Dakota Recreation Report: November 20, 2023

Outdoor notes:

*Deer hunters need to beware of carcass and licensing transportation regulations.

*Beware of the potential for thin ice on wetlands and lakes when hunting, including when bird hunting with dogs.

*Please park out of the way of other vehicles and farm equipment on prairie roads and trails.

*Nov. 23: Happy Thanksgiving.

*Nov. 26: Deer gun season closes.

*Nov. 26: Mountain lion Zone 1 season closes.

*Nov. 27: N.D. Game and Fish Dept. public advisory meeting, Esmond Fire Hall, 7 p.m.

*Nov. 27: Mountain lion Late Season Zone 1 opens

Fishing:

*Devils Lake elevation, Nov. 14: 1,449.26 feet above mean sea level (MSL).

*Stump Lake elevation: 1,449.24 MSL.

*Lake Sakakawea elevation: 1,840.09 MSL; 17,000 cubic feet per second average (CFS) Garrison Dam daily releases.

*N.D. Game and Fish Dept. Dist. game wardens: No new reports.

*Devils Lake, Ed’s Bait Shop, Devils Lake: Little activity throughout Devils Lake.

*Devils Lake, West Bay Resort, Minnewaukan: No reports with little activity.

*Devils Lake, Woodland Resort, Devils Lake: A few anglers on the open water of Devils Lake but no reports on success.

*Foster County area lakes, Dry Dock, Carrington: Area lakes remain quiet.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Pioneer Bait & Tackle, Jamestown: No reports with little activity throughout area lakes.

*Jamestown Reservoir, Sooper Stop, Jamestown: Little activity on area lakes.

*Lake Ashtabula, Bayshore, Valley City: No activity.

*Lake Sakakawea, Cenex Bait & Tackle, Garrison: Wind and weather permitting, a few anglers are out on the east end of Lake Sakakawea but no reports on success.

*Lakes Audubon and Sakakawea, Hwy. 83 Lawn & Leisure, Garrison: Limited activity on Lake Sakakawea and Lake Audubon.

*Lake Sakakawea/Lake Audubon/Missouri River, Scott’s Bait and Tackle, Pick City: Missouri River tailrace continues producing walleye in the spillway channel but limited angler numbers. Lake Sakakawea quiet.

*Lonetree WMA area lakes, Harvey: Area lakes quiet.

Hunting:

*Deer: Mixed opening weekend success. Look for continued movement with the rut underway.

*Upland: Continued fair success in several pockets of state.

*Waterfowl: Warm weather exposed food areas for remaining ducks and geese. Some birds remain on the open water of Devils Lake with pockets of mallards as well. Good numbers in north-central N.D. earlier in the week with birds still in east-central parts of the state. Fair numbers of geese remain along the east end of the Missouri River System.

Numbers to know:

*N.D. Game and Fish Department, main Bismarck office: (701) 328-6300, website: (http://gf.nd.gov).

*N.D. Game and Fish Department, Devils Lake office: (701) 662-3617.

*N.D. Game and Fish Department, Jamestown office: (701) 253-6480.

*Report All Poachers: (701) 328-9921.