Deer unit 2F1, North Dakota: licenses, lottery and hunting land
North Dakota deer unit 2F1 covers 1,372 square miles in NDGF's Sheyenne-James region, across Eddy, Griggs, Foster and Nelson counties and others. In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 900 licenses available in unit 2F1 (500 any antlered deer and 400 any antlerless deer). 1,630 residents named it as their first choice, and 488 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 560. 2.8% of the unit is public land, mostly state trust land, and 21,379 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)Bureau of ReclamationState trust landPLOTS (private land open to hunting)Unit 2F1Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| NDGF region | Sheyenne-James |
|---|---|
| Size | 878,095 acres (1,372 square miles) |
| Counties | Eddy, Griggs, Foster, Nelson, Steele |
| Licenses, 2026 lottery | 900: 500 any antlered deer and 400 any antlerless deer |
| First-choice resident applicants, 2026 | 1,630 |
| Public land | 2.8% (24,960 acres) |
| PLOTS walk-in land | 21,379 acres; 107 tracts centered in the unit |
| Wildlife management areas | 7 (1,847 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 | Finley, Sharon, Cooperstown, Aneta and Pekin |
How many deer licenses does unit 2F1 get?
In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 900 licenses available in unit 2F1 (500 any antlered deer and 400 any antlerless deer). 1,630 residents named it as their first choice, and 488 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 560. NDGF made 2,000 licenses available here in 2018 and 900 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 | 500 | 213 | 277 | 1,403 | 277 | 20% |
| 2026 | Any Antlerless Deer | 400 | 115 | 283 | 227 | 211 | 93% |
| 2025 | Any Antlered Deer | 500 | 218 | 271 | 1,399 | 271 | 19% |
| 2025 | Any Antlerless Deer | 400 | 118 | 280 | 219 | 206 | 94% |
| 2024 | Any Antlered Deer | 900 | 211 | 674 | 1,484 | 674 | 45% |
| 2024 | Any Antlerless Deer | 700 | 114 | 584 | 228 | 224 | 98% |
| 2023 | Any Antlered Deer | 900 | 219 | 663 | 1,504 | 661 | 44% |
| 2023 | Any Antlerless Deer | 700 | 118 | 579 | 267 | 256 | 96% |
| 2022 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 242 | 875 | 1,672 | 873 | 52% |
| 2022 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 130 | 787 | 283 | 281 | 99% |
| 2021 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 250 | 867 | 1,634 | 867 | 53% |
| 2021 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 135 | 781 | 292 | 292 | 100% |
| 2020 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 250 | 862 | 1,658 | 862 | 52% |
| 2020 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 135 | 776 | 299 | 295 | 99% |
| 2019 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 252 | 864 | 1,623 | 864 | 53% |
| 2019 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 135 | 780 | 308 | 306 | 99% |
| 2018 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 248 | 841 | 1,734 | 857 | 49% |
| 2018 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 134 | 757 | 326 | 314 | 96% |
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 2F1 in 2026?
Any Antlered Deer: 277 of 1,403 resident first-choice applicants drew; 31 of the 387 with no bonus points did; everyone with 5 points or more drew. Any Antlerless Deer: 211 of 227 resident first-choice applicants drew; 171 of the 179 with no bonus points did; everyone with 5 points or more drew.
| Bonus points | Any Antlered Deer: drew / applied | Any Antlerless Deer: drew / applied |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 31 / 387 | 171 / 179 |
| 1 | 98 / 569 | 21 / 25 |
| 2 | 79 / 291 | 16 / 19 |
| 3 | 37 / 122 | 2 / 3 |
| 4 | 26 / 28 | none applied |
| 5 | 5 / 5 | 1 / 1 |
| 7 | 1 / 1 | 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 2F1?
2.8% of unit 2F1 is public land: 24,960 of its 878,095 acres. The largest share is state trust land, 14,664 acres. PLOTS adds 21,379 acres of private land open to walk-in hunting; 107 PLOTS tracts are centered inside the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit 2F1 |
|---|---|---|
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 21,379 | 2.4% |
| State trust land | 14,664 | 1.7% |
| Waterfowl production area | 8,275 | 0.9% |
| NDGF wildlife management area | 1,865 | 0.2% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 151 | under 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuge (rules vary) | 5 | under 0.1% |
Wildlife management areas in unit 2F1: Lake Washington WMA (866 acres here), Howard Stone WMA (398 acres here), Kloster Family WMA (206 acres here), Rusten Slough WMA (159 acres here), Sibley Lake WMA (101 acres here), Alfred and Jean Meeg WMA (77 acres here) and Sheyenne WMA (40 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 2F1 cover?
Unit 2F1 takes in parts of 5 counties. Each county's page lists its PLOTS land and WMAs.
| County | Acres in unit 2F1 | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| Eddy County | 301,026 | 34.3% |
| Griggs County | 245,048 | 27.9% |
| Foster County | 166,483 | 19% |
| Nelson County | 116,352 | 13.3% |
| Steele County | 49,186 | 5.6% |
Has chronic wasting disease been found in unit 2F1?
NDGF's CWD prevalence map does not list unit 2F1. Carcass transport rules still apply statewide.
Source: NDGF CWD prevalence by deer unit.
When is deer season in unit 2F1 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 2F1?
Highways through the unit: ND 15 (about 59 miles inside it), ND 20 (about 26 miles inside it), ND 1 (about 25 miles inside it), ND 45 (about 18 miles inside it) and US 281 (about 18 miles inside it). Towns inside: Finley, Sharon, Cooperstown, Binford, McHenry, Grace City and 2 more. Just outside: Aneta (on the line), Pekin (on the line), Glenfield (on the line) and McVille (on the line).
Which units border deer unit 2F1?
Unit 2F1 touches 4 other deer units. Their 2026 licenses and land, for comparison:
| Unit | Licenses, 2026 | First-choice applicants | Public land | PLOTS acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 2B | 900 | 3,269 | 0.5% | 42,812 |
| Unit 2F2 | 400 | 1,648 | 2.9% | 18,951 |
| Unit 2K2 | 1,400 | 2,793 | 4% | 64,114 |
| Unit 2L | 50 | 351 | 2.1% | 6,854 |
Questions hunters ask
How many bonus points does it take to draw deer unit 2F1?
277 of 1,403 resident first-choice applicants drew; 31 of the 387 with no bonus points did; everyone with 5 points or more drew. Those are NDGF's 2026 figures for any antlered deer licenses in unit 2F1; the full table by point level is above. A coming year can differ.
How much public land is in deer unit 2F1?
2.8% of unit 2F1, 24,960 of its 878,095 acres, is public land by the state and federal maps NDGF publishes; the largest share is state trust land at 14,664 acres. Another 21,379 acres are PLOTS, private land the owner has opened to walk-in hunting.
What towns are in deer unit 2F1?
Finley, Sharon, Cooperstown, Binford and McHenry are inside the unit, with 3 smaller places.
When is deer season in unit 2F1 in 2026?
The deer gun season runs November 6 to 22, 2026 in unit 2F1, 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.
Get a North Dakota hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for North Dakota are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, North Dakota included.
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 2B Unit 2F2 Unit 2K2 Unit 2L Eddy County Griggs County Foster County