Title 20.1, Game, Fish, Predators, and Boating

No person who owns or possesses land in this state under lease or contract for hunting purposes, nor that person's employee or agent, may be appointed or may act as a chief, district, or special deputy game warden.

The director, deputy director, and all wardens and deputy wardens may serve and execute, in the same manner as any sheriff, all warrants and legal process issued by a court in enforcing this title. The officers of the department may call to their aid any sheriff, deputy sheriff, …

1. There is established a uniform complaint and summons that may be used in cases involving violations of this title or other violations of a state law which occur on property that the department owns, leases, or manages or on sovereign lands as defined by section 61-33-01. Whene…

The director, deputy director, and any bonded appointees of the director have the power: 1. Of a peace officer for the purpose of enforcing this title and any other state laws or rules relating to wildlife. 2. To make arrests upon view and without warrant for any violation, commi…

The director, deputy director, chief game wardens, or district game wardens have the power of a peace officer in the following circumstances: 1. To enforce state laws and rules on any game refuge, game management area, or other land or water owned, leased, or managed by the depar…

The director, out of legislative reward appropriation, may pay complainants, upon the arrest and conviction of any person violating this title, a reward not to exceed: 1. One hundred dollars if the offense involves a violation relating to big game. 2. Fifty dollars if the offense…

All income of the state game and fish department deposited by the director with the state treasurer must be credited to the state game and fish fund and the fund may be used only by the department. All money derived from the investment of the fund, special accounts, or portions o…

There is hereby established in the state treasury a special fund known as the nongame wildlife fund. The fund may be expended subject to appropriation by the legislative assembly to the game and fish department and must be used only for the purposes of preservation, inventory, pe…

There is hereby imposed, for the grant of the privilege of the right to harvest clams, a privilege fee of ten percent of the market value of clam shells harvested in this state. The fee imposed by this section must be paid to the director for deposit in the game and fish fund. Th…

The director shall deposit all motorboat license fees in a special account within the game and fish fund to be known as the motorboat programs and safety account. Funds placed in the motorboat programs and safety account may be used only for construction and installation of boat …

Each year in the month of July the state treasurer shall transfer from the highway tax distribution fund, before allocation of the fund under section 54-27-19, to the motorboat programs and safety account an amount equal to two dollars and fifty cents multiplied by the number of …

There is created in the state treasury a special fund known as the aquatic nuisance species program fund. The fund consists of transfers and deposits made in accordance with section 20.1-02-16.1 and section 20.1-13-02.1.

There is created in the state treasury a special fund known as the waterfowl habitat improvement fund. The fund consists of transfers and deposits made in accordance with section 20.1-03-12.5 and interest earned on moneys in the fund. Moneys in the fund may be expended, subject t…

North Dakota assents to the Act of Congress entitled "An Act to provide that the United States shall aid the states in wildlife restoration projects and for other purposes" [Pub. L. 75-415; 50 Stat. 917; 16 U.S.C. 669 et seq.], and the Act of Congress entitled "An Act to provide …

1. The director shall submit proposed wildlife and fish restoration programs or projects and updated segments thereof involving proposed acquisitions by purchase, lease, easement, or servitude of wetlands, water, or land areas by certified mail with return receipt to the board of…

North Dakota consents, subject to the approval of the governor for each proposed acquisition, along with the conditions of sections 20.1-02-18.1 and 20.1-02-18.2, to the United States acquiring, by purchase, gift, devise, or lease, land or water in this state as the United States…

The governor, the director, or their designees, responsible under federal law for final approval of land, wetland, and water acquisitions by the United States department of the interior, its bureaus or agencies, for waterfowl production areas, wildlife refuges, or other wildlife …

A landowner may negotiate the terms of a lease, easement, or servitude for land, wetland, or water areas sought to be acquired by the United States department of the interior, its bureaus or agencies, with moneys from the migratory bird conservation fund [16 U.S.C.718d ] for use …

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 20.1-02-18, or any other provision of law, the United States may not acquire by any means any land or interests in land for migratory bird reservations, and the governor may not approve the acquisition of any land or interests in land wit…

The state game and fish advisory board consists of eight members, one from each of the following districts, appointed by the governor: 1. District one shall consist of the counties of Divide, McKenzie, and Williams. 2. District two shall consist of the counties of Bottineau, Burk…

Each member of the advisory board is entitled to be paid a per diem of sixty-two dollars and fifty cents for each day of service in going to, attending, and returning from the meetings required by section 20.1-02-25 to be held in that person's respective district and the meetings…

Each board member shall hold a public meeting at least twice each fiscal year in the board member's respective district to make presentations and to determine the needs and the opinions of those interested in these activities. The board shall meet at least twice each fiscal year.…

Any person who brings into this state any mounted trophy head or horns, has any trophy head or horns mounted in this state, or comes into possession of any horns of dall sheep, stone sheep, desert bighorn sheep, or Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep shall have the trophy head or horns …

1. The director may establish programs for landowner assistance that encourage public access to private lands for purposes of hunting. 2. Rules adopted by the director to implement this section may address: a. A hunter management program consisting of a cooperative agreement betw…

Within legislative appropriations, the director shall provide for a deerproof hay yard program. The deerproof hay yard program must provide materials and supplies at no cost and construction cost-share assistance to landowners for the establishment of deerproof hay yards to prote…

The following records, regardless of form or characteristic, of or relating to the game and fish department are exempt under section 44-04-18 and section 6 of article XI of the Constitution of North Dakota: 1. A record that would identify the name, address, or electronic mail add…

The department may develop and make available, as part of the broader support for establishment cost-share provided through the industrial commission, a special demonstration component of the private land open to sportsmen program to support perennial grass stand establishment of…

The director or the director's designee may authorize an individual to euthanize injured, sick, or emaciated deer under conditions determined by the director. The director may authorize targeted deer reduction programs to alleviate deer depredation.

The department shall implement a web-based online application process for Canada goose kill permits, publicize in select agricultural publications and trade journals the availability of Canada goose kill permits, and implement a program to match volunteers with agricultural produ…

1. A "fishing contest" means an event at which a prize or cash is given to a contestant for catching fish from waters open to the public. The term includes high-value tag contests, fishing tournaments, biggest fish contests, contests providing a prize for the largest number or we…

The department may establish educational and community outreach programs to promote public understanding of fisheries and wildlife management and promote interest in pursuing careers in fields employed by the department. The director may establish programs and determine participa…

Any person violating a provision of this chapter for which a penalty is not specifically provided is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

The director shall provide classroom instruction on, and shall select, train, and certify persons or department personnel qualified to provide instruction on, firearms and bow safety and hunter responsibility, and shall prescribe the course material to be used, classroom location…

No person born after December 31, 1961, except as provided in section 20.1-03-01.3, may be issued any hunting license in this state unless that person submits or exhibits the certificate of completion earned by that person for successful completion of the course of instruction re…

Sections 20.1-03-01.1 through 20.1-03-01.3 do not apply to: 1. Persons under twelve years of age who hunt only with their parent or legal guardian. 2. Persons who hunt exclusively on land of which they are the record title owner or operator.

1. An individual born after December 31, 1961, who is twelve years of age or older, and who does not possess a hunter safety education course certificate of completion may be issued an apprentice hunter validation. Except as provided in subsection 2, an apprentice hunter validati…

Except as provided in section 20.1-03-07.3, a person may not: 1. Acquire any resident or nonresident license to hunt, catch, take, or kill any small game or big game animal unless that person first obtains an annual general game license. 2. Hunt, catch, take, trap, or kill any sm…

No resident of this state, except as provided in section 20.1-03-04, may: 1. Hunt, catch, take, or kill any small game without having a resident small game license. 2. Trap, catch, attempt to catch, take, or kill any protected fur-bearing animal without having a resident fur-bear…

An individual hunting on Indian land pursuant to a tribal hunting license is not required to possess a state license to hunt on such land.

Subject to the provisions of this title: 1. Any resident, or any member of the resident's family residing customarily with the resident, may hunt small game, fish, or trap during the open season without a license upon land owned or leased by the resident. 2. Residents or nonresid…

Subject to the provisions of this title: 1. Any resident, or any member of the resident's family residing customarily with the resident, may take frogs for sale during the open season without a license upon land owned or leased by the resident for agricultural purposes. 2. Reside…

Each application for a resident general game, fur-bearer, or fishing license must be signed by the applicant and must state: 1. That the applicant has been a bona fide state resident for at least six months. 2. The applicant's residential address, including street and post office…

A resident general game, fur-bearer, or fishing license is not transferable. Each such license shall: 1. Describe the licensee. 2. Designate the licensee's place of residence. 3. Have printed upon it in large figures the year for which it is issued, or if it is a fur-bearer licen…

Nonresidents, except as provided in sections 20.1-02-05, 20.1-03-07.3, and 20.1-03-08, may not: 1. Hunt, catch, take, or kill any small game without a nonresident small game license. The nonresident small game license entitles the nonresident to hunt small game for any period of …

1. Except as provided in sections 20.1-02-05, 20.1-03-07.2, and 20.1-03-07.3, a nonresident may not hunt waterfowl unless that individual first obtains a nonresident waterfowl hunting license. However, a nonresident may hunt cranes after first obtaining a nonresident waterfowl hu…

A nonresident youth who is less than sixteen years of age may purchase a general game hunting license and may hunt small game and waterfowl except swans and wild turkeys. To be eligible to purchase a license under this section, a nonresident youth must possess a certificate of co…

A nonresident may purchase a nonresident spring white goose license to hunt white geese during a spring season as determined by the governor by proclamation. The governor, in the governor's proclamation, may specify the number of licenses that may be issued and the manner in whic…

Subject to other provisions of this title, any nonresident under the age of sixteen years may fish without a nonresident fishing license if accompanied by an adult possessing a valid fishing license. Any nonresident may fish in the waters of a private fish hatchery without a nonr…

Each application for a nonresident general game or fishing license must be signed by the applicant and state the applicant's residential address, including street and post office, and the applicant's weight, height, color of hair, and color of eyes.

A nonresident general game, fishing, or reciprocal trapping license is not transferable. Each license must: 1. Describe the licensee. 2. Designate the licensee's place of residence. 3. Have printed upon it in large figures the year for which it is issued. 4. Have printed upon it …