Wildlife Refuge bird counts
Des Lacs, Lostwood, Upper Souris and J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuges will participate in the 113th annual Christmas Bird Count, sponsored by the National Audubon Society, by hosting counts centered at each refuge headquarters. Dates for the counts are Wednesday, Dec. 19, for Lostwood Refuge; Thursday, Dec. 20, for Des Lacs and J. Clark Salyer Refuges; and Friday, Dec. 21, for Upper Souris NWR. Each count will begin at 8 a.m.
Volunteers are encouraged to participate. Further information can be obtained by contacting Laurie Richardson, Des Lacs NWR at 629-998; Darrel Rytter, Lostwood NWR at 240-2885; Gary Eslinger, J. Clark Salyer NWR at 768-2548; or Upper Souris NWR staff at 468-5467.
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for Winter BOW
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department's "Becoming an Outdoors-Woman" program is accepting registrations for a one-day winter workshop Jan. 26 at Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Darling, and a three-day workshop Feb. 22-24 at Lake Metigoshe State Park, Bottineau.
A darkhouse spearfishing class is offered for $50 at Upper Souris.
Classes at Lake Metigoshe include winter camping, making fish decoys, snowshoeing, winter survival, darkhouse spearfishing and cross-country skiing. Cost of the workshop is $135.
Women interested in the workshops are encouraged to register online at the Game and Fish website, (gf.nd.gov). Those interested should sign up immediately, as each class is limited to 12 participants. Preregistration with payment is required. Equipment will be provided.
More information is available by contacting Nancy Boldt at 328-6312, Brittany Fish at 527-3075, or email at ndgf@nd.gov.
Hunter education classes in 2013
Individuals interested in taking a hunter education class in 2013 should know that most courses are offered early in the calendar year.
To register for a hunter education course, students need to sign up online at the Game and Fish Department's website, (gf.nd.gov). Many classes will be added over the next several weeks, and the rest will be added throughout the year as they are finalized.
To register, click on the online services tab, and "online course enrollment" under the hunter education heading. Classes are listed by city, and can also be sorted by start date. To register for a class, click on "enroll" next to the specific class, and follow the simple instructions. Personal information is required.
Those who do not have access to the Internet and want to sign up for a class can call the hunter education program in Bismarck at 328-6615.
State law requires anyone born after Dec. 31, 1961, to pass a certified hunter education course to hunt in the state. Hunter education is mandatory for youth who are turning 12 years old, and children can take the class at age 11.