Deer unit 3B1, North Dakota: licenses, lottery and hunting land
North Dakota deer unit 3B1 covers 2,181 square miles in NDGF's Missouri River region, across McKenzie, Williams and Mountrail counties. In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 850 licenses available in unit 3B1 (450 any antlered deer and 400 any antlerless deer). 2,203 residents named it as their first choice, and 367 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 534. 16% of the unit is public land, mostly Corps of Engineers, and 13,500 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 grasslandBLMCorps of EngineersBureau of ReclamationState trust landState park (rules vary)National park (no hunting)PLOTS (private land open to hunting)Unit 3B1Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| NDGF region | Missouri River |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,395,566 acres (2,181 square miles) |
| Counties | McKenzie, Williams, Mountrail |
| Licenses, 2026 lottery | 850: 450 any antlered deer and 400 any antlerless deer |
| First-choice resident applicants, 2026 | 2,203 |
| Public land | 16% (223,688 acres) |
| PLOTS walk-in land | 13,500 acres; 43 tracts centered in the unit |
| Wildlife management areas | 12 (24,516 acres) |
| CWD (NDGF map) | Detected; first found 2019 |
| Deer gun season, 2026 | November 6 to 22, 2026 |
| Towns in and near it | New Town, Ray, Epping, Alexander and Ross |
How many deer licenses does unit 3B1 get?
In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 850 licenses available in unit 3B1 (450 any antlered deer and 400 any antlerless deer). 2,203 residents named it as their first choice, and 367 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 534. NDGF made 950 licenses available here in 2018 and 850 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 | 450 | 199 | 241 | 2,074 | 241 | 12% |
| 2026 | Any Antlerless Deer | 400 | 107 | 293 | 129 | 126 | 98% |
| 2025 | Antlered Mule Deer | 200 | 130 | 64 | 1,360 | 64 | 5% |
| 2025 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 100 | 65 | 32 | 669 | 32 | 5% |
| 2025 | Any Antlerless Deer | 300 | 105 | 194 | 142 | 137 | 96% |
| 2024 | Antlered Mule Deer | 200 | 109 | 87 | 1,378 | 87 | 6% |
| 2024 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 200 | 109 | 87 | 783 | 87 | 11% |
| 2024 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 100 | 39 | 58 | 105 | 58 | 55% |
| 2024 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 200 | 78 | 120 | 22 | 22 | 100% |
| 2023 | Antlered Mule Deer | 200 | 98 | 97 | 1,348 | 97 | 7% |
| 2023 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 200 | 98 | 97 | 712 | 97 | 14% |
| 2023 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 100 | 35 | 64 | 87 | 64 | 74% |
| 2023 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 200 | 71 | 128 | 30 | 29 | 97% |
| 2022 | Antlered Mule Deer | 600 | 148 | 452 | 1,432 | 451 | 31% |
| 2022 | Antlered White-tailed Deer | 300 | 74 | 224 | 687 | 222 | 32% |
| 2022 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 500 | 75 | 426 | 85 | 84 | 99% |
| 2022 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | 300 | 45 | 255 | 36 | 36 | 100% |
| 2021 | Antlered Mule Deer | 600 | 115 | 489 | 1,150 | 488 | 42% |
| 2021 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 600 | 115 | 488 | 1,099 | 487 | 44% |
| 2021 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 400 | 50 | 352 | 55 | 54 | 98% |
| 2021 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 600 | 74 | 424 | 38 | 37 | 97% |
| 2020 | Antlered Mule Deer | 600 | 123 | 480 | 1,123 | 480 | 43% |
| 2020 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 500 | 103 | 399 | 1,088 | 399 | 37% |
| 2020 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 400 | 54 | 348 | 43 | 41 | 95% |
| 2020 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 500 | 67 | 348 | 47 | 46 | 98% |
| 2019 | Antlered Mule Deer | 600 | 118 | 486 | 963 | 486 | 50% |
| 2019 | Antlered White-tailed Deer | 500 | 98 | 405 | 1,038 | 403 | 39% |
| 2019 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 400 | 52 | 351 | 34 | 30 | 88% |
| 2019 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | 500 | 65 | 439 | 42 | 42 | 100% |
| 2018 | Antlered Mule Deer | 400 | 131 | 265 | 821 | 271 | 33% |
| 2018 | Antlered Whitetail | 250 | 82 | 166 | 966 | 169 | 17% |
| 2018 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 100 | 38 | 61 | 27 | 25 | 93% |
| 2018 | Antlerless Whitetail | 200 | 76 | 122 | 58 | 55 | 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 3B1 in 2026?
Any Antlered Deer: 241 of 2,074 resident first-choice applicants drew; 2 of the 416 with no bonus points did. Any Antlerless Deer: 126 of 129 resident first-choice applicants drew; 95 of the 96 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 | 2 / 416 | 95 / 96 |
| 1 | 13 / 441 | 15 / 16 |
| 2 | 19 / 373 | 5 / 6 |
| 3 | 25 / 447 | 8 / 8 |
| 4 | 111 / 272 | 1 / 1 |
| 5 | 59 / 109 | 2 / 2 |
| 6 | 8 / 11 | none applied |
| 7 | 1 / 1 | none applied |
| 8 | 3 / 4 | 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 3B1?
16% of unit 3B1 is public land: 223,688 of its 1,395,566 acres. The largest share is Corps of Engineers, 109,264 acres. PLOTS adds 13,500 acres of private land open to walk-in hunting; 43 PLOTS tracts are centered inside the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit 3B1 |
|---|---|---|
| Corps of Engineers | 109,264 | 7.8% |
| State trust land | 44,728 | 3.2% |
| National grassland | 43,117 | 3.1% |
| NDGF wildlife management area | 24,516 | 1.8% |
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 13,500 | 1% |
| BLM | 1,489 | 0.1% |
| Waterfowl production area | 548 | under 0.1% |
| National park (no hunting) | 374 | under 0.1% |
| State park (rules vary) | 190 | under 0.1% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 26 | under 0.1% |
Wildlife management areas in unit 3B1: Lewis and Clark WMA (12,152 acres here), Trenton WMA (6,636 acres here), Hofflund WMA (1,500 acres here), Big Oxbow WMA (972 acres here), Och's Point WMA (971 acres here), Antelope Creek WMA (890 acres here), Neu's Point WMA (510 acres here), Tobacco Garden WMA (341 acres here), Sullivan WMA (265 acres here), Dry Fork WMA (161 acres here), Kerr Slough WMA (89 acres here) and Overlook WMA (29 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 3B1 cover?
Unit 3B1 takes in parts of 3 counties. Each county's page lists its PLOTS land and WMAs.
| County | Acres in unit 3B1 | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| McKenzie County | 614,086 | 44% |
| Williams County | 511,093 | 36.6% |
| Mountrail County | 270,374 | 19.4% |
Has chronic wasting disease been found in unit 3B1?
Yes. NDGF's CWD prevalence map lists unit 3B1: mule deer: first detected 2021, 1 positive of 148 sampled in the last four years (0.7%) and whitetail deer: first detected 2019, 0 positive of 49 sampled in the last four years (0%).
Source: NDGF CWD prevalence by deer unit.
When is deer season in unit 3B1 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 3B1?
Highways through the unit: US 2 (about 109 miles inside it), ND 1804 (about 101 miles inside it), ND 1806 (about 34 miles inside it), US 85 (about 31 miles inside it) and ND 23 (about 24 miles inside it). Towns inside: New Town, Ray, Epping, Springbrook, Arnegard, Trenton and 2 more. Just outside: Alexander (on the line), Ross (on the line), Watford City (on the line) and Stanley (on the line).
Which units border deer unit 3B1?
Unit 3B1 touches 5 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 3B2 | 750 | 789 | 25.5% | 2,032 |
| Unit 4A | 350 | 1,543 | 20.7% | 2,955 |
| Unit 4B | 550 | 3,588 | 39.4% | 32,662 |
Questions hunters ask
How many bonus points does it take to draw deer unit 3B1?
241 of 2,074 resident first-choice applicants drew; 2 of the 416 with no bonus points did. Those are NDGF's 2026 figures for any antlered deer licenses in unit 3B1; the full table by point level is above. A coming year can differ.
How much public land is in deer unit 3B1?
16% of unit 3B1, 223,688 of its 1,395,566 acres, is public land by the state and federal maps NDGF publishes; the largest share is Corps of Engineers at 109,264 acres. Another 13,500 acres are PLOTS, private land the owner has opened to walk-in hunting.
What towns are in deer unit 3B1?
New Town, Ray, Epping, Springbrook and Arnegard are inside the unit, with 3 smaller places.
When is deer season in unit 3B1 in 2026?
The deer gun season runs November 6 to 22, 2026 in unit 3B1, 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.
Get a North Dakota hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for North Dakota are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, North Dakota included.
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 3B2 Unit 4A Unit 4B McKenzie County Williams County Mountrail County