Why North Dakota?

District Game Warden Noah Raitz

I admit that when I was first thinking about getting into conservation enforcement, I was not thinking about moving to North Dakota. Not because I didn’t like the state or had a reason not to move here. It was the opposite. I lacked the knowledge of what North Dakota had to offer. I was also in high school, so I had no idea what my plan was other than going to college.

I was just talking about this with another warden and the recruitment of candidates for our game warden positions. Sure, we hire wardens born and raised in North Dakota, but that’s not a requirement for the job. As proof of that, I grew up 30 minutes from the North Dakota border but didn’t start to think of it as an option until college.

I attended the University of North Dakota and one summer I worked for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department as a fisheries seasonal in Devils Lake. I enjoyed the work, but it also showed me the fishing opportunities the state offered that I had never explored before.

I also helped with sharp-tailed grouse surveys in college, which showed me the upland hunting opportunities that, again, I had never explored.

I grew up hunting waterfowl, but not in North Dakota until college, when I was introduced to field hunting. As you can guess, this showed me the prized waterfowl hunting so many people are passionate about in North Dakota.

I say all that because North Dakota’s habitat and natural resources are worth appreciating. It might not be flashy mountains or cabin-packed lakes, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a lot to offer. We have the prairie, badlands, the Missouri River system, and many other unique landscapes throughout the state.

What do those have in common? They are made up of large areas of undeveloped landscapes for anyone to enjoy. Or in my case, to work in. That’s my office, the habitat for our fisheries and wildlife resources. I may not have a fast-food restaurant or big shopping mall down the road, but I do have various hunting and fishing opportunities within 5 minutes of my house.

I was asked recently what the favorite part of my job is, and it wasn’t very difficult to answer. It’s the interactions I get to have with the public. Getting to listen to a young angler tell me about the big fish they caught, or a new hunter showing off their first duck. It’s also the older generation telling me about hunting or fishing stories from before I was born.

To circle back to where I started, I did not expect to end up in North Dakota, but I am sure glad I did. Enforcing game and fish regulations is easy when the majority of our interactions don’t end in a citation, but instead a hunter or anglers’ story about that day’s success or defeat.

BISMARCK — The North Dakota Attorney General’s Office is cautioning homeowners to be on the lookout for asphalt-paving scams.

Homeowners may be approached by unannounced illegitimate contractors claiming to be “working in the area” with “excess material” for purchase at a discounted price, with same-day decisions encouraged, a news release stated. Contractors may demand a large upfront payment, in which case they may simply leave town or begin working immediately, insisting on payment as soon as work is completed.

The work will be low-quality and easily identifiable as a scam, the release said. False contractors may even use intimidation or threats for quick payment before work can be inspected.

Homeowners should be cautious of anyone offering unsolicited paving work, especially if they claim to have leftover material at a discounted price.

The office provided the following tips to avoid falling victim to a scam:

• Research any contractor before hiring
• Ask detailed questions about the business
• Get all estimates and terms in writing
• Avoid making full payment up front
• Avoid using cash and mobile payment apps

“Pay attention if your intuition tells you that an offer appears too good to be true, because it likely is,” North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley said in the release.

Consumers with questions or who suspect they may have been targeted by an asphalt-paving scam should contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at (701) 328-3404.

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

FARGO — As North Dakota voters cast their ballots for the June primary election, choosing candidates won’t be the only decision they’ll face.

Voters will also decide whether future ballot measures must be composed of just a single subject.

The Legislature placed the matter on the ballot in 2025, when it passed

Senate Concurrent Resolution 4007.

Some lawmakers argue the measure, if passed, will work in favor of voters by making future amendments more digestible and less jumbled for voter comprehension.

Senate Majority Leader David Hogue, one of the lawmakers in favor of the measure, said it would prevent any “bait and switch” tactics to pass unpopular amendments against the wishes of unassuming voters. Hogue sponsored the legislative resolution that placed the measure on the ballot.

The Seante passed the resolution with outspoken support, only one lawmaker voted no. However, the resolution faced more resistance in the House, passing in a vote of 57-36.

If passed, the resolution would require the Secretary of State’s office to verify that future amendments meet the single-subject requirement.

One outspoken voice in opposition of the resolution is House Minority Leader Zac Ista, D-Grand Forks, who said he voted against the resolution fearing it would introduce a “layer of bureaucratic review” to the ruling process. Ista also added there is not clear criteria for determining what meets the requirement.

“I think in North Dakota, if we entrust the secretary of state and attorney general of being the sole arbiters of what is and is not a single subject, that’s really going to handcuff voter initiatives in the state,” Ista said.

Contrary to this, Hogue feels the resolution would not require any complex review to determine whether or not future amendments meet the single rule requirement.

“I don’t think it’s a legal judgment. I think if you’re trying to pass two different measures in one, that’s a common-sense judgment.” Hogue said.

Measure 1 is the first of four constitutional amendments on the North Dakota ballot for this upcoming election cycle, three of which won’t be voted on until this November.

Early voting in some counties begins Tuesday, June 2. Election Day is Tuesday, June 9.

Brennan Collins is a reporting intern who started at The Forum in May 2026.