Johnson's Gulch Wildlife Management Area: hunting, units and nearby land
Johnson's Gulch Wildlife Management Area is 1,393 acres of land managed by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, in Dickey County. It lies in deer unit 2H. Within 5 miles of its boundary are 427 acres of PLOTS walk-in land and 4,060 acres of other public land.
Data updated October 2026. Boundary and acres: NDGF map layers, 2026. Lottery: NDGF 2026.
NDGF wildlife management areaWaterfowl production areaState trust landPLOTS (private land open to hunting)Johnson's Gulch WMACounty lineLake or riverHighway
| Size | 1,393 acres (NDGF) |
|---|---|
| County | Dickey |
| Deer units | Deer unit 2H |
| Deer licenses in unit 2H, 2026 | 1,100 (1,474 first-choice applicants) |
| PLOTS within 5 miles | 427 acres |
| Nearest towns | Forbes (4 mi), Ellendale (16 mi) and Monango (18 mi) |
Which hunting units is Johnson's Gulch WMA in?
Johnson's Gulch WMA lies in deer unit 2H. Each unit's 2026 lottery, for the whole unit, not the WMA alone:
| Unit | WMA acres in it | Licenses, 2026 | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer unit 2H | 1,393 | 1,100 | 1,474 |
Lottery: NDGF deer lottery statistics. WMA acres in each unit measured by FilledTag from NDGF's boundaries.
What other hunting land is near Johnson's Gulch WMA?
Within 5 miles of the WMA's boundary, the maps NDGF publishes show 427 acres of PLOTS (2 tracts centered in that ring) and 4,060 acres of other public land.
| Within 5 miles | Acres |
|---|---|
| Waterfowl production area | 2,536 |
| State trust land | 1,524 |
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 427 |
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 Johnson's Gulch WMA?
Johnson's Gulch WMA is about 4 miles northwest of Forbes, and 16 miles west of Ellendale. Highways within 8 miles: ND 11 (19 miles of it) and ND 56 (6 miles of it). NDGF's PLOTS Guide shows the WMA's parking areas and roads.
Questions hunters ask
How big is Johnson's Gulch WMA?
NDGF lists Johnson's Gulch WMA at 1,393 acres. FilledTag measured 1,393 acres from NDGF's boundary.
What county is Johnson's Gulch WMA in?
All of it is in Dickey County.
Which hunting units is Johnson's Gulch WMA in?
Deer unit 2H, by NDGF's unit maps. A license is good only in the unit printed on it.
What is the closest town to Johnson's Gulch WMA?
Forbes (4 miles), Ellendale (16 miles) and Monango (18 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.