Deer unit 1, North Dakota: licenses, lottery and hunting land
North Dakota deer unit 1 covers 520 square miles in NDGF's Northern Coteau region, across Rolette and Bottineau counties. In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 400 licenses available in unit 1 (300 any antlered deer and 100 any antlerless deer). 955 residents named it as their first choice, and 235 of them drew. 8.5% of the unit is public land, mostly state forest, and 3,230 acres are PLOTS walk-in land on private ground (NDGF map layers, 2026).
Data updated October 2026. Lottery: NDGF, 2018 to 2026. Land: NDGF map layers, 2026. Seasons: NDGF 2026-27 table.
NDGF wildlife management areaWaterfowl production areaNational wildlife refuge (rules vary)State trust landState forestState park (rules vary)PLOTS (private land open to hunting)Unit 1Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| NDGF region | Northern Coteau |
|---|---|
| Size | 333,027 acres (520 square miles) |
| Counties | Rolette, Bottineau |
| Licenses, 2026 lottery | 400: 300 any antlered deer and 100 any antlerless deer |
| First-choice resident applicants, 2026 | 955 |
| Public land | 8.5% (28,284 acres) |
| PLOTS walk-in land | 3,230 acres; 16 tracts centered in the unit |
| Wildlife management areas | 12 (10,389 acres) |
| CWD (NDGF map) | Unit not on NDGF's CWD prevalence map |
| Deer gun season, 2026 | November 6 to 22, 2026 |
| Towns in and near it | Bottineau, Dunseith, St. John, Rolla and Souris |
How many deer licenses does unit 1 get?
In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 400 licenses available in unit 1 (300 any antlered deer and 100 any antlerless deer). 955 residents named it as their first choice, and 235 of them drew. NDGF made 700 licenses available here in 2018 and 400 in 2026.
| Year | License | Licenses available | Set aside for landowners (gratis) | Issued in the resident drawing (all choices) | First-choice resident applicants | First-choice applicants who drew | Share who drew |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Any Antlered Deer | 300 | 104 | 193 | 801 | 193 | 24% |
| 2026 | Any Antlerless Deer | 100 | 56 | 42 | 154 | 42 | 27% |
| 2025 | Any Antlered Deer | 300 | 114 | 182 | 812 | 182 | 22% |
| 2025 | Any Antlerless Deer | 100 | 62 | 35 | 151 | 35 | 23% |
| 2024 | Any Antlered Deer | 300 | 111 | 186 | 814 | 186 | 23% |
| 2024 | Any Antlerless Deer | 200 | 59 | 138 | 173 | 138 | 80% |
| 2023 | Any Antlered Deer | 300 | 120 | 176 | 807 | 176 | 22% |
| 2023 | Any Antlerless Deer | 200 | 65 | 133 | 152 | 133 | 88% |
| 2022 | Any Antlered Deer | 450 | 114 | 336 | 796 | 336 | 42% |
| 2022 | Any Antlerless Deer | 450 | 61 | 389 | 168 | 163 | 97% |
| 2021 | Any Antlered Deer | 450 | 130 | 320 | 877 | 320 | 36% |
| 2021 | Any Antlerless Deer | 450 | 70 | 381 | 156 | 154 | 99% |
| 2020 | Any Antlered Deer | 450 | 122 | 326 | 896 | 325 | 36% |
| 2020 | Any Antlerless Deer | 450 | 65 | 384 | 173 | 167 | 97% |
| 2019 | Any Antlered Deer | 450 | 116 | 333 | 819 | 333 | 41% |
| 2019 | Any Antlerless Deer | 450 | 62 | 388 | 153 | 148 | 97% |
| 2018 | Any Antlered Deer | 350 | 123 | 224 | 855 | 226 | 26% |
| 2018 | Any Antlerless Deer | 350 | 66 | 281 | 166 | 157 | 95% |
Source: NDGF deer lottery statistics and NDGF deer lottery archive; NDGF notes small differences from voided, revoked or refunded licenses. "First-choice applicants who drew" adds up NDGF's successful applicants at every bonus point level; "share who drew" divides it by first-choice resident applicants, for that year only. It is not a forecast.
How many bonus points did it take to draw unit 1 in 2026?
Any Antlered Deer: 193 of 801 resident first-choice applicants drew; 11 of the 233 with no bonus points did. Any Antlerless Deer: 42 of 154 resident first-choice applicants drew; 15 of the 68 with no bonus points did.
| Bonus points | Any Antlered Deer: drew / applied | Any Antlerless Deer: drew / applied |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 11 / 233 | 15 / 68 |
| 1 | 47 / 263 | 21 / 69 |
| 2 | 45 / 149 | 5 / 15 |
| 3 | 39 / 100 | 1 / 2 |
| 4 | 48 / 50 | none applied |
| 5 | 3 / 6 | none applied |
Source: NDGF deer lottery statistics, "Bonus Points (Successful Applicants/Total Applicants)". The top column is NDGF's own top bucket. An applicant who does not draw a first choice earns a bonus point for the next lottery.
How much public land and PLOTS is in unit 1?
8.5% of unit 1 is public land: 28,284 of its 333,027 acres. The largest share is state forest, 12,515 acres. PLOTS adds 3,230 acres of private land open to walk-in hunting; 16 PLOTS tracts are centered inside the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit 1 |
|---|---|---|
| State forest | 12,515 | 3.8% |
| NDGF wildlife management area | 10,390 | 3.1% |
| State trust land | 3,624 | 1.1% |
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 3,230 | 1% |
| Waterfowl production area | 1,754 | 0.5% |
| State park (rules vary) | 1,662 | 0.5% |
| National wildlife refuge (rules vary) | 1 | under 0.1% |
Wildlife management areas in unit 1: Wakopa WMA (7,165 acres here), Thompson Lake WMA (872 acres here), Willow Lake WMA (602 acres here), Turtle Mountain WMA (438 acres here), Wall-Redfield WMA (261 acres here), School Section Lake WMA (255 acres here), V.V. Bull WMA (199 acres here), Black Lake WMA (174 acres here), Nickelson WMA (163 acres here), Turtle Mountain Forest WMA (159 acres here), Schuster WMA (80 acres here) and Rabb Lake WMA (21 acres here).
Measured by FilledTag inside NDGF's unit boundary from NDGF PLOTS Guide map layers (WMAs, PLOTS, trust land, federal land). Where two maps overlap, the acres are counted once. State trust land is open to walk-in hunting unless the Department of Trust Lands lists the tract as closed; some tracts ask that the lessee be told first. National wildlife refuges are open to hunting only where each refuge's rules allow.
Which counties does unit 1 cover?
Unit 1 takes in parts of 2 counties. Each county's page lists its PLOTS land and WMAs.
| County | Acres in unit 1 | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| Rolette County | 196,458 | 59% |
| Bottineau County | 136,504 | 41% |
Has chronic wasting disease been found in unit 1?
NDGF's CWD prevalence map does not list unit 1. Carcass transport rules still apply statewide.
Source: NDGF CWD prevalence by deer unit.
When is deer season in unit 1 in 2026?
The deer gun season runs November 6 to 22, 2026 in every unit. Bow, youth and muzzleloader seasons are statewide. NDGF's note for the bow (nonresident) season of September 4, 2026 to January 3, 2027: Nonresidents may hunt only on private land, excluding Private Land Open To Sportsman, during the first 9 1/2 days of the Deer Bow season. Exemption: PLOTS landowners may hunt on their enrolled property.
| Season | Where | Opens | Closes | Apply by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer: Bow (Resident) | Statewide | September 4, 2026 | January 3, 2027 | no lottery |
| Deer: Bow (Nonresident) | Statewide | September 4, 2026 | January 3, 2027 | no lottery |
| Deer: Bow (Resident Youth) | Statewide | September 4, 2026 | January 3, 2027 | no lottery |
| Deer: Regular | All Units | November 6, 2026 | November 22, 2026 | June 3, 2026 |
| Deer: Youth Season | Statewide | September 18, 2026 | September 27, 2026 | June 3, 2026 |
| White-tailed deer: Muzzleloader | Statewide | November 27, 2026 | December 13, 2026 | June 3, 2026 |
Source: NDGF 2026-27 season dates.
How do you get to unit 1?
Highways through the unit: ND 43 (about 24 miles inside it), ND 5 (about 21 miles inside it), US 281 (about 19 miles inside it), ND 3 (about 14 miles inside it) and ND 14 (about 11 miles inside it). Towns inside: Bottineau, Dunseith, St. John, Belcourt and East Dunseith. Just outside: Rolla (on the line), Souris (6 miles), Gardena (8 miles) and Overly (9 miles).
Which units border deer unit 1?
Unit 1 touches 2 other deer units. Their 2026 licenses and land, for comparison:
| Unit | Licenses, 2026 | First-choice applicants | Public land | PLOTS acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 2E | 500 | 1,417 | 2.5% | 45,869 |
| Unit 3A4 | 2,000 | 3,075 | 5.2% | 10,804 |
Questions hunters ask
How many bonus points does it take to draw deer unit 1?
193 of 801 resident first-choice applicants drew; 11 of the 233 with no bonus points did. Those are NDGF's 2026 figures for any antlered deer licenses in unit 1; the full table by point level is above. A coming year can differ.
How much public land is in deer unit 1?
8.5% of unit 1, 28,284 of its 333,027 acres, is public land by the state and federal maps NDGF publishes; the largest share is state forest at 12,515 acres. Another 3,230 acres are PLOTS, private land the owner has opened to walk-in hunting.
What towns are in deer unit 1?
Bottineau, Dunseith, St. John, Belcourt and East Dunseith are inside the unit.
When is deer season in unit 1 in 2026?
The deer gun season runs November 6 to 22, 2026 in unit 1, as in every unit. Bow season runs September 4, 2026 to January 3, 2027, the youth season September 18 to 27, 2026 and the white-tailed muzzleloader season November 27 to December 13, 2026. Dates are from NDGF's 2026-27 season table; the lottery deadline was June 3, 2026.
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Where these numbers come from
- Licenses, applicants and bonus points: NDGF deer lottery statistics; NDGF deer lottery archive.
- Seasons: NDGF 2026-27 season dates.
- Unit boundary: NDGF hunting unit maps. Land: NDGF PLOTS Guide map layers (WMAs, PLOTS, trust land, federal land). Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 and 2024 Gazetteer.
FilledTag is not part of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Numbers are copied from NDGF or measured from the maps it publishes; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
North Dakota hunting Unit 2E Unit 3A4 Rolette County Bottineau County