Deer unit 3A1, North Dakota: licenses, lottery and hunting land
North Dakota deer unit 3A1 covers 3,846 square miles in NDGF's Northern Coteau region, across Williams, Divide, Burke and Mountrail counties. In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 4,000 licenses available in unit 3A1 (2,200 any antlered deer and 1,800 any antlerless deer). 3,713 residents named it as their first choice, and 2,116 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 3,303. 4.6% of the unit is public land, mostly state trust land, and 59,969 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)BLMState trust landPLOTS (private land open to hunting)Unit 3A1Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| NDGF region | Northern Coteau |
|---|---|
| Size | 2,461,545 acres (3,846 square miles) |
| Counties | Williams, Divide, Burke, Mountrail |
| Licenses, 2026 lottery | 4,000: 2,200 any antlered deer and 1,800 any antlerless deer |
| First-choice resident applicants, 2026 | 3,713 |
| Public land | 4.6% (113,480 acres) |
| PLOTS walk-in land | 59,969 acres; 280 tracts centered in the unit |
| Wildlife management areas | 9 (2,654 acres) |
| CWD (NDGF map) | Detected; first found 2018 |
| Deer gun season, 2026 | November 6 to 22, 2026 |
| Towns in and near it | Williston, Stanley, Tioga, Bowbells and Ray |
How many deer licenses does unit 3A1 get?
In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 4,000 licenses available in unit 3A1 (2,200 any antlered deer and 1,800 any antlerless deer). 3,713 residents named it as their first choice, and 2,116 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 3,303. NDGF made 2,000 licenses available here in 2018 and 4,000 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 | 2,200 | 267 | 1,886 | 3,477 | 1,885 | 54% |
| 2026 | Any Antlerless Deer | 1,800 | 143 | 1,417 | 236 | 231 | 98% |
| 2025 | Any Antlered Deer | 2,200 | 255 | 1,895 | 3,409 | 1,895 | 56% |
| 2025 | Any Antlerless Deer | 2,100 | 138 | 1,376 | 231 | 231 | 100% |
| 2024 | Any Antlered Deer | 2,200 | 284 | 1,872 | 3,476 | 1,872 | 54% |
| 2024 | Any Antlerless Deer | 2,100 | 153 | 1,370 | 240 | 239 | 100% |
| 2023 | Any Antlered Deer | 2,200 | 262 | 1,884 | 3,313 | 1,883 | 57% |
| 2023 | Any Antlerless Deer | 2,100 | 141 | 1,731 | 218 | 216 | 99% |
| 2022 | Any Antlered Deer | 2,200 | 367 | 1,888 | 3,177 | 1,887 | 59% |
| 2022 | Any Antlerless Deer | 2,100 | 197 | 1,240 | 189 | 187 | 99% |
| 2021 | Any Antlered Deer | 2,200 | 370 | 1,883 | 3,238 | 1,883 | 58% |
| 2021 | Any Antlerless Deer | 2,100 | 199 | 1,148 | 187 | 185 | 99% |
| 2020 | Any Antlered Deer | 2,000 | 395 | 1,658 | 3,020 | 1,658 | 55% |
| 2020 | Any Antlerless Deer | 1,700 | 212 | 1,012 | 190 | 188 | 99% |
| 2019 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,800 | 371 | 1,492 | 2,773 | 1,489 | 54% |
| 2019 | Any Antlerless Deer | 1,500 | 200 | 1,268 | 171 | 170 | 99% |
| 2018 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,200 | 387 | 801 | 2,617 | 843 | 32% |
| 2018 | Any Antlerless Deer | 800 | 208 | 584 | 170 | 162 | 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 3A1 in 2026?
Any Antlered Deer: 1,885 of 3,477 resident first-choice applicants drew; 734 of the 1,954 with no bonus points did; everyone with 5 points or more drew. Any Antlerless Deer: 231 of 236 resident first-choice applicants drew; 198 of the 203 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 | 734 / 1,954 | 198 / 203 |
| 1 | 791 / 1,116 | 22 / 22 |
| 2 | 271 / 314 | 8 / 8 |
| 3 | 55 / 58 | 2 / 2 |
| 4 | 21 / 22 | 1 / 1 |
| 5 | 11 / 11 | none applied |
| 6 | 2 / 2 | 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 3A1?
4.6% of unit 3A1 is public land: 113,480 of its 2,461,545 acres. The largest share is state trust land, 60,847 acres. PLOTS adds 59,969 acres of private land open to walk-in hunting; 280 PLOTS tracts are centered inside the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit 3A1 |
|---|---|---|
| State trust land | 60,847 | 2.5% |
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 59,969 | 2.4% |
| National wildlife refuge (rules vary) | 30,505 | 1.2% |
| Waterfowl production area | 19,036 | 0.8% |
| NDGF wildlife management area | 2,892 | 0.1% |
| BLM | 200 | under 0.1% |
Wildlife management areas in unit 3A1: Harris M. Baukol WMA (1,271 acres here), Salt Flats WMA (321 acres here), Blue Ridge WMA (254 acres here), Smishek Lake WMA (202 acres here), McGregor Dam WMA (194 acres here), Short Creek WMA (164 acres here), Leaf Mountain WMA (162 acres here), Blacktail Dam WMA (47 acres here) and White Earth Valley WMA (Mountrail County) (39 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 3A1 cover?
Unit 3A1 takes in parts of 4 counties. Each county's page lists its PLOTS land and WMAs.
| County | Acres in unit 3A1 | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| Williams County | 863,408 | 35.1% |
| Divide County | 828,251 | 33.6% |
| Burke County | 550,279 | 22.4% |
| Mountrail County | 219,370 | 8.9% |
Has chronic wasting disease been found in unit 3A1?
Yes. NDGF's CWD prevalence map lists unit 3A1: mule deer: first detected 2018, 23 positive of 251 sampled in the last four years (9.2%) and whitetail deer: first detected 2021, 1 positive of 401 sampled in the last four years (0.2%).
Source: NDGF CWD prevalence by deer unit.
When is deer season in unit 3A1 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 3A1?
Highways through the unit: US 85 (about 88 miles inside it), ND 5 (about 85 miles inside it), ND 50 (about 79 miles inside it), ND 40 (about 60 miles inside it) and US 2 (about 34 miles inside it). Towns inside: Williston, Stanley, Tioga, White Earth, Crosby, Powers Lake and 14 more. Just outside: Bowbells (on the line), Ray (on the line), Epping (4 miles) and Springbrook (6 miles).
Which units border deer unit 3A1?
Unit 3A1 touches 3 other deer units. Their 2026 licenses and land, for comparison:
| Unit | Licenses, 2026 | First-choice applicants | Public land | PLOTS acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 3A2 | 2,400 | 1,887 | 4% | 8,152 |
| Unit 3A3 | 2,500 | 3,269 | 4% | 38,200 |
| Unit 3B1 | 850 | 2,203 | 16% | 13,500 |
Questions hunters ask
How many bonus points does it take to draw deer unit 3A1?
1,885 of 3,477 resident first-choice applicants drew; 734 of the 1,954 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 3A1; the full table by point level is above. A coming year can differ.
How much public land is in deer unit 3A1?
4.6% of unit 3A1, 113,480 of its 2,461,545 acres, is public land by the state and federal maps NDGF publishes; the largest share is state trust land at 60,847 acres. Another 59,969 acres are PLOTS, private land the owner has opened to walk-in hunting.
What towns are in deer unit 3A1?
Williston, Stanley, Tioga, White Earth and Crosby are inside the unit, with 15 smaller places.
When is deer season in unit 3A1 in 2026?
The deer gun season runs November 6 to 22, 2026 in unit 3A1, 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 3A2 Unit 3A3 Unit 3B1 Williams County Divide County Burke County