 |
Photo courtesy Riverdale Wildlife Management Area
FYI > North Dakota might be known as the Peace Garden and the Roughrider State, but it also is known as the Flickertail State, which refers to the Richardson squirrels, a.k.a. "flickertails," that flick or jerk their tails while running. |
The "Two-Acre Woods" of Riverdale WMA, North Dakota
Counting on flickertails to expand this project
When you hear the words, "located in the Missouri River bottoms," you know that area is rich and full of coal-black soil. The Riverdale Wildlife Management Area, two miles southwest of Riverdale, N.D., is rich with wildlife too. The hamlet of Riverdale perches on bluffs overlooking Lake Sakakawea, about 65 miles north of the state capital, Bismarck.
This WMA contains nearly 3,000 acres, of which at least 1,000 of those acres hold riparian cottonwood, box elder and green ash trees. Last spring, the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, along with a grant from the NWTF, purchased and planted a new grove of bur oak trees on a selected two-acre site located in an opening among the timbers.
The project's goal is to establish bur oak trees. Dan Halstead, district wildlife resource supervisor for NDGF, said the project is counting on local squirrels to do their jobs in helping spread the oak trees in that area, which would provide a food source for wild turkeys, deer and other wildlife. Eventually, the two-acre planting might provide a seed source for additional projects in the area. Since the bur oak is a native of North Dakota, it is a great fit for this project.
Another part of the project was building a 7-foot-high fence around the new seedlings to protect them from deer damage, which will be left in place until the trees mature. At that point, when the trees reach 7 to 8 feet, the department may decide to transplant a few of them to nearby locations.
This ripe riparian hunting ground holds mostly hybrid (Eastern and Merriam's) wild turkeys. Halstead said although the WMA is a popular hunting ground, it offers "a respectable number of turkeys up and down the Missouri river, as its riparian zone provides some of the best turkey habitat in the state."
Turkey hunting in North Dakota operates on a draw system. While fall permits typically are drawn in July, there sometimes are leftover permits sold after the first lottery. The first draw is limited to North Dakota residents only. Non-residents may apply after the first lottery is held. Check the North Dakota website (www.gf.nd.gov) for more information.
The Riverdale WMA is associated with at least 100 types of songbirds and bald eagles too. The Game and Fish Department allows portable observation blinds, in case you want to watch the grouse dance in fall. Contact the Riverdale WMA office for directions to the dancing grounds.
Halstead recommends camping in one of many sites near the WMA, such as Lake Sakakawea State Park and Downstream Campground. Lake Sakakawea State Park offers a full service marina, fishing guide services and boat rentals. Nearby cities with motels include Pick City, Riverdale, Garrison and Underwood.
Several WMAs in the area offer hunting and fishing. Check the state's website for descriptions.
No visit to the area is complete without stopping by the Garrison Dam or the Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery and Aquarium. The hatchery raises fish for the lake and also contains five 300-gallon aquariums that display many of North Dakota's fish species. Tours are available weekends and holidays between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, and guided tours are available year-round by reservation. In October, guests who hike the nearby Lewis and Clark Trail may be privileged to see the fall migration of salmon that are returning to the hatchery.
See the 26-foot walleye in the city park of nearby Garrison. Or, if fishing for real interests you, check out excellent salmon, northern pike, walleye, smallmouth bass and trout fishing. Waterfowlers love coming to this neck of the woods in the fall, and upland bird hunters rejoice in the abundance of partridge, pheasants and sharp-tailed grouse.
Not only is the area rich in turkey hunting, fishing and other wild traditions, it also is the place of Lewis and Clark's winters of 1804 and 1806. Other attractions within easy driving distance include the Standing Rock/Sitting Bull Burial State Historic Site and Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park. — Barbara Baird