For those hunting birds, fish, ghosts or the Great Pumpkin, you’ve come to the right place. North Dakota abounds with ghosts, ghouls, gourds, and waterfowl in October. Do a little hunting early in the day, then take the family to one of the state’s many Halloween activities in the evening. Try these spine-tingling activities. Here are a few options to check out, or contact North Dakota Tourism for additional ideas at www.NDtourism.com or call 800-435-5663 or 701-328-2525.

1. Hunting for Pumpkins. Two things are synonymous with Halloween: ghosts and pumpkins. You may not find the Great Pumpkin, but you’re sure to have a great time looking for him at some of the pumpkin patches in North Dakota.  Begin your search at Papa’s Pumpkin Patch in Bismarck, Berry Acres in Minot or Nelson’s Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze in Grand Forks.
2. Treasure hunting. Take your sense of adventure around the state and hunt for deals, steals and gifts galore! Start off at Prairie Fire Pottery in Beach, Michele F in Velva or Badman Design in Grand Forks for “uniquely North Dakota” items. It’s also craft show season! Scout the upcoming shows and hunt for the perfect gift or must-have treasure.
3. A “foodie” hunt. This is the perfect season to taste some of North Dakota’s feel-good foods, and you might start with knoephla soup from Webo’s Restaurant in Linton or fleischkuechle at the Country Café in Napoleon. Don’t forget the dessert; try the kuchen from Grandma’s Kuchen in Ashley or fresh pie at the Tower City Cafe. If you would prefer to make some of the German favorites at home, Germans from Russia has a number of feel-good food recipes for the entire family.
4. Ghost hunt. The chill in the fall air is nothing like that tickling your spine as you work your way through a haunted fort, a haunted cemetery and a haunted house. ’Tis the season for a full moon (October 27) and the ghostly haunts that follow as we head toward Halloween. Get your thrills and chills at Fort Abraham Lincoln’s Haunted Fort, Fort Buford’s Cemetery Walk and Grand Forks’ Legend of Terror Haunted House
5. Hunting for cache. Geocaching can provide an hour, day, or weekend of entertainment. Join the fun of this real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location. Numerous fun caches can be found at North Dakota State parks or in your own outdoor neighborhood. Round up the kids and let the hunt begin.
6. Hunting for a good run? Get your thrills or your chills by participating in a festive jaunt like the Full Moon 5K run in Fargo or the Monster Dash in Bismarck. Wear your costume for a chance to win some spooktacular prizes. Looking for the extreme? Try the Extreme North Dakota END-TOMBED mountain bike race in Grand Forks.
7. Hunter’s paradise. North Dakota is a waterfowler’s paradise. There’s nothing “daffy” about duck hunting here, as a large fall flight of ducks is expected to make its way through the state. The Central Flyway through the middle and eastern parts of the state routes vast flights of geese through the area on their trek south. Meanwhile, pheasant hunters from far and wide await that season opener on October 10.