Dawson Wildlife Management Area: hunting, units and nearby land
Dawson Wildlife Management Area is 2,937 acres of land managed by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, in Kidder County. It lies in deer unit 2I. Within 5 miles of its boundary are 2,053 acres of PLOTS walk-in land and 5,737 acres of other public land.
Data updated October 2026. Boundary and acres: NDGF map layers, 2026. Lottery: NDGF 2026.
NDGF wildlife management areaWaterfowl production areaNational wildlife refuge (rules vary)State trust landPLOTS (private land open to hunting)Dawson WMACounty lineLake or riverHighway
| Size | 2,937 acres (NDGF) |
|---|---|
| County | Kidder |
| Deer units | Deer unit 2I |
| Deer licenses in unit 2I, 2026 | 1,200 (2,200 first-choice applicants) |
| PLOTS within 5 miles | 2,053 acres |
| Nearest towns | Dawson (6 mi), Tappen (7 mi) and Steele (9 mi) |
Which hunting units is Dawson WMA in?
Dawson WMA lies in deer unit 2I. Each unit's 2026 lottery, for the whole unit, not the WMA alone:
| Unit | WMA acres in it | Licenses, 2026 | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer unit 2I | 2,938 | 1,200 | 2,200 |
Lottery: NDGF deer lottery statistics. WMA acres in each unit measured by FilledTag from NDGF's boundaries.
What other hunting land is near Dawson WMA?
Within 5 miles of the WMA's boundary, the maps NDGF publishes show 2,053 acres of PLOTS (6 tracts centered in that ring) and 5,737 acres of other public land.
| Within 5 miles | Acres |
|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge (rules vary) | 2,998 |
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 2,053 |
| Waterfowl production area | 1,556 |
| State trust land | 1,183 |
Measured by FilledTag from NDGF PLOTS Guide map layers (WMAs, PLOTS, trust land, federal land); acres outside North Dakota are not counted.
How do you get to Dawson WMA?
Dawson WMA is about 6 miles south of Dawson, and 7 miles southwest of Tappen. Highways within 8 miles: ND 3 (28 miles of it) and I-94 (23 miles of it). NDGF's PLOTS Guide shows the WMA's parking areas and roads.
Questions hunters ask
How big is Dawson WMA?
NDGF lists Dawson WMA at 2,937 acres. FilledTag measured 2,938 acres from NDGF's boundary.
What county is Dawson WMA in?
All of it is in Kidder County.
Which hunting units is Dawson WMA in?
Deer unit 2I, by NDGF's unit maps. A license is good only in the unit printed on it.
What is the closest town to Dawson WMA?
Dawson (6 miles), Tappen (7 miles) and Steele (9 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Boundary and acres: NDGF wildlife management areas. Land around it: NDGF PLOTS Guide map layers (WMAs, PLOTS, trust land, federal land).
- Units: NDGF hunting unit maps. Lottery: NDGF deer lottery statistics.
FilledTag is not part of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Posted rules at the area and NDGF's regulations are the final word.