Conservation Central: 7 Ways to Get Involved in Mentored Hunts Around Grand Forks

Step outside of the city boundaries in the spring and fall, you will quickly notice that the prairies have come alive with migrating birds and other wildlife and their young. One of the greatest offerings that North Dakota has for people interested in the outdoors is its wildlife recreation, and Grand Forks is a great place to get involved. While this can come in many forms like birding, nature walks, and fishing, a popular tradition in the region is hunting wild game. However, it can be hard to break into for people who did not grow up hunting or know someone who hunts. In response, many conservation agencies in the region offer mentored hunt programs to help guide new hunters through the process of requirements–whether its learning about hunter’s education and licensing, relevant state and federal regulations, how to safely handle and take care of a firearm or archery tackle, hunter ethics, favorite recipies or anything that goes into a hunt. Some programs are also catered towards groups with growing interest in hunting, such as women and youth. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more or try out hunting before jumping in feet first, Grand Forks is central to several regional events and organizations to get you started:

Deep dive North Dakota Game and Fish’s Hunting Virtual Mentor website, where you can find information that breaks down what you’ll need, what to know, and how to go about successfully planning a hunting trip for doves, ducks, and turkey. You’ll be guided on vital information such as life history and habitat requirements of your desired quarry, along with where you can hunt in the area, which will help you get acquainted with the many lands open to sportsmen right outside of town!

Getting exposed to hunting and conservation as a kid can help pave the way for a lifetime of environmental mindedness, outdoor recreation, and start new traditions. The Red River Area Sportsmen’s Club offers multiple youth hunts (located out of Wahpeton) throughout the fall, with opportunities to try out goose, duck, or pheasant hunting. If you really want to start getting involved in conservation, they even offer a Junior Wildlife club with events in Dog Handling 101, learning about duck calling, fishing, archery, animal track identification, and more!

Every September, Ducks Unlimited, Inc. in collaboration with the University of North Dakota, North Dakota Game and Fish, North Dakota Wildlife Federation, Delta Waterfowl, and Pheasants Forever host a mentored hunt for North Dakota college students interested in duck hunting. This unique opportunity is a weekend long event in the Tuttle, ND area (~3 hours from Grand Forks) that typically lines up with the last weekend in September and is open to students attending the University of North Dakota, North Dakota State University, United Tribes Technical College, and Valley City State University. At this event, students will spend a day learning hunting regulations, duck calls, the basics of bird dog training (with a live demonstration), firearm safety, and practice trap shooting. It’s also a great opportunity to learn about wildlife principles such as North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and gain conversation opportunities with professionals in a variety of wildlife career paths.

Students finish the first day with scouting for hunting spots with their mentors and a wild game dinner. On the second day, pairs of new hunters hit the potholes with experienced waterfowl hunters and are shown everything you’d want to know: decoy set ups, spot selection, how to call ducks in, how handle a retriever, and even processing your own game. More information can be found when available on the Ducks Unlimited – Great Plains Region Facebook page.

If watching bird dogs work is one of the bigger draws to hunting for you, keep an eye on bird dog club webpages, such as Central Dakota NAVHDA (based in the Bismarck and Minot area), and Red River Valley NAVHDA (based in the Fargo area). Many of these organizations host mentored hunts or youth hunts in late August and throughout the fall, and a major perk is getting to hunt over highly trained and talented bird dogs!

Becoming an Outdoors Woman in Minnesota provides a good foundation in deer hunting. This program is catered for women who are interested in hunting to both experience a hunt from the ground up and build lasting relationships with other like-minded women. In 2023, there will be two events held: an archery deer hunt and a gun deer hunt  (October 20-22, 2023) in East Bethel and Lanesboro, respectively. If you’re more interested in upland birds, Pheasants Forever has the first women’s only chapter in Bismarck named Capital City Lady Birds, that hosts wing shooting clinics, pint nights, fun shooting nights, holiday parties, group pheasant hunts, mentored pheasant hunts, and more. Check out their Facebook page for information on how to get involved and upcoming events!

Not ready to give it a try quite yet, but want to know more about hunting and conservation? Conservation organizations such as Ducks Unlimited, Inc (Grand Forks), Pheasants Forever (East Grand Forks), and Delta Waterfowl (Fargo) are very active in North Dakota, host local banquets and raffles, classes to learn more about the landscape or help improve your shooting,  frequently host mentored hunt opportunities in the fall, and are always happy to have new volunteers. Reaching out to your local chapter can be a great way to immerse yourself in the conservation world and meet people who may be willing to mentor you down the line, all while giving back to the land and birds that call the prairies home.

Are you already a hunter and want to be a mentor? Do you want to encourage the next generation of conservationists? Consider taking a local youth hunting on one of the several Youth Days in North Dakota or volunteering with any of the previously listed organizations as a mentor to help acquaint the younger generation with the outdoor paradise of Grand Forks.

Grand Forks is one of the best places to live to get involved in hunting and conservation, sitting on the border between North Dakota and Minnesota and in the heart of North America’s “Duck Factory”, you have some of the best waterfowl hunting in the country just outside your door, plentiful deer hunting opportunities, multiple species of upland gamebirds nearby, and more. Be safe and respectful of your fellow hunters, landowners, and the community, know the regulations, and happy hunting!