BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Recent numbers released by the North Dakota Game & Fish Department show similar numbers to last year for state pheasants and partridge.

Game & Fish Wildlife Biologist Doug Leier reports that the opening day for grouse and partridge is Saturday.

Leier says there are two factors as to why the numbers remain stagnant from last year.

R.J. Gross, upland game management biologist for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, said the survey shows total pheasants observed per 100 miles are down 2 percent from last year.

In addition, broods per 100 miles were unchanged, while the average brood size was up 27 percent. The final summary is based on 278 survey runs made along 101 brood routes across North Dakota.

Shooting hours are a half hour after sunrise and half hour before sunset. Leier says the daily limit is 3.

Leier also reminds deer hunters to to immediately tag their deer after harvesting them during the archery deer season.

You can listen to Doug Leier every Thursday at 7:20 AM on Big Dog 95.5 FM with JD in the Morning.