ANS Regulations in Effect April 1

A women-only home firearms safety course and air gun and rimfire shooting clinic is being sponsored by the Bismarck-Mandan Rifle & Pistol Association in cooperation with “Women on Target” of the NRA, Scheels Sports and Gun City.

This third annual event will begin with two three-hour classes April 6 and 13 in the training room at the Scheels store, Kirkwood Mall. Participants should assemble in the Scheels coffee shop between 1:45 and 2 p.m. both days, and a Scheels employee will guide the group to the training room.

The air gun and rimfire shooting clinic will be held in the War Memorial Building basement rifle range, starting at 6:30 p.m. in the range, and will go through 9 p.m. April 14 and April 15.

The class and shooting clinic are designed for women who are unfamiliar with firearms but want to be. Instructors are NRA certified.

The home firearms safety course will cover gun safety; fundamentals of gun handling; how to identify, load and unload various types of firearms; types and uses of ammunition; cleaning and care for firearms; and factors for evaluating gun storage options.

The air gun and rimfire portion will include live fire with pellet rifles and .22 caliber rifles and pistols. The safety class must be completed to participate in the shooting clinic.

Cost for the complete package is $20, with all materials, supplies, firearms, ammunition, eye and ear protection, etc., included. Participants may not bring personal firearms or ammunition. If participating in the safety course only, the cost is $15.

The registration deadline is April 2, since space is limited. Contact Leon Nesja at 663-8818 for registration and information.

– Bismarck-Mandan Rifle & Pistol Association

Effective April 1, anglers, boaters and personal watercraft users must abide by new regulations intended to prevent the introduction or spread of aquatic nuisance species into and within North Dakota.

ANS include aquatic animals, plants and diseases that are not native to North Dakota and have the likelihood to become well- established if introduced.

Greg Power, fisheries chief for the state Game and Fish Department, said North Dakota does have some problem areas, such as curly leaf pondweed in the Missouri River System, Eurasian water milfoil in parts of the Sheyenne River drainage and common carp in a number of waters.

“In the past, anglers and boaters were encouraged to practice ANS guidelines,” Power said. “Now, these guidelines are rules that must be followed. It is vital that water users understand these important requirements. If introduced, ANS can devastate a fishery and cause serious ecological and economic damage to our state.”

More ANS information can be found in the 2008-10 North Dakota Fishing Guide and by accessing the North Dakota Game and Fish Department Web site at www.gf.nd.gov.

– North Dakota Game and Fish Department

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