Deer unit 3D1, North Dakota: licenses, lottery and hunting land
North Dakota deer unit 3D1 covers 1,316 square miles in NDGF's Slope region, across Dunn, Stark, Billings and McKenzie counties. In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 900 licenses available in unit 3D1 (500 any antlered deer and 400 any antlerless deer). 921 residents named it as their first choice, and 449 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 699. 2.3% of the unit is public land, mostly state trust land, and 8,228 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.
National wildlife refuge (rules vary)National grasslandState trust landPLOTS (private land open to hunting)Unit 3D1Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| NDGF region | Slope |
|---|---|
| Size | 842,309 acres (1,316 square miles) |
| Counties | Dunn, Stark, Billings, McKenzie |
| Licenses, 2026 lottery | 900: 500 any antlered deer and 400 any antlerless deer |
| First-choice resident applicants, 2026 | 921 |
| Public land | 2.3% (19,089 acres) |
| PLOTS walk-in land | 8,228 acres; 26 tracts centered in the unit |
| CWD (NDGF map) | Detected; first found 2021 |
| Deer gun season, 2026 | November 6 to 22, 2026 |
| Towns in and near it | Richardton, Taylor, Manning, Dunn Center and Dickinson |
How many deer licenses does unit 3D1 get?
In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 900 licenses available in unit 3D1 (500 any antlered deer and 400 any antlerless deer). 921 residents named it as their first choice, and 449 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 699. NDGF made 1,100 licenses available here in 2018 and 900 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 | 500 | 124 | 370 | 842 | 370 | 44% |
| 2026 | Any Antlerless Deer | 400 | 66 | 329 | 79 | 79 | 100% |
| 2025 | Any Antlered Deer | 500 | 121 | 372 | 796 | 372 | 47% |
| 2025 | Any Antlerless Deer | 400 | 65 | 331 | 63 | 63 | 100% |
| 2024 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 100 | 26 | 72 | 107 | 72 | 67% |
| 2024 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 100 | 14 | 36 | 6 | 6 | 100% |
| 2024 | Any Antlered Deer | 400 | 102 | 290 | 744 | 289 | 39% |
| 2024 | Any Antlerless Deer | 400 | 55 | 342 | 67 | 66 | 99% |
| 2023 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 100 | 25 | 71 | 98 | 70 | 71% |
| 2023 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 100 | 14 | 85 | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| 2023 | Any Antlered Deer | 400 | 101 | 290 | 692 | 289 | 42% |
| 2023 | Any Antlerless Deer | 400 | 55 | 342 | 68 | 67 | 99% |
| 2022 | Antlered White-tailed Deer | 100 | 28 | 72 | 124 | 72 | 58% |
| 2022 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | 100 | 15 | 76 | 4 | 4 | 100% |
| 2022 | Any Antlered Deer | 400 | 111 | 290 | 677 | 290 | 43% |
| 2022 | Any Antlerless Deer | 400 | 60 | 342 | 82 | 79 | 96% |
| 2021 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 200 | 45 | 155 | 134 | 133 | 99% |
| 2021 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 200 | 24 | 47 | 8 | 8 | 100% |
| 2021 | Any Antlered Deer | 400 | 90 | 310 | 681 | 310 | 46% |
| 2021 | Any Antlerless Deer | 400 | 48 | 349 | 70 | 70 | 100% |
| 2020 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 300 | 63 | 237 | 196 | 195 | 99% |
| 2020 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 300 | 34 | 47 | 9 | 9 | 100% |
| 2020 | Any Antlered Deer | 400 | 84 | 316 | 746 | 316 | 42% |
| 2020 | Any Antlerless Deer | 400 | 45 | 328 | 67 | 66 | 99% |
| 2019 | Antlered White-tailed Deer | 300 | 60 | 240 | 183 | 182 | 99% |
| 2019 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | 300 | 32 | 74 | 8 | 8 | 100% |
| 2019 | Any Antlered Deer | 400 | 80 | 321 | 675 | 319 | 47% |
| 2019 | Any Antlerless Deer | 400 | 43 | 328 | 59 | 59 | 100% |
| 2018 | Antlered Whitetail | 250 | 62 | 186 | 169 | 166 | 98% |
| 2018 | Antlerless Whitetail | 200 | 27 | 171 | 12 | 12 | 100% |
| 2018 | Any Antlered Deer | 300 | 74 | 223 | 620 | 226 | 36% |
| 2018 | Any Antlerless Deer | 350 | 47 | 300 | 54 | 54 | 100% |
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 3D1 in 2026?
Any Antlered Deer: 370 of 842 resident first-choice applicants drew; 102 of the 418 with no bonus points did; everyone with 5 points or more drew. Any Antlerless Deer: All 79 resident first-choice applicants drew, at every point level.
| Bonus points | Any Antlered Deer: drew / applied | Any Antlerless Deer: drew / applied |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 102 / 418 | 75 / 75 |
| 1 | 152 / 274 | 3 / 3 |
| 2 | 68 / 94 | none applied |
| 3 | 26 / 32 | 1 / 1 |
| 4 | 17 / 19 | none applied |
| 5 | 3 / 3 | none applied |
| 7 | 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 3D1?
2.3% of unit 3D1 is public land: 19,089 of its 842,309 acres. The largest share is state trust land, 13,083 acres. PLOTS adds 8,228 acres of private land open to walk-in hunting; 26 PLOTS tracts are centered inside the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit 3D1 |
|---|---|---|
| State trust land | 13,083 | 1.6% |
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 8,228 | 1% |
| National wildlife refuge (rules vary) | 3,732 | 0.4% |
| National grassland | 2,274 | 0.3% |
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 3D1 cover?
Unit 3D1 takes in parts of 4 counties. Each county's page lists its PLOTS land and WMAs.
| County | Acres in unit 3D1 | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| Dunn County | 529,110 | 62.8% |
| Stark County | 183,488 | 21.8% |
| Billings County | 126,973 | 15.1% |
| McKenzie County | 2,738 | 0.3% |
Has chronic wasting disease been found in unit 3D1?
Yes. NDGF's CWD prevalence map lists unit 3D1: mule deer: first detected 2021, 0 positive of 49 sampled in the last four years (0%).
Source: NDGF CWD prevalence by deer unit.
When is deer season in unit 3D1 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 3D1?
Highways through the unit: ND 200 (about 37 miles inside it), ND 22 (about 32 miles inside it), US 85 (about 17 miles inside it) and ND 8 (about 7 miles inside it). Towns inside: Richardton, Taylor and Manning. Just outside: Dunn Center (on the line), Dickinson (on the line), Halliday (on the line) and Belfield (on the line).
Which units border deer unit 3D1?
Unit 3D1 touches 5 other deer units. Their 2026 licenses and land, for comparison:
| Unit | Licenses, 2026 | First-choice applicants | Public land | PLOTS acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 3B2 | 750 | 789 | 25.5% | 2,032 |
| Unit 3D2 | 1,500 | 1,297 | 2.3% | 9,486 |
| Unit 3E1 | 1,450 | 1,704 | 2.7% | 44,150 |
| Unit 4A | 350 | 1,543 | 20.7% | 2,955 |
| Unit 4C | 400 | 3,004 | 53% | 7,861 |
Questions hunters ask
How many bonus points does it take to draw deer unit 3D1?
370 of 842 resident first-choice applicants drew; 102 of the 418 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 3D1; the full table by point level is above. A coming year can differ.
How much public land is in deer unit 3D1?
2.3% of unit 3D1, 19,089 of its 842,309 acres, is public land by the state and federal maps NDGF publishes; the largest share is state trust land at 13,083 acres. Another 8,228 acres are PLOTS, private land the owner has opened to walk-in hunting.
What towns are in deer unit 3D1?
Richardton, Taylor and Manning are inside the unit.
When is deer season in unit 3D1 in 2026?
The deer gun season runs November 6 to 22, 2026 in unit 3D1, 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 3B2 Unit 3D2 Unit 3E1 Unit 4A Unit 4C Dunn County Stark County Billings County