Fed. Public Lands Open Pheasant Opener

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP Oct 11, 2013) – North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple says he’s happy the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to reopen federal public lands in time for the state’s pheasant opener.
 
     Dalrymple says the decision announced Friday applies to 288,000 acres in North Dakota. He says the partial government shutdown should not have been used as a “legal justification” to close unstaffed public lands.
 
     The federal wildlife areas had been closed since Oct. 1.
 
     Dalrymple and Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem say they were preparing to file a complaint Friday afternoon asking a federal judge to reopen the lands when U.S. Fish and Wildlife Director Dan Ashe made the announcement.
 
     North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven sent letters to Ashe and U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell asking to keep the wildlife lands open for hunters.