State Park is named after a military fort from the 1860s, which unfortunately no longer exists. The park is located in the Sheyenne River Valley, with forest and prairie landscapes to enjoy. It’s a haven for outdoor activities, like fishing, hiking, canoeing or kayaking, and camping. The park is also a great spot for wildlife, including birdwatching. You might even see deer or wild turkeys here.
What to do at Fort Ransom State Park
The best thing to do at Fort Ransom is to enjoy the great outdoors. Fishing is popular here — anglers can cast a line for walleye, northern pike, catfish, yellow perch, or smallmouth bass in the Sheyenne River. You can also canoe and kayak the river on the Sheyenne River Water Trail, with rentals available at the park headquarters.
There are 20 miles of trails to enjoy at Fort Ransom, so hikers will be spoiled for choice. The Little Twig Nature Trail is a short 0.9-mile route through woodlands and meadows, where you might see some of the park’s wildlife. The 9.4-mile Fort Ransom State Park Loop brings hikers through some of the park’s scenic landscapes. The North Country Scenic Trail, a 4,800-mile route between Vermont and North Dakota, passes through Fort Ransom, too. Visitors can walk the 2.2-mile segment. North Dakota may have been named the “Worst State to Hike in the U.S.” thanks to a study by EDGE Fall Protection (via The Travel), but there are some underrated, surprising trails in the state.
Visit in mid-July or the weekend after Labor Day for Sodbuster Days. This event showcases historic farming methods at Sunne Farm, an ode to the area’s pioneer history. Fort Ransom State Park is open year-round. In winter, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling are fun activities. You can rent skis at the visitor center.
Planning your trip to Fort Ransom State Park
Fort Ransom State Park is perfect for a camping getaway, with a number of different sites and lodgings available. There are 16 standard campsites, which include electricity and water, and 10 primitive campsites, along with modern and primitive group campsites. Equestrians can book modern or primitive horse campsites, which include corral access.
If you’d rather not camp, there are several accommodation options at the state park. Spend the night in the Bjone House, a historic homestead property that was built in 1879, although today it has modern amenities, including a full kitchen. Bunker down in the Percheron Wagon, which looks like something straight out of Oregon Trail — but thankfully has a number of amenities like a microwave, refrigerator, air conditioning, and heating. Luxurious yurts are also available, which sleep up to six guests and feature a gas fireplace.
Fort Ransom State Park is about 1 hour and 20 minutes away from the state’s largest city, Fargo; Hector International Airport in Fargo is the closest major airport. You can take the pretty Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway to get to the park, which goes through farmlands, gentle hills, and charming small towns. As this is a rural area, it’s best to have your own vehicle.
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