Deer unit 3A4, North Dakota: licenses, lottery and hunting land
North Dakota deer unit 3A4 covers 2,675 square miles in NDGF's Northern Coteau region, across McHenry, Bottineau, Ward and Pierce counties and others. In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 2,000 licenses available in unit 3A4 (1,300 any antlered deer and 700 any antlerless deer). 3,075 residents named it as their first choice, and 1,449 of them drew. 5.2% of the unit is public land, mostly national wildlife refuge, and 10,804 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)National grasslandBLMState trust landState forestPLOTS (private land open to hunting)Unit 3A4Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| NDGF region | Northern Coteau |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,712,096 acres (2,675 square miles) |
| Counties | McHenry, Bottineau, Ward, Pierce, Renville |
| Licenses, 2026 lottery | 2,000: 1,300 any antlered deer and 700 any antlerless deer |
| First-choice resident applicants, 2026 | 3,075 |
| Public land | 5.2% (88,898 acres) |
| PLOTS walk-in land | 10,804 acres; 51 tracts centered in the unit |
| Wildlife management areas | 4 (1,617 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 | Minot, Surrey, Velva, Bergen and Westhope |
How many deer licenses does unit 3A4 get?
In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 2,000 licenses available in unit 3A4 (1,300 any antlered deer and 700 any antlerless deer). 3,075 residents named it as their first choice, and 1,449 of them drew. NDGF made 1,800 licenses available here in 2018 and 2,000 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 | 1,300 | 339 | 942 | 2,541 | 942 | 37% |
| 2026 | Any Antlerless Deer | 700 | 183 | 507 | 534 | 507 | 95% |
| 2025 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,300 | 326 | 950 | 2,409 | 950 | 39% |
| 2025 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 175 | 719 | 495 | 481 | 97% |
| 2024 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,300 | 321 | 959 | 2,561 | 959 | 37% |
| 2024 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 173 | 724 | 521 | 503 | 97% |
| 2023 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,300 | 314 | 966 | 2,439 | 965 | 40% |
| 2023 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 169 | 726 | 519 | 496 | 96% |
| 2022 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,300 | 363 | 961 | 2,489 | 960 | 39% |
| 2022 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 195 | 725 | 518 | 499 | 96% |
| 2021 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,300 | 382 | 936 | 2,500 | 935 | 37% |
| 2021 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 205 | 710 | 548 | 526 | 96% |
| 2020 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 372 | 738 | 2,643 | 736 | 28% |
| 2020 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 201 | 713 | 571 | 539 | 94% |
| 2019 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,100 | 368 | 741 | 2,536 | 738 | 29% |
| 2019 | Any Antlerless Deer | 900 | 198 | 715 | 529 | 496 | 94% |
| 2018 | Any Antlered Deer | 1,000 | 365 | 625 | 2,516 | 644 | 26% |
| 2018 | Any Antlerless Deer | 800 | 197 | 595 | 553 | 515 | 93% |
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 3A4 in 2026?
Any Antlered Deer: 942 of 2,541 resident first-choice applicants drew; 217 of the 1,158 with no bonus points did; everyone with 6 points or more drew. Any Antlerless Deer: 507 of 534 resident first-choice applicants drew; 438 of the 457 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 | 217 / 1,158 | 438 / 457 |
| 1 | 348 / 814 | 50 / 55 |
| 2 | 234 / 380 | 13 / 16 |
| 3 | 100 / 142 | 5 / 5 |
| 4 | 35 / 38 | 1 / 1 |
| 5 | 4 / 5 | none applied |
| 6 | 2 / 2 | 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 3A4?
5.2% of unit 3A4 is public land: 88,898 of its 1,712,096 acres. The largest share is national wildlife refuge, 59,320 acres. PLOTS adds 10,804 acres of private land open to walk-in hunting; 51 PLOTS tracts are centered inside the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit 3A4 |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge (rules vary) | 59,320 | 3.5% |
| State trust land | 17,946 | 1% |
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 10,804 | 0.6% |
| Waterfowl production area | 8,508 | 0.5% |
| NDGF wildlife management area | 1,617 | 0.1% |
| National grassland | 761 | under 0.1% |
| State forest | 506 | under 0.1% |
| BLM | 240 | under 0.1% |
Wildlife management areas in unit 3A4: Horseshoe Lake WMA (644 acres here), Sand Hill WMA (621 acres here), Heffner Lake WMA (272 acres here) and Upham WMA (80 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 3A4 cover?
Unit 3A4 takes in parts of 5 counties. Each county's page lists its PLOTS land and WMAs.
| County | Acres in unit 3A4 | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| McHenry County | 828,293 | 48.4% |
| Bottineau County | 589,504 | 34.4% |
| Ward County | 173,141 | 10.1% |
| Pierce County | 78,822 | 4.6% |
| Renville County | 42,318 | 2.5% |
Has chronic wasting disease been found in unit 3A4?
NDGF's CWD prevalence map does not list unit 3A4. Carcass transport rules still apply statewide.
Source: NDGF CWD prevalence by deer unit.
When is deer season in unit 3A4 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 3A4?
Highways through the unit: US 2 (about 89 miles inside it), ND 14 (about 50 miles inside it), US 83 (about 43 miles inside it), US 52 (about 35 miles inside it) and ND 5 (about 30 miles inside it). Towns inside: Minot, Surrey, Velva, Towner, Karlsruhe, Balfour and 15 more. Just outside: Bergen (on the line), Westhope (on the line), Bottineau (on the line) and Rugby (on the line).
Which units border deer unit 3A4?
Unit 3A4 touches 5 other deer units. Their 2026 licenses and land, for comparison:
| Unit | Licenses, 2026 | First-choice applicants | Public land | PLOTS acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | 400 | 955 | 8.5% | 3,230 |
| Unit 2E | 500 | 1,417 | 2.5% | 45,869 |
| Unit 2K1 | 1,500 | 1,969 | 7.2% | 50,431 |
| Unit 2K2 | 1,400 | 2,793 | 4% | 64,114 |
| Unit 3A2 | 2,400 | 1,887 | 4% | 8,152 |
Questions hunters ask
How many bonus points does it take to draw deer unit 3A4?
942 of 2,541 resident first-choice applicants drew; 217 of the 1,158 with no bonus points did; everyone with 6 points or more drew. Those are NDGF's 2026 figures for any antlered deer licenses in unit 3A4; the full table by point level is above. A coming year can differ.
How much public land is in deer unit 3A4?
5.2% of unit 3A4, 88,898 of its 1,712,096 acres, is public land by the state and federal maps NDGF publishes; the largest share is national wildlife refuge at 59,320 acres. Another 10,804 acres are PLOTS, private land the owner has opened to walk-in hunting.
What towns are in deer unit 3A4?
Minot, Surrey, Velva, Towner and Karlsruhe are inside the unit, with 16 smaller places.
When is deer season in unit 3A4 in 2026?
The deer gun season runs November 6 to 22, 2026 in unit 3A4, 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 1 Unit 2E Unit 2K1 Unit 2K2 Unit 3A2 McHenry County Bottineau County Ward County