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There is a lot to be excited about for North Dakota’s upcoming hunting season. Waterfowl and upland game hunting prospects look excellent, while moose, elk and bighorn sheep populations remain at or near record levels. And mule deer, white-tailed deer and pronghorn populations continue to recover following the devastating winter of 2022-23 and a staggering epizootic hemorrhagic disease outbreak in 2021.

What follows is a quick look into the hunting opportunities in North Dakota this fall.

Pheasants

As America marks its 250th anniversary, North Dakota will celebrate a milestone of its own with the grand opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library July 4 in Medora.

Built within the buttes of the Badlands, the library showcases Theodore Roosevelt's character and vision, and tells the story of the nation’s 26th president who influenced conservation, preservation of public lands and true American leadership.

President Theodore Roosevelt found adventure, purpose and healing in the rolling hills of the North Dakota Badlands. While Roosevelt always had an affinity for the wild world, his time in North Dakota inspired his groundbreaking conservation efforts and eventually earned him the title of America’s conservation president.

As the musical notes drift over the Badlands backdrop and into the summer night sky, the Medora Musical will herald a milestone with its 2025 season. This year, it celebrates a 60-year tradition of gathering friends and families in the Burning Hills Amphitheatre for a magical evening of entertainment.

A handwritten note in the archives describes the vision for the early Medora Musical: Theodore Roosevelt, fireworks, horses and Western action.

While the performances and the venue have undergone transformations over the decades, that early vision remains.

The winter of 2022-23 was unforgettable in many regards. It arrived in early November and hung around until sometime in April. Some areas of the state received 100 inches of snow or more during those long six months. Without question, many deer died that winter, and the fallout was a reduction of nearly 11,000 licenses for the 2023 deer gun season.

Curiosity captured Chris Riedman with each trip to Gateway to Science. As a toddler, he visited there often with his mother, Karol, who served on the board of this volunteer venture.

As he grew older, his interest grew, too.

Going into last winter, with many North Dakota waters lower than they’d been in some time thanks to severe drought, N.D. Game and Fish Department (NDGF) fisheries managers worried that declining water levels and other factors would lead to significant winterkill.
Turns out, it wasn’t nearly as bad as anticipated.

Art can bring life to so many things. It can brighten an alleyway, bring excitement to a road trip and inspire your creativity. October is Arts and Humanities Month, making it the perfect time to celebrate all forms of art in communities large and small.

Local creators, such as Badman Design in Grand Forks, create beautiful one-of-a-kind pieces, using mixed metals and terracotta clay. Choose from custom jewelry to accent your wardrobe, or home décor and sculptures to accent your home or business.