Lake Metigoshe State Park celebrates 75th
Lake Metigoshe State Park is celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2012 and a variety of events are scheduled for Friday, June 8, and Saturday, June 9.
On Friday evening, starting at 8:30 p.m. at the Amphitheater, it's time to "Meet the Manager." LMSP's chief official, Larry Hagen, will be answering questions about the park and providing some insight into operations.
Saturday is Visitor Appreciation Day at the park and the daily vehicle entrance fee is being waived. There is also a full slate of activities beginning at 10 a.m.
For more information about the activities associated with the anniversary celebration you can call the park at 263-4651.
Deer application deadline is June 6
North Dakota deer hunters are reminded the deadline for submitting applications for the 2012 gun season is June 6. Hunters are encouraged to apply online at the State Game and Fish Department website, (gf.nd.gov).
The deadline applies to muzzleloader, regular gun, gratis and nonresident landowner, and youth antlered mule deer applications.
The deadline for regular statewide youth licenses is Sept. 1. In addition, the deadline for submitting an antlerless white-tailed deer gun application for ages 12 and 13 is Sept. 1. Hunters are reminded that completion of a hunter education course is required before applying.
Hunters who choose not to apply online can print out an application to mail at the Game and Fish Department website. Applications are also accepted by calling (800) 406-6409, and paper forms are available at county auditors, license vendors and Game and Fish offices.
Anyone mailing applications to the Game and Fish Department is advised to mail early because some post offices use the following day's postmark for mail received after regular hours. The department's online application feature will be deactivated June 6 at midnight.
Reward offered in holiday bald eagle slaying
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the North Dakota Game & Fish Department are investigating the death and illegal possession of a mature bald eagle which was located near the city of Wishek during the 2011 Christmas holiday. A $500 reward is being offered for information leading to the conviction of the person or persons responsible. Sometime between the early evening of Dec. 23 and the early afternoon of Dec. 25, a mature bald eagle was left at a private residence near Wishek while no one was home.
Bald eagles are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and by North Dakota State law.
Anyone with information concerning the death of this eagle is asked to call District Game Warden Erik Schmidt with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department at 220-7160 or Special Agent Kevin Downs with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service at 355-8531.
Audubon Refuge Visitor Center now open summer weekends
The Audubon National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 pm. during June, July and August. The center is also open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, except federal holidays. The center was constructed in 2010. It houses an exhibit hall, educational classroom, offices and a gift shop.
The exhibit hall provides dioramas and informational panels that enhance the visitor's understanding about Refuge history, wildlife and habitat management, migratory birds and the larger Prairie Pothole Region. The exhibits are an enticement, an invitation to explore the wetlands and expansive grasslands that provide food, water, shelter and space for over 246 species of birds, as well as many mammals, reptiles and amphibians that make the refuge their home.
A "green" building tour provides visitors an up-close look and explanation of how the facility earned a GOLD Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The educational classroom features a learning facility, as well as many hands-on wildlife items that provide a tactile experience for people. Mammal skins, bird and mammal skulls, taxidermy mounts and more are available for visitors to touch and handle. The Prairie Pond Store, operated by the Audubon Refuge Partners Inc., provides educational materials that enhance the visitor's experience, souvenirs of Audubon Refuge, and unique gift ideas such as hand-made pine needle baskets and local artwork.
Various activities are scheduled for each weekend in June. Details can be obtained at the Visitor's Center.
Audubon National Wildlife Refuge Office and Visitor Center is located three miles north of Coleharbor on U.S. Highway 83, then one mile east.
First Fish certificate
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is reminding parents to capture their little angler's first catch on a specially designed First Fish certificate.
First Fish has no qualifying weights or measurements. The only requirement is the successful landing of a North Dakota fish. Certificates are available to all who request them, and have ample room for all the important information, such as name, age, lake and a short fish story, plus a blank space for a photograph big enough to contain the smile of the happiest little angler.
Free certificates are available by contacting the Game and Fish Department at 328-6300.