North Dakota: Tell me about it

[beechbum444]

Evening everybody, I'm headed north for the winter for a contract to North Dakota. I have never been that far north, especially during the winter. The GF got a job opening a kitchen at a resort across the state line in Minnestoa. I'm just looking for any info...what to bring, whatto expect, what to hunt, what to fish for................thought id start here...any and all info is appreciated

Regards

[BLAHUT]

Bring warm clothes... In Minnesota now 42 deg rain with snow predicted to night. You do not say where you are from?? PM me if you would like to talk? I drove dogs for a number of years. Live and work outside.

[M-Tecs]

The east side of the state is flat. Depending on area the goose/duck hunting is excellent. Fishing is mostly walleye and crappie/sunfish. Devils' lake is very popular for fishing and waterfowl. The biggest challenge is ND is not very non-resident license friendly. Deer is a lottery that you missed unless you go archery. Waterfowl is 14 days total for nonresidents. Some spots have very good pheasant and others not so much. Same of fox and coyote.

What type of winters are you familiar with?

[reddog81]

Bring warm clothes, a shovel and ice fishing gear. If you like to drink while fishing bring an insulated cooler along to keep your beer from freezing.

Have you experienced temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit before?

[beechbum444]

Im going to freeze..the things we do for our women.....Ill be bouncing back and forth between Bismark and Waubon Minnesota......im originally from Memphis Tennessee and currently reside in Naples Florida. The coldest I think ive ever felt has been in the teens and thats only been once or twice......my biggest worry is my 7.3 diesel.....Most of the winters that ive experienced have been more wet than cold. Looks like ill be doing more ice fishing than anything and praying for the 13 week contract to be over............

[Winger Ed.]

...my biggest worry is my 7.3 diesel.....
..

I'd check around and look into block heaters and other things you might need for that cold a climate.

[Loudenboomer]

Driving between Bismark and Waubon. You'll be driving buy my place. I'm East of East Grand Forks.

[G W Wade]

Bismarck has a very active shooting club. Long range, silhouette and SASS. Fishing is good. Lots of open area for hunting, as mentioned before. Western ND is milder than Eastern ( where I live) You will see snow and experience cold that you will have trouble believing. GW

[rancher1913]

make sure your engine heater is working and keep the truck pluged in whenever parked and run a fuel treatment to prevent gelling. we had a crew take a drilling rigg up there one winter and everybody that went all said "never again", they spent all day everyday just keeping things from freezing and trying to stay warm.

[tja6435]

My 7.3 F350 will start down to -5°F with good batteries and fresh glow plugs.

[tigweldit]

Watch the movie "Fargo".

[GhostHawk]

Winter cold can get into -40, wind chill is serious, any exposed skin can freeze in a couple of minutes.

You need a good block heater for your car to start reliably, although most of todays fuel injection cars do better than the old carb versions.
A good 12 volt battery charger is a must. Some sort of emergancy kit in your trunk with a sleeping bag, a source of heat, and food is essential if you get stranded.

I've lived in this country for 70 years and you don't want to turn your back on it.

I've seen it so thick on I 29 that I could not reliably see my hood ornament. And I ain't kiddin.
Spent 28 hours in mid april snowed in at a mini truckstop. Seating for maybe 10 people and there were 150 crammed in there, most in t shirts, shorts and flip flops.

Conservative values and common sense go a long ways in this country. Everything else tends to be "Flash in the pan" here today and gone tommorow.

Even God vacations in Northern Minnesota in June, but January is a whole nother beast.

[36g]

Just a few comments - #1. Accept the fact that it will be cold. If you can, wait a bit before buying a lot of cold weather gear - see what the locals are wearing first. #2., Snow will happen and the wind will blow. Make up a winter survival kit to keep in your vehicle. There are several suggestions on respective state agency websites. Carry a good sleeping bag as well as snow shovel in your vehicle. If you get stuck in a snow drift, stay with your vehicle. #3. If your truck is 4WD don't think you are invincible - ice doesn't care. #4. Fashion isn't a "thing" up north in the winter. Wear what keeps you warm and alive...

[gwpercle]

Being from Louisiana , we didn't know about putting anti-freeze in the gas tank ...
It got so cold the gasoline in the tank Froze ...
If you a Cajun Boy ... Don't Go ... God didn't make that place for us . Everything freezes solid ... snow is over your head ... just don't go there .
Plenty girls in the South ... find a new one .
Gary

[Winger Ed.]

Be well armed.
I hear that up there in those unexplored Northern territories of Not Texas- they have critters that want to eat your horse.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

The east side of the state is flat. Depending on area the goose/duck hunting is excellent. Fishing is mostly walleye and crappie/sunfish. Devils' lake is very popular for fishing and waterfowl. The biggest challenge is ND is not very non-resident license friendly. Deer is a lottery that you missed unless you go archery. Waterfowl is 14 days total for nonresidents. Some spots have very good pheasant and others not so much. Same of fox and coyote.

What type of winters are you familiar with?

adding to what M-Tecs says,
Eastern N Dak and North-western MN are flat with few trees, and when you are in-between towns, there is nothing there but flat farmland or prairie. The winter storms there are usually worse than other places, due to wind. It may snow for a only a few hours, but then the wind blows that snow around for a couple days afterward. It's not uncommon for the State to close the Freeways...you'll likely see some gates installed near exits/overpasses, that are used for just such occasions, because it's a common occurrence. If you have to travel during those two days after snow fall, you may experience "White-out type driving" which is dangerous, if you go off the road, you might be stranded for a while. Always carry an emergency kit with extra warm clothes.

[Mikedominick]

My 7.3 F350 will start down to -5°F with good batteries and fresh glow plugs.

It's going to get way below -5 in a NODAK winter!

[farmbif]

never been there but I'm shivering just thinking about winter in the Dakotas, got to get back to my own fire wood bucking and splitting

[BLAHUT]

Just a thought? If your truck battery's are a few years old, replace them with the biggest amp draw you can find. Check your tires, need good tires in snow and ice. If you drive fast you will experience a ditch real fast. Keep some anti jell for your fuel in with your truck. a 5w 40 or 10w 40 ?? weight synthetic oil in your Moter ? What ever your truck maker suggests for cold. A three lb. Coffie can with a roil of t-paper along with a fist full of energy bars, inside truck with you, along with a very good sleeping bag, each, a 3" / 4"candle with matches, one of these lighted inside cab with window cracked about 1/4 inch will keep you from freezing, also in cab with you, some bottled water. If you can find a few of the air activated body warmers, would be good, they last for years and you will use some for ice fishing. I buy these by the case when I can find the big ones. All these needs to be in truck with you, If you go off the road, you may not be able to get to the back of your truck. Stay with you truck. It gets cold and snows, have seen -50 below zero with a clear sunny sky after a 4' snow fall, wind blows snow for days, I keep a farm grain shovel in my truck, just in case along with some sand or cat litter for traction. A good tow strap may be nice? You will need good boots and gloves. The poly-propylene underwear can be had in thin to very thick and will keep you dry along with glove liners and socks liners, a good hat, wind proof outer layer. Stay dry, you will stay warm. keep a phone charger in you truck. Need to get there first ? Then think about hunting and fishing. If your GF is going for just a short time, you might just want to talk on phone ??? This country is cold and Un-Forgiving, but the people are warm ! Might just want to fill out a medical directive and/or last wishes form, just in case? You being so green, and this winter could be a bad one?? Haven't had a winter for years around here, so we may be just due?? GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN.

[BLAHUT]

Be well armed.
I hear that up there in those unexplored Northern territories of Not Texas- they have critters that want to eat your horse.

Ya;Ya: some of them are called people ! !