Deer unit 3E2, North Dakota: licenses, lottery and hunting land
North Dakota deer unit 3E2 covers 1,312 square miles in NDGF's Slope region, across Morton and Grant counties. In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 1,650 licenses available in unit 3E2 (150 antlered whitetail deer, 100 antlerless whitetail deer, 700 any antlered deer and 700 any antlerless deer). 1,653 residents named it as their first choice, and 849 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 1,331. 2.5% of the unit is public land, mostly state trust land, and 14,010 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 areaBLMBureau of ReclamationState trust landPLOTS (private land open to hunting)Unit 3E2Neighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| NDGF region | Slope |
|---|---|
| Size | 839,858 acres (1,312 square miles) |
| Counties | Morton, Grant |
| Licenses, 2026 lottery | 1,650: 150 antlered whitetail deer, 100 antlerless whitetail deer, 700 any antlered deer and 700 any antlerless deer |
| First-choice resident applicants, 2026 | 1,653 |
| Public land | 2.5% (20,658 acres) |
| PLOTS walk-in land | 14,010 acres; 53 tracts centered in the unit |
| Wildlife management areas | 4 (1,180 acres) |
| CWD (NDGF map) | Detected; first found 2022 |
| Deer gun season, 2026 | November 6 to 22, 2026 |
| Towns in and near it | Mandan, Carson, Almont, Glen Ullin and Elgin |
How many deer licenses does unit 3E2 get?
In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 1,650 licenses available in unit 3E2 (150 antlered whitetail deer, 100 antlerless whitetail deer, 700 any antlered deer and 700 any antlerless deer). 1,653 residents named it as their first choice, and 849 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 1,331. NDGF made 2,100 licenses available here in 2018 and 1,650 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 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 150 | 35 | 113 | 137 | 113 | 82% |
| 2026 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 100 | 14 | 85 | 10 | 10 | 100% |
| 2026 | Any Antlered Deer | 700 | 160 | 531 | 1,306 | 531 | 41% |
| 2026 | Any Antlerless Deer | 700 | 91 | 602 | 200 | 195 | 98% |
| 2025 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 150 | 33 | 115 | 128 | 115 | 90% |
| 2025 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 100 | 12 | 49 | 9 | 9 | 100% |
| 2025 | Any Antlered Deer | 700 | 153 | 537 | 1,185 | 537 | 45% |
| 2025 | Any Antlerless Deer | 700 | 87 | 608 | 180 | 175 | 97% |
| 2024 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 150 | 33 | 114 | 149 | 113 | 76% |
| 2024 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 150 | 18 | 51 | 14 | 14 | 100% |
| 2024 | Any Antlered Deer | 700 | 154 | 537 | 1,161 | 537 | 46% |
| 2024 | Any Antlerless Deer | 700 | 83 | 612 | 214 | 208 | 97% |
| 2023 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 150 | 33 | 115 | 155 | 115 | 74% |
| 2023 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 150 | 18 | 131 | 14 | 14 | 100% |
| 2023 | Any Antlered Deer | 700 | 155 | 535 | 1,062 | 535 | 50% |
| 2023 | Any Antlerless Deer | 700 | 84 | 610 | 218 | 212 | 97% |
| 2022 | Antlered White-tailed Deer | 200 | 46 | 152 | 166 | 151 | 91% |
| 2022 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | 200 | 25 | 118 | 12 | 12 | 100% |
| 2022 | Any Antlered Deer | 700 | 161 | 536 | 1,082 | 536 | 50% |
| 2022 | Any Antlerless Deer | 700 | 87 | 611 | 216 | 211 | 98% |
| 2021 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 500 | 91 | 408 | 362 | 362 | 100% |
| 2021 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 300 | 37 | 83 | 19 | 19 | 100% |
| 2021 | Any Antlered Deer | 750 | 137 | 613 | 1,108 | 613 | 55% |
| 2021 | Any Antlerless Deer | 700 | 86 | 594 | 221 | 219 | 99% |
| 2020 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 500 | 91 | 408 | 368 | 364 | 99% |
| 2020 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 300 | 35 | 85 | 21 | 21 | 100% |
| 2020 | Any Antlered Deer | 700 | 127 | 572 | 1,104 | 572 | 52% |
| 2020 | Any Antlerless Deer | 700 | 82 | 577 | 236 | 234 | 99% |
| 2019 | Antlered White-tailed Deer | 450 | 89 | 360 | 369 | 360 | 98% |
| 2019 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | 300 | 38 | 163 | 22 | 22 | 100% |
| 2019 | Any Antlered Deer | 700 | 138 | 560 | 1,033 | 560 | 54% |
| 2019 | Any Antlerless Deer | 650 | 83 | 566 | 188 | 182 | 97% |
| 2018 | Antlered Whitetail | 450 | 91 | 355 | 368 | 357 | 97% |
| 2018 | Antlerless Whitetail | 300 | 39 | 258 | 23 | 23 | 100% |
| 2018 | Any Antlered Deer | 700 | 141 | 552 | 1,035 | 558 | 54% |
| 2018 | Any Antlerless Deer | 650 | 85 | 559 | 210 | 207 | 99% |
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 3E2 in 2026?
Antlered Whitetail Deer: 113 of 137 resident first-choice applicants drew; 88 of the 112 with no bonus points did; everyone with 1 point or more drew. Antlerless Whitetail Deer: All 10 resident first-choice applicants drew, at every point level. Any Antlered Deer: 531 of 1,306 resident first-choice applicants drew; 147 of the 662 with no bonus points did; everyone with 4 points or more drew. Any Antlerless Deer: 195 of 200 resident first-choice applicants drew; 159 of the 162 with no bonus points did; everyone with 3 points or more drew.
| Bonus points | Antlered Whitetail Deer: drew / applied | Antlerless Whitetail Deer: drew / applied | Any Antlered Deer: drew / applied | Any Antlerless Deer: drew / applied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 88 / 112 | 10 / 10 | 147 / 662 | 159 / 162 |
| 1 | 21 / 21 | none applied | 224 / 434 | 22 / 23 |
| 2 | 3 / 3 | none applied | 115 / 158 | 8 / 9 |
| 3 | none applied | none applied | 39 / 46 | 3 / 3 |
| 4 | 1 / 1 | none applied | 4 / 4 | 2 / 2 |
| 5 | none applied | none applied | none applied | 1 / 1 |
| 6 | none applied | none applied | 1 / 1 | none applied |
| 8 | none applied | none applied | 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 3E2?
2.5% of unit 3E2 is public land: 20,658 of its 839,858 acres. The largest share is state trust land, 18,950 acres. PLOTS adds 14,010 acres of private land open to walk-in hunting; 53 PLOTS tracts are centered inside the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit 3E2 |
|---|---|---|
| State trust land | 18,950 | 2.3% |
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 14,010 | 1.7% |
| NDGF wildlife management area | 1,180 | 0.1% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 409 | under 0.1% |
| BLM | 119 | under 0.1% |
Wildlife management areas in unit 3E2: Lake Patricia WMA (641 acres here), Otter Creek WMA (318 acres here), Fish Creek Dam WMA (186 acres here) and Sweet Briar Lake WMA (35 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 3E2 cover?
Unit 3E2 takes in parts of 2 counties. Each county's page lists its PLOTS land and WMAs.
| County | Acres in unit 3E2 | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| Morton County | 571,574 | 68.1% |
| Grant County | 268,284 | 31.9% |
Has chronic wasting disease been found in unit 3E2?
Yes. NDGF's CWD prevalence map lists unit 3E2: mule deer: first detected 2022, 5 positive of 119 sampled in the last four years (4.2%) and whitetail deer: first detected 2022, 1 positive of 84 sampled in the last four years (1.2%).
Source: NDGF CWD prevalence by deer unit.
When is deer season in unit 3E2 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 3E2?
Highways through the unit: I-94 (about 39 miles inside it) and ND 49 (about 33 miles inside it). Towns inside: Mandan, Carson, Almont and New Salem. Just outside: Glen Ullin (on the line), Elgin (on the line), Flasher (on the line) and Leith (2 miles).
Which units border deer unit 3E2?
Unit 3E2 touches 5 other deer units. Their 2026 licenses and land, for comparison:
| Unit | Licenses, 2026 | First-choice applicants | Public land | PLOTS acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 3B3 | 600 | 1,188 | 4.4% | 2,259 |
| Unit 3C | 800 | 1,431 | 8.5% | 17,444 |
| Unit 3D2 | 1,500 | 1,297 | 2.3% | 9,486 |
| Unit 3E1 | 1,450 | 1,704 | 2.7% | 44,150 |
| Unit 3F2 | 2,800 | 1,641 | 4.9% | 59,129 |
Questions hunters ask
How many bonus points does it take to draw deer unit 3E2?
531 of 1,306 resident first-choice applicants drew; 147 of the 662 with no bonus points did; everyone with 4 points or more drew. Those are NDGF's 2026 figures for any antlered deer licenses in unit 3E2; the full table by point level is above. A coming year can differ.
How much public land is in deer unit 3E2?
2.5% of unit 3E2, 20,658 of its 839,858 acres, is public land by the state and federal maps NDGF publishes; the largest share is state trust land at 18,950 acres. Another 14,010 acres are PLOTS, private land the owner has opened to walk-in hunting.
What towns are in deer unit 3E2?
Mandan, Carson, Almont and New Salem are inside the unit.
When is deer season in unit 3E2 in 2026?
The deer gun season runs November 6 to 22, 2026 in unit 3E2, 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 3B3 Unit 3C Unit 3D2 Unit 3E1 Unit 3F2 Morton County Grant County