Although some applicants have sat down with the governor and members of his senior staff to talk about becoming the new director of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, the chief of staff called the hiring procedure "fluid."

"We're still in the process of reviewing applicants and arriving at a point of conducting interviews," Bill Goetz, chief of staff for Gov. John Hoeven, said earlier this week. "It's very fluid yet at this point."

He declined to name a short list of candidates who will be asked in for interviews.

"I can't convey any names. We are in the process, and our objective is to have an appointment by the first part of December," he said.

Hoeven, Lt. Gov. Jack Dalrymple, deputy chief of staff Ron Rauschenberger and Goetz will conduct the interviews.

"The compatibility with meeting the governor's objectives for the agency will be of critical importance," Goetz said, explaining that Hoeven's objective is "making sure the state's resources are being adequately managed for citizens of North Dakota and both the fishing and hunting public at large."

Getting a new director on board in early December will allow that person time to work with Dean Hildebrand, who announced in June that he would retire as NDGFD director at the end of the year.

Two of the 24 original applicants have withdrawn: Gary Crowdus, Minot, principal of New Town Middle School and Edward Peterson, Detroit Lakes, Minn., an attorney for the Human Rights Task Force, Anishinaabe Center.

(Reach reporter Richard Hinton at 701-250-8256 or richard.hinton@;bismarcktribune.com.)