Deer unit 2J2, North Dakota: licenses, lottery and hunting land
North Dakota deer unit 2J2 covers 1,944 square miles in NDGF's Southern Coteau region, across Stutsman, Kidder, Wells and Foster counties. In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 1,100 licenses available in unit 2J2 (600 any antlered deer and 500 any antlerless deer). 1,799 residents named it as their first choice, and 595 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 728. 6.2% of the unit is public land, mostly waterfowl production area, and 26,685 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 areaNational wildlife refuge (rules vary)BLMCorps of EngineersState trust landPLOTS (private land open to hunting)Unit 2J2Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| NDGF region | Southern Coteau |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,244,187 acres (1,944 square miles) |
| Counties | Stutsman, Kidder, Wells, Foster |
| Licenses, 2026 lottery | 1,100: 600 any antlered deer and 500 any antlerless deer |
| First-choice resident applicants, 2026 | 1,799 |
| Public land | 6.2% (77,698 acres) |
| PLOTS walk-in land | 26,685 acres; 102 tracts centered in the unit |
| Wildlife management areas | 12 (5,883 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 | Carrington, Medina, Woodworth, Hurdsfield and Steele |
How many deer licenses does unit 2J2 get?
In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 1,100 licenses available in unit 2J2 (600 any antlered deer and 500 any antlerless deer). 1,799 residents named it as their first choice, and 595 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 728. NDGF made 2,000 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 | 600 | 231 | 353 | 1,548 | 353 | 23% |
| 2026 | Any Antlerless Deer | 500 | 124 | 375 | 251 | 242 | 96% |
| 2025 | Any Antlered Deer | 600 | 231 | 356 | 1,600 | 356 | 22% |
| 2025 | Any Antlerless Deer | 500 | 124 | 374 | 295 | 279 | 95% |
| 2024 | Any Antlered Deer | 800 | 225 | 561 | 1,617 | 560 | 35% |
| 2024 | Any Antlerless Deer | 600 | 121 | 477 | 266 | 255 | 96% |
| 2023 | Any Antlered Deer | 800 | 224 | 553 | 1,613 | 548 | 34% |
| 2023 | Any Antlerless Deer | 700 | 120 | 578 | 310 | 298 | 96% |
| 2022 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,000 | 268 | 750 | 1,768 | 747 | 42% |
| 2022 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 145 | 775 | 314 | 308 | 98% |
| 2021 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 260 | 865 | 1,764 | 865 | 49% |
| 2021 | Any Antlerless Deer | 1,000 | 140 | 886 | 324 | 319 | 98% |
| 2020 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 261 | 859 | 1,880 | 859 | 46% |
| 2020 | Any Antlerless Deer | 1,000 | 140 | 881 | 328 | 323 | 98% |
| 2019 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 255 | 860 | 1,956 | 859 | 44% |
| 2019 | Any Antlerless Deer | 1,000 | 137 | 880 | 304 | 297 | 98% |
| 2018 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 263 | 826 | 2,056 | 854 | 42% |
| 2018 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 142 | 749 | 306 | 294 | 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 2J2 in 2026?
Any Antlered Deer: 353 of 1,548 resident first-choice applicants drew; 36 of the 469 with no bonus points did; everyone with 5 points or more drew. Any Antlerless Deer: 242 of 251 resident first-choice applicants drew; 197 of the 202 with no bonus points did; everyone with 3 points or more drew.
| Bonus points | Any Antlered Deer: drew / applied | Any Antlerless Deer: drew / applied |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 36 / 469 | 197 / 202 |
| 1 | 93 / 516 | 32 / 35 |
| 2 | 111 / 347 | 9 / 10 |
| 3 | 66 / 165 | 4 / 4 |
| 4 | 42 / 46 | none applied |
| 5 | 2 / 2 | none applied |
| 6 | 1 / 1 | none applied |
| 7 | 1 / 1 | none applied |
| 8 | 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 2J2?
6.2% of unit 2J2 is public land: 77,698 of its 1,244,187 acres. The largest share is waterfowl production area, 33,319 acres. PLOTS adds 26,685 acres of private land open to walk-in hunting; 102 PLOTS tracts are centered inside the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit 2J2 |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfowl production area | 33,319 | 2.7% |
| State trust land | 29,867 | 2.4% |
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 26,685 | 2.1% |
| NDGF wildlife management area | 5,882 | 0.5% |
| National wildlife refuge (rules vary) | 4,353 | 0.3% |
| Corps of Engineers | 4,237 | 0.3% |
| BLM | 40 | under 0.1% |
Wildlife management areas in unit 2J2: Chase Lake WMA (2,811 acres here), Silver Lake WMA (640 acres here), Haven Hills WMA (590 acres here), Horsehead Lake WMA (528 acres here), George Karpen WMA (474 acres here), Tappen Slough WMA (258 acres here), McPhail Slough WMA (164 acres here), Sweetgrass WMA (158 acres here), Frettim Township WMA (86 acres here), Leo M. Kirsch WMA (85 acres here), Lake Williams WMA (48 acres here) and Mallard Marsh WMA (41 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 2J2 cover?
Unit 2J2 takes in parts of 4 counties. Each county's page lists its PLOTS land and WMAs.
| County | Acres in unit 2J2 | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| Stutsman County | 560,422 | 45% |
| Kidder County | 450,388 | 36.2% |
| Wells County | 183,182 | 14.7% |
| Foster County | 50,194 | 4% |
Has chronic wasting disease been found in unit 2J2?
NDGF's CWD prevalence map does not list unit 2J2. Carcass transport rules still apply statewide.
Source: NDGF CWD prevalence by deer unit.
When is deer season in unit 2J2 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 2J2?
Highways through the unit: ND 36 (about 52 miles inside it), ND 200 (about 39 miles inside it), US 52 (about 38 miles inside it), ND 3 (about 31 miles inside it) and US 281 (about 16 miles inside it). Towns inside: Carrington, Medina, Woodworth, Cleveland, Pingree, Pettibone and 2 more. Just outside: Hurdsfield (on the line), Steele (on the line), Tappen (on the line) and Sykeston (on the line).
Which units border deer unit 2J2?
Unit 2J2 touches 4 other deer units. Their 2026 licenses and land, for comparison:
| Unit | Licenses, 2026 | First-choice applicants | Public land | PLOTS acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 2F2 | 400 | 1,648 | 2.9% | 18,951 |
| Unit 2I | 1,200 | 2,200 | 3.6% | 32,510 |
| Unit 2J1 | 900 | 1,372 | 6.1% | 70,016 |
| Unit 2K2 | 1,400 | 2,793 | 4% | 64,114 |
Questions hunters ask
How many bonus points does it take to draw deer unit 2J2?
353 of 1,548 resident first-choice applicants drew; 36 of the 469 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 2J2; the full table by point level is above. A coming year can differ.
How much public land is in deer unit 2J2?
6.2% of unit 2J2, 77,698 of its 1,244,187 acres, is public land by the state and federal maps NDGF publishes; the largest share is waterfowl production area at 33,319 acres. Another 26,685 acres are PLOTS, private land the owner has opened to walk-in hunting.
What towns are in deer unit 2J2?
Carrington, Medina, Woodworth, Cleveland and Pingree are inside the unit, with 3 smaller places.
When is deer season in unit 2J2 in 2026?
The deer gun season runs November 6 to 22, 2026 in unit 2J2, 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 2F2 Unit 2I Unit 2J1 Unit 2K2 Stutsman County Kidder County Wells County