Deer unit 3A2, North Dakota: licenses, lottery and hunting land
North Dakota deer unit 3A2 covers 1,722 square miles in NDGF's Northern Coteau region, across Renville, Bottineau, Ward and Burke counties. In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 2,400 licenses available in unit 3A2 (1,400 any antlered deer and 1,000 any antlerless deer). 1,887 residents named it as their first choice, and 1,523 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 2,055. 4% of the unit is public land, mostly national wildlife refuge, and 8,152 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.
Waterfowl production areaNational wildlife refuge (rules vary)BLMState trust landPLOTS (private land open to hunting)Unit 3A2Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| NDGF region | Northern Coteau |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,102,317 acres (1,722 square miles) |
| Counties | Renville, Bottineau, Ward, Burke |
| Licenses, 2026 lottery | 2,400: 1,400 any antlered deer and 1,000 any antlerless deer |
| First-choice resident applicants, 2026 | 1,887 |
| Public land | 4% (43,893 acres) |
| PLOTS walk-in land | 8,152 acres; 37 tracts centered in the unit |
| CWD (NDGF map) | Detected; first found 2020 |
| Deer gun season, 2026 | November 6 to 22, 2026 |
| Towns in and near it | Mohall, Carpio, Lansford, Donnybrook and Burlington |
How many deer licenses does unit 3A2 get?
In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 2,400 licenses available in unit 3A2 (1,400 any antlered deer and 1,000 any antlerless deer). 1,887 residents named it as their first choice, and 1,523 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 2,055. NDGF made 1,600 licenses available here in 2018 and 2,400 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 | 1,400 | 123 | 1,258 | 1,622 | 1,258 | 78% |
| 2026 | Any Antlerless Deer | 1,000 | 66 | 797 | 265 | 265 | 100% |
| 2025 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,400 | 120 | 1,254 | 1,632 | 1,254 | 77% |
| 2025 | Any Antlerless Deer | 1,300 | 64 | 786 | 293 | 293 | 100% |
| 2024 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,400 | 138 | 1,239 | 1,641 | 1,239 | 76% |
| 2024 | Any Antlerless Deer | 1,300 | 74 | 836 | 315 | 314 | 100% |
| 2023 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,400 | 122 | 1,254 | 1,624 | 1,252 | 77% |
| 2023 | Any Antlerless Deer | 1,300 | 66 | 972 | 305 | 305 | 100% |
| 2022 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,400 | 172 | 1,240 | 1,714 | 1,239 | 72% |
| 2022 | Any Antlerless Deer | 1,300 | 92 | 984 | 284 | 282 | 99% |
| 2021 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,200 | 173 | 1,042 | 1,637 | 919 | 56% |
| 2021 | Any Antlerless Deer | 1,000 | 93 | 919 | 255 | 253 | 99% |
| 2020 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,000 | 174 | 839 | 1,709 | 837 | 49% |
| 2020 | Any Antlerless Deer | 800 | 93 | 719 | 312 | 304 | 97% |
| 2019 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,000 | 163 | 848 | 1,640 | 847 | 52% |
| 2019 | Any Antlerless Deer | 800 | 88 | 722 | 321 | 315 | 98% |
| 2018 | Any Antlered Deer | 900 | 174 | 717 | 1,751 | 731 | 42% |
| 2018 | Any Antlerless Deer | 700 | 94 | 599 | 374 | 355 | 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 3A2 in 2026?
Any Antlered Deer: 1,258 of 1,622 resident first-choice applicants drew; 839 of the 1,184 with no bonus points did; everyone with 3 points or more drew. Any Antlerless Deer: All 265 resident first-choice applicants drew, at every point level.
| Bonus points | Any Antlered Deer: drew / applied | Any Antlerless Deer: drew / applied |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 839 / 1,184 | 240 / 240 |
| 1 | 375 / 392 | 17 / 17 |
| 2 | 32 / 34 | 4 / 4 |
| 3 | 9 / 9 | 3 / 3 |
| 4 | 3 / 3 | none applied |
| 5 | none applied | 1 / 1 |
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 3A2?
4% of unit 3A2 is public land: 43,893 of its 1,102,317 acres. The largest share is national wildlife refuge, 40,181 acres. PLOTS adds 8,152 acres of private land open to walk-in hunting; 37 PLOTS tracts are centered inside the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit 3A2 |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge (rules vary) | 40,181 | 3.6% |
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 8,152 | 0.7% |
| State trust land | 2,941 | 0.3% |
| Waterfowl production area | 731 | 0.1% |
| BLM | 40 | under 0.1% |
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 3A2 cover?
Unit 3A2 takes in parts of 4 counties. Each county's page lists its PLOTS land and WMAs.
| County | Acres in unit 3A2 | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| Renville County | 526,237 | 47.7% |
| Bottineau County | 284,031 | 25.8% |
| Ward County | 202,695 | 18.4% |
| Burke County | 89,149 | 8.1% |
Has chronic wasting disease been found in unit 3A2?
Yes. NDGF's CWD prevalence map lists unit 3A2: whitetail deer: first detected 2020, 1 positive of 228 sampled in the last four years (0.4%).
Source: NDGF CWD prevalence by deer unit.
When is deer season in unit 3A2 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 3A2?
Highways through the unit: ND 5 (about 55 miles inside it), ND 28 (about 42 miles inside it), US 83 (about 37 miles inside it), US 52 (about 25 miles inside it) and ND 256 (about 16 miles inside it). Towns inside: Mohall, Carpio, Lansford, Westhope, Sherwood, Grano and 5 more. Just outside: Donnybrook (on the line), Burlington (on the line), Kenmare (on the line) and Bowbells (on the line).
Which units border deer unit 3A2?
Unit 3A2 touches 3 other deer units. Their 2026 licenses and land, for comparison:
| Unit | Licenses, 2026 | First-choice applicants | Public land | PLOTS acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 3A1 | 4,000 | 3,713 | 4.6% | 59,969 |
| Unit 3A3 | 2,500 | 3,269 | 4% | 38,200 |
| Unit 3A4 | 2,000 | 3,075 | 5.2% | 10,804 |
Questions hunters ask
How many bonus points does it take to draw deer unit 3A2?
1,258 of 1,622 resident first-choice applicants drew; 839 of the 1,184 with no bonus points did; everyone with 3 points or more drew. Those are NDGF's 2026 figures for any antlered deer licenses in unit 3A2; the full table by point level is above. A coming year can differ.
How much public land is in deer unit 3A2?
4% of unit 3A2, 43,893 of its 1,102,317 acres, is public land by the state and federal maps NDGF publishes; the largest share is national wildlife refuge at 40,181 acres. Another 8,152 acres are PLOTS, private land the owner has opened to walk-in hunting.
What towns are in deer unit 3A2?
Mohall, Carpio, Lansford, Westhope and Sherwood are inside the unit, with 6 smaller places.
When is deer season in unit 3A2 in 2026?
The deer gun season runs November 6 to 22, 2026 in unit 3A2, 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 3A1 Unit 3A3 Unit 3A4 Renville County Bottineau County Ward County