Deer unit 2H, North Dakota: licenses, lottery and hunting land
North Dakota deer unit 2H covers 1,786 square miles in NDGF's Southern Coteau region, across McIntosh, Dickey, Emmons and LaMoure counties and others. In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 1,100 licenses available in unit 2H (800 any antlered deer and 300 any antlerless deer). 1,474 residents named it as their first choice, and 792 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 892. 3.5% of the unit is public land, mostly waterfowl production area, and 18,685 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 areaState trust landPLOTS (private land open to hunting)Unit 2HNeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| NDGF region | Southern Coteau |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,142,931 acres (1,786 square miles) |
| Counties | McIntosh, Dickey, Emmons, LaMoure, Logan |
| Licenses, 2026 lottery | 1,100: 800 any antlered deer and 300 any antlerless deer |
| First-choice resident applicants, 2026 | 1,474 |
| Public land | 3.5% (40,057 acres) |
| PLOTS walk-in land | 18,685 acres; 101 tracts centered in the unit |
| Wildlife management areas | 11 (4,008 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 | Wishek, Ashley, Kulm, Monango and Ellendale |
How many deer licenses does unit 2H get?
In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 1,100 licenses available in unit 2H (800 any antlered deer and 300 any antlerless deer). 1,474 residents named it as their first choice, and 792 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 892. NDGF made 1,600 licenses available here in 2018 and 1,100 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 | 800 | 127 | 668 | 1,339 | 668 | 50% |
| 2026 | Any Antlerless Deer | 300 | 68 | 224 | 135 | 124 | 92% |
| 2025 | Any Antlered Deer | 900 | 118 | 769 | 1,357 | 769 | 57% |
| 2025 | Any Antlerless Deer | 600 | 64 | 532 | 129 | 127 | 98% |
| 2024 | Any Antlered Deer | 900 | 119 | 767 | 1,375 | 766 | 56% |
| 2024 | Any Antlerless Deer | 600 | 64 | 533 | 134 | 132 | 99% |
| 2023 | Any Antlered Deer | 900 | 127 | 753 | 1,422 | 751 | 53% |
| 2023 | Any Antlerless Deer | 700 | 69 | 628 | 145 | 145 | 100% |
| 2022 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 170 | 946 | 1,468 | 941 | 64% |
| 2022 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 91 | 768 | 131 | 131 | 100% |
| 2021 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 162 | 958 | 1,502 | 958 | 64% |
| 2021 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 87 | 766 | 152 | 150 | 99% |
| 2020 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 162 | 958 | 1,560 | 957 | 61% |
| 2020 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 87 | 721 | 147 | 145 | 99% |
| 2019 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 152 | 962 | 1,498 | 961 | 64% |
| 2019 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 82 | 831 | 136 | 134 | 99% |
| 2018 | Any Antlered Deer | 900 | 168 | 723 | 1,580 | 748 | 47% |
| 2018 | Any Antlerless Deer | 700 | 90 | 603 | 154 | 145 | 94% |
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 2H in 2026?
Any Antlered Deer: 668 of 1,339 resident first-choice applicants drew; 222 of the 737 with no bonus points did; everyone with 4 points or more drew. Any Antlerless Deer: 124 of 135 resident first-choice applicants drew; 108 of the 119 with no bonus points did; everyone with 1 point or more drew.
| Bonus points | Any Antlered Deer: drew / applied | Any Antlerless Deer: drew / applied |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 222 / 737 | 108 / 119 |
| 1 | 315 / 453 | 11 / 11 |
| 2 | 94 / 109 | 3 / 3 |
| 3 | 26 / 29 | 2 / 2 |
| 4 | 10 / 10 | none applied |
| 5 | 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 2H?
3.5% of unit 2H is public land: 40,057 of its 1,142,931 acres. The largest share is waterfowl production area, 25,158 acres. PLOTS adds 18,685 acres of private land open to walk-in hunting; 101 PLOTS tracts are centered inside the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit 2H |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfowl production area | 25,158 | 2.2% |
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 18,685 | 1.6% |
| State trust land | 10,890 | 1% |
| NDGF wildlife management area | 4,009 | 0.4% |
Wildlife management areas in unit 2H: Johnson's Gulch WMA (1,393 acres here), Camp Lake WMA (965 acres here), Lehr WMA (632 acres here), Coldwater Lake WMA (334 acres here), Hague WMA (162 acres here), Clear Lake WMA (159 acres here), Kisselberry WMA (120 acres here), McIntosh County WMA (81 acres here), Ashley WMA (77 acres here), Green Lake WMA (47 acres here) and Kulm Dam WMA (38 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.
Which counties does unit 2H cover?
Unit 2H takes in parts of 5 counties. Each county's page lists its PLOTS land and WMAs.
| County | Acres in unit 2H | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| McIntosh County | 611,374 | 53.5% |
| Dickey County | 315,483 | 27.6% |
| Emmons County | 162,843 | 14.2% |
| LaMoure County | 46,761 | 4.1% |
| Logan County | 6,043 | 0.5% |
Has chronic wasting disease been found in unit 2H?
NDGF's CWD prevalence map does not list unit 2H. Carcass transport rules still apply statewide.
Source: NDGF CWD prevalence by deer unit.
When is deer season in unit 2H 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 2H?
Highways through the unit: ND 11 (about 78 miles inside it), ND 13 (about 67 miles inside it), ND 3 (about 42 miles inside it), US 83 (about 23 miles inside it) and ND 56 (about 20 miles inside it). Towns inside: Wishek, Ashley, Kulm, Zeeland, Strasburg, Hague and 2 more. Just outside: Monango (on the line), Ellendale (on the line), Lehr (on the line) and Edgeley (on the line).
Which units border deer unit 2H?
Unit 2H touches 3 other deer units. Their 2026 licenses and land, for comparison:
| Unit | Licenses, 2026 | First-choice applicants | Public land | PLOTS acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 2G2 | 400 | 1,166 | 2.6% | 16,892 |
| Unit 2I | 1,200 | 2,200 | 3.6% | 32,510 |
| Unit 3C | 800 | 1,431 | 8.5% | 17,444 |
Questions hunters ask
How many bonus points does it take to draw deer unit 2H?
668 of 1,339 resident first-choice applicants drew; 222 of the 737 with no bonus points did; everyone with 4 points or more drew. Those are NDGF's 2026 figures for any antlered deer licenses in unit 2H; the full table by point level is above. A coming year can differ.
How much public land is in deer unit 2H?
3.5% of unit 2H, 40,057 of its 1,142,931 acres, is public land by the state and federal maps NDGF publishes; the largest share is waterfowl production area at 25,158 acres. Another 18,685 acres are PLOTS, private land the owner has opened to walk-in hunting.
What towns are in deer unit 2H?
Wishek, Ashley, Kulm, Zeeland and Strasburg are inside the unit, with 3 smaller places.
When is deer season in unit 2H in 2026?
The deer gun season runs November 6 to 22, 2026 in unit 2H, 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 2G2 Unit 2I Unit 3C McIntosh County Dickey County Emmons County