Anyone Live or hunt North Dakota?

[Nala]

I'd like to know more.  I am looking at jobs up there and know very little about the state other than real cold in winter and probably very few snakes.

Any advice or help you can share?  I really want to know more.

thanks

nalajr

[vintage archer]

Nala,
North Dakota is a great state to live in for the outdoors person. They offer on the draw system limited moose and elk tags. There are mule deer, white tail, and antelope with tags easily attainable. There is some of the best water fowl hunting and walleye and northern fishing in the country.
I lived in Williston N.D in the North West corner of the state for 20 years. Now reside in my home state of Illinois.
I must warn you that there is an oil boom going on in ND and housing is not easily attainable. We visited Williston ND last summer. People were living in their cars in the Wal-Mart parking lot and were joining health clubs so they would have a place to shower .Some of that has changed as they have built man camps to ease the pressure. It might not be that way every place in North Dakota but I would check it out.

[scedvm]

Nala, I was born in Williston but moved to Colorado when I was very young.  I still have a lot of family in Williston and my dad lives in Hazen about 100 miles away from there so I still get up there every year.  Like Joe said it is a sportsman's paradise.  The economy is strong but housing is very tough around Williston, although elsewhere in the state it is quite reasonable.

[Nala]

Thanks for the info.  I thought it could be a great place to hunt and fish but wasn't sure.

I hope it isn't like the so called "Sportsman's Paradise" of Florida.  Don't get me wrong, Florida is a wonderful state and has some absolutely incredible resources for the hunter and fisherman, but it's not as easy as you might think.  I have visited here MANY time before moving and thought that once I got here I would have hog hunting burn out.  I thought that I would get sick of even hearing the words "Hog Hunting" and that there would be so many places to hunt I would be quickly overwhelmed.  Sad to say, but it isn't like that at all, not even close.

You can get access to as much hog hunting as you can stand....if you want to PAY FOR IT.  As long as you are willing to spend about $200 per day on average you can hunt hogs all you want.  Or you can try and decipher the 175 or so WMA's and hope to get drawn for one of the few hog tags in those that even allow hog hunting.  You can't just roll up in your truck at a WMA and head into the woods and hunt.  Each one has different rules and regs.  To say Florida hunting has been a BIG DISAPPOINTMENT for me is an understatement.

I have had some forum buds give me guidance and suggestions on places to go and such and I thank them for that.

So, does North Dakota have lots of public land that is easily accessible or are there lots of hoops and such you have to get through to hunt?  I realize the BIG TICKET animals aren't going to be easy to get, that's a given.  I'm talking about deer and such and the bird hunting.  If I get to ND, I would LOVE to try that as I have never, ever had the chance to do it before.

Oh well, I am in the very early stages of this and wanted to get some info about the state that might help me make better decision should it come to that.

Thanks all.

Nalajr

Sorry for the length...

[Shifting Shadow]

Nala,

I live in North Dakota. There is public land near my home for bow hunting.

Low crime and friendly people.

Extreme blizzards and recently floods.

I look forward to moving out of state when I retire.

Good luck in your quest.