Deer unit 4B, North Dakota: licenses, lottery and hunting land
North Dakota deer unit 4B covers 1,604 square miles in NDGF's Badlands region, across McKenzie, Golden Valley and Billings counties. In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 550 licenses available in unit 4B (300 antlered mule deer, 100 antlered whitetail deer, 100 antlerless mule deer and 50 antlerless whitetail deer). 3,588 residents named it as their first choice, and 390 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 422. 39.4% of the unit is public land, mostly national grassland, and 32,662 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 areaNational grasslandBLMState trust landState park (rules vary)National park (no hunting)PLOTS (private land open to hunting)Unit 4BNeighboring unitsLake or riverHighway
| NDGF region | Badlands |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,026,520 acres (1,604 square miles) |
| Counties | McKenzie, Golden Valley, Billings |
| Licenses, 2026 lottery | 550: 300 antlered mule deer, 100 antlered whitetail deer, 100 antlerless mule deer and 50 antlerless whitetail deer |
| First-choice resident applicants, 2026 | 3,588 |
| Public land | 39.4% (403,959 acres) |
| PLOTS walk-in land | 32,662 acres; 57 tracts centered in the unit |
| Wildlife management areas | 2 (366 acres) |
| CWD (NDGF map) | Detected; first found 2019 |
| Deer gun season, 2026 | November 6 to 22, 2026 |
| Towns in and near it | Alexander, East Fairview, Arnegard and Watford City |
How many deer licenses does unit 4B get?
In the 2026 deer gun lottery NDGF made 550 licenses available in unit 4B (300 antlered mule deer, 100 antlered whitetail deer, 100 antlerless mule deer and 50 antlerless whitetail deer). 3,588 residents named it as their first choice, and 390 of them drew; counting second choices, the resident drawing issued 422. NDGF made 1,050 licenses available here in 2018 and 550 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 Mule Deer | 300 | 58 | 238 | 3,307 | 238 | 7% |
| 2026 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 100 | 20 | 79 | 180 | 79 | 44% |
| 2026 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 100 | 28 | 69 | 95 | 67 | 71% |
| 2026 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 50 | 14 | 36 | 6 | 6 | 100% |
| 2025 | Antlered Mule Deer | 300 | 61 | 234 | 3,296 | 234 | 7% |
| 2025 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 100 | 20 | 77 | 134 | 77 | 57% |
| 2025 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 100 | 44 | 53 | 118 | 53 | 45% |
| 2024 | Antlered Mule Deer | 300 | 49 | 247 | 3,235 | 247 | 8% |
| 2024 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 200 | 33 | 164 | 194 | 164 | 85% |
| 2024 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 100 | 22 | 76 | 94 | 76 | 81% |
| 2024 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 100 | 22 | 76 | 11 | 11 | 100% |
| 2023 | Antlered Mule Deer | 300 | 53 | 242 | 3,168 | 240 | 8% |
| 2023 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 200 | 35 | 162 | 174 | 162 | 93% |
| 2023 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 100 | 16 | 83 | 101 | 83 | 82% |
| 2023 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 200 | 32 | 165 | 7 | 6 | 86% |
| 2022 | Antlered Mule Deer | 550 | 65 | 481 | 3,193 | 479 | 15% |
| 2022 | Antlered White-tailed Deer | 200 | 24 | 173 | 140 | 139 | 99% |
| 2022 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 400 | 32 | 365 | 87 | 83 | 95% |
| 2022 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | 200 | 16 | 179 | 13 | 13 | 100% |
| 2021 | Antlered Mule Deer | 550 | 66 | 483 | 3,107 | 481 | 15% |
| 2021 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 250 | 30 | 221 | 249 | 220 | 88% |
| 2021 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 400 | 30 | 369 | 66 | 60 | 91% |
| 2021 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 300 | 22 | 200 | 9 | 9 | 100% |
| 2020 | Antlered Mule Deer | 550 | 63 | 485 | 3,084 | 483 | 16% |
| 2020 | Antlered Whitetail Deer | 250 | 29 | 219 | 294 | 219 | 74% |
| 2020 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 350 | 27 | 322 | 71 | 65 | 92% |
| 2020 | Antlerless Whitetail Deer | 300 | 23 | 145 | 16 | 16 | 100% |
| 2019 | Antlered Mule Deer | 500 | 59 | 439 | 2,942 | 440 | 15% |
| 2019 | Antlered White-tailed Deer | 200 | 24 | 175 | 298 | 175 | 59% |
| 2019 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 250 | 20 | 229 | 48 | 42 | 88% |
| 2019 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | 300 | 24 | 275 | 18 | 16 | 89% |
| 2018 | Antlered Mule Deer | 450 | 61 | 385 | 2,814 | 387 | 14% |
| 2018 | Antlered Whitetail | 200 | 27 | 171 | 289 | 171 | 59% |
| 2018 | Antlerless Mule Deer | 200 | 24 | 174 | 50 | 47 | 94% |
| 2018 | Antlerless Whitetail | 200 | 24 | 174 | 18 | 18 | 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 4B in 2026?
Antlered Mule Deer: 238 of 3,307 resident first-choice applicants drew; 1 of the 457 with no bonus points did. Antlered Whitetail Deer: 79 of 180 resident first-choice applicants drew; 30 of the 104 with no bonus points did. Antlerless Mule Deer: 67 of 95 resident first-choice applicants drew; 30 of the 52 with no bonus points did. Antlerless Whitetail Deer: All 6 resident first-choice applicants drew, at every point level.
| Bonus points | Antlered Mule Deer: drew / applied | Antlered Whitetail Deer: drew / applied | Antlerless Mule Deer: drew / applied | Antlerless Whitetail Deer: drew / applied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 / 457 | 30 / 104 | 30 / 52 | 5 / 5 |
| 1 | 5 / 551 | 34 / 54 | 32 / 34 | 1 / 1 |
| 2 | 1 / 458 | 9 / 12 | 4 / 5 | none applied |
| 3 | 3 / 518 | 1 / 3 | 1 / 2 | none applied |
| 4 | 35 / 517 | 3 / 3 | none applied | none applied |
| 5 | 59 / 412 | 2 / 3 | 0 / 1 | none applied |
| 6 | 65 / 248 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | none applied |
| 7 | 46 / 99 | none applied | none applied | none applied |
| 8 | 20 / 38 | none applied | none applied | none applied |
| 9 | 3 / 7 | none applied | none applied | none applied |
| 10 | 0 / 2 | none applied | none applied | 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 4B?
39.4% of unit 4B is public land: 403,959 of its 1,026,520 acres. The largest share is national grassland, 357,084 acres. PLOTS adds 32,662 acres of private land open to walk-in hunting; 57 PLOTS tracts are centered inside the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit 4B |
|---|---|---|
| National grassland | 357,084 | 34.8% |
| State trust land | 44,072 | 4.3% |
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 32,662 | 3.2% |
| National park (no hunting) | 27,005 | 2.6% |
| BLM | 2,436 | 0.2% |
| NDGF wildlife management area | 367 | under 0.1% |
| State park (rules vary) | 240 | under 0.1% |
Wildlife management areas in unit 4B: Tweden WMA (239 acres here) and Camels Hump Lake WMA (127 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 4B cover?
Unit 4B takes in parts of 3 counties. Each county's page lists its PLOTS land and WMAs.
| County | Acres in unit 4B | Share of the unit |
|---|---|---|
| McKenzie County | 642,933 | 62.6% |
| Golden Valley County | 309,643 | 30.2% |
| Billings County | 73,897 | 7.2% |
Has chronic wasting disease been found in unit 4B?
Yes. NDGF's CWD prevalence map lists unit 4B: mule deer: first detected 2019, 2 positive of 189 sampled in the last four years (1.1%).
Source: NDGF CWD prevalence by deer unit.
When is deer season in unit 4B 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 4B?
Highways through the unit: ND 16 (about 59 miles inside it), ND 200 (about 35 miles inside it), ND 68 (about 28 miles inside it), US 85 (about 24 miles inside it) and I-94 (about 5 miles inside it). Towns inside: Alexander and East Fairview. Just outside: Arnegard (on the line), Watford City (on the line), Beach (on the line) and Sentinel Butte (2 miles).
Which units border deer unit 4B?
Unit 4B touches 4 other deer units. Their 2026 licenses and land, for comparison:
| Unit | Licenses, 2026 | First-choice applicants | Public land | PLOTS acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 3B1 | 850 | 2,203 | 16% | 13,500 |
| Unit 4A | 350 | 1,543 | 20.7% | 2,955 |
| Unit 4C | 400 | 3,004 | 53% | 7,861 |
| Unit 4D | 500 | 2,888 | 34.5% | 39,756 |
Questions hunters ask
How many bonus points does it take to draw deer unit 4B?
238 of 3,307 resident first-choice applicants drew; 1 of the 457 with no bonus points did. Those are NDGF's 2026 figures for antlered mule deer licenses in unit 4B; the full table by point level is above. A coming year can differ.
How much public land is in deer unit 4B?
39.4% of unit 4B, 403,959 of its 1,026,520 acres, is public land by the state and federal maps NDGF publishes; the largest share is national grassland at 357,084 acres. Another 32,662 acres are PLOTS, private land the owner has opened to walk-in hunting.
What towns are in deer unit 4B?
Alexander and East Fairview are inside the unit.
When is deer season in unit 4B in 2026?
The deer gun season runs November 6 to 22, 2026 in unit 4B, 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 3B1 Unit 4A Unit 4C Unit 4D McKenzie County Golden Valley County Billings County