The Biggest Game & Fish Violations In North Dakota Of 2025

According to North Dakota Game & Fish, most people who hunt, fish, and boat in North Dakota follow the rules and regulations.  That would be the good news.

Some Violations Continue Year After Year

More on those in a moment.  Did you know that the state of North Dakota only has 29 field Game Wardens in the entire state?  Each one of them is responsible for roughly 2,000 square miles.  That leaves a lot of space for unlawful people to get away with things.

That's why the North Dakota Game and Fish Department depends on its law-abiding citizens to report all violations and poachers.  They recommend that you never confront a person committing a violation but instead call the Report All Poachers phone line at 701-328-9921.

All money collected from violations goes to the County Clerk of Courts of the county where the violation took place and into the general school fund.

Here's a summary of 2025's biggest violations in each category.

Hunting (Small Game):

#1 Failure to leave identification or sex of game - 112 violations

#2 Other small game violations - 102 violations

#3 Using a gun able to hold more than 3 shells - 97 violations

#4 Exceeding the limit - 72 violations

Hunting (Big Game):

#1 Illegal taking of big game/possession of big game - 47 violations

#2 Tagging Violations - 21 violations

#3 Failure to wear fluorescent orange - 14 violations

#4 Killing the wrong species or sex - 13 violations

Fishing:

#1 Miscellaneous fishing violations - 122 violations

#2 Failure to follow the aquatic nuisance species fishing regulations (water in the livewell, not pulling plugs, etc) - 73 violations

#3 Exceeding the limit - 41 violations

#4 Fishing with illegal bait - 9 violations

Boating:

#1 Not enough life jackets on board the boat (personal flotation device) - 272 violations

#2 Other boating violations - 166 violations

#3 Failure to display boat registration - 63 violations

#4 Operating without lights at night - 45 violations

The Top 5 Counties where citations were given out in North Dakota.

#1 Ramsey-277 (#1 in 2024 & 2023 as well)

#2 Bottineau-142

#3 Benson-98

#4 McLean-92

#5 McKenzie-90