ND Outdoors

In this episode of NDO Podcast we’re onsite at the North Dakota Clay Target League State Tournament visiting with Brain Schaffer, department hunter education coordinator and league coach, and Adam Dunlop, coach, volunteer and parent, about the impact shooting sports has on kids, families and communities.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we’re at Lonetree Wildlife Management Area visiting with Blake Schaan, wildlife resource management supervisor, about this unique WMA and the rest of his district, the first of several episodes highlighting the department’s seven wildlife resource districts.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we’re onsite at Lake Sakakawea’s Douglas Bay for walleye spawning. Ron Wilson, Department North Dakota Outdoors editor, steps in as co-host to learn more about the significance of collecting walleye eggs from Russ Kinzler, Department Missouri River System fisheries management supervisor, a 33-year veteran of this annual spring operation.

In this episode of NDO Podcast, in celebration of American Wetlands Month, we visit with Josh Vest, Prairie Pothole Joint Venture science coordinator, about what joint ventures do and the importance of wetlands, not just to ducks, but everybody.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Jerry Weigel, Department fisheries production and development supervisor, about raising, stocking and transporting fish, how the demand for fish has changed over time and why his job is so rewarding.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Aaron Slominski and Paul Bailey, Department fisheries district supervisors, all about paddlefish. We talk evolutionary history, adaptations, current populations, management strategies and even how they taste.

In this episode of NDO Podcast Casey and Cayla take a historical walk through a Game and Fish Department timeline – from the agency’s inception to the price of the first fishing license, closed seasons and impactful legislation – to get a feel for where we’ve come from and maybe some insight into where we’re headed.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Sandra Johnson, Department conservation biologist, about bald eagles, their recovery from the endangered species list and how they’re faring today.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Patrick Isakson, Department conservation section supervisor, about the newly approved 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan and changes since the last iteration including more public-facing resources and involvement from citizens.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we’re hole hopping around Jamestown Reservoir in pursuit of crappies. Bruce Kreft, Department conservation and communications division chief, steps in as co-host to visit with BJ Kratz, southeast fisheries district supervisor, about this renowned crappie fishery.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Kevin Sedivec and Miranda Meehan, North Dakota State University researchers and professors in the School of Natural Resource Sciences, about using virtual fencing for grazing management. We discuss their economic and biological findings, challenges and promising future applications.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Joe Lucas, Department game warden supervisor, about the top hunting and fishing violations in 2025, the process to becoming a game warden, and some interesting stories from the field this fall, one of which involves an emu.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Logan Weyand, Department wildlife veterinarian, about his career path, experiences and initial thoughts, priorities and stories on the job here.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with one of our wardens, whose voice is disguised to remain anonymous, about a particularly complex poaching case involving social media, satellite imagery and trail camera time stamps to bust wannabe hunting influencer, Andy Elliott.

In this episode of NDO Podcast Casey and Cayla sing their way through the highlights of 2025 in an off-tune rendition of the “Twelve Days of Game and Fishmas.” 

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Kent Luttschwager, Department wildlife resource management section leader, about the diverse work a district biologist does, how WMA management has changed throughout his career and utilizing cattle grazing to accomplish our goals.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Marty Egeland, Department education section leader, about the importance of providing access to places to shoot, our shooting range grant program and recent range projects.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Kevin Kading, Department private land section leader, about steps taken since the 2024 Habitat and Hunting Access Summit including new tools, programs, partnerships and out-of-the-box solutions to ensuring our hunting heritage.

In this episode of NDO Podcast Casey and Cayla discuss the decisions you make about wild game meat before you even pull the trigger, best practices for packaging and processing, and tips for integrating wild game into busy work weeks.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Brian Hosek, Department administrative services division chief, and Randy Meissner, licensing services manager, about the history, complexities and innerworkings of the deer, elk, moose and pronghorn gratis licenses and lotteries.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Scott Gangl, Department fisheries management section leader, about the life cycle of lakes and reservoirs, how that relates to our fisheries management, and how he knows where the fish are biting.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Ben Matykiewicz, Department big game biologist, about the habitat needs of deer throughout their life cycle and what might be currently lacking on the North Dakota landscape.

In this episode of NDO Podcast we visit with Nathan and Lisa Neameyer, two dedicated National Archery in the Schools Program volunteers, about how they got into NASP, the impact it has on kids, schools and communities, and why Nathan is a jerk.

In this episode of NDO Podcast, we visit with Bill Haase, Department wildlife division chief, and John Palarski, Department migratory game bird biologist, to break down the new nonresident waterfowl regulations, how we arrived here and what the future might hold for waterfowl hunting in North Dakota.

In this episode of NDO Podcast, we visit with Bruce Stillings, Department big game management supervisor, and Jason Smith, Department big game management biologist, about the once-in-a-lifetime moose and elk hunts, the importance of hunter harvest information and some tips for being prepared for these coveted hunts.