The Williston region has thousands of acres offering ideal habitat for ringnecks. Though the majority of land is privately owned, it is generally quite easy to find an area on which to hunt, but you can't expect to drive to a farmer's or rancher's yard at daybreak on opening day and be allowed to hunt his land. The key is to make the necessary contacts several weeks before the season opens in order to gain permission to hunt.

Even if you have not gained permission to hunt on privately owned land, there is no reason to give up and go home. Thousands of acres of public lands surround Williston, harboring good populations of pheasants. Information on those tracts is available by contacting the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Maps showing the boundaries of the public parcels are available.

The Williston region provides excellent whitetail hunting as well. Hunter success over the years is reflected in Game and Fish Department records. Units in the Williston region are consistently the most requested by license applicants statewide, which can make obtaining a permit difficult. Deer bow season usually opens in late August, while deer gun season has an early November opener.

The region also provides great antelope hunting, both bow and gun. The number of gun permits is limited, but those who receive permits are successful in their hunt. The antelope bow season opens on the same date as deer bow, while the antelope gun season opens in early October.

The Williston region also attracts avid Hungarian partridge and sharptail grouse hunters. Populations and hunting opportunities are such that the interest in these two species should continue on the upswing. Partridge numbers are currently low but rebounding Sharptail numbers are fairly strong and steady. Partridge and grouse seasons usually open about mid-September and continue through the same dates as the pheasant hunting season.

Outdoor opportunities in the Williston region are really unlimited and basically untapped. When measured against other regions of the country, hunting and fishing ranks with the best anywhere.

For more information contact:

North Dakota Game and Fish District Office
Highway 2 West
Williston, ND 58801
http://www.discovernd.com/gnf
701-774-4320