Van Hook Wildlife Management Area: hunting, units and nearby land
Van Hook Wildlife Management Area is 4,868 acres of land managed by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department in 3 pieces, in Mountrail and McLean counties. It lies in deer units 3A3 and 3B2. Within 5 miles of its boundary are 711 acres of PLOTS walk-in land and 53,326 acres of other public land.
Data updated October 2026. Boundary and acres: NDGF map layers, 2026. Lottery: NDGF 2026.
NDGF wildlife management areaBLMCorps of EngineersState trust landState park (rules vary)PLOTS (private land open to hunting)Van Hook WMACounty lineLake or riverHighway
| Size | 4,868 acres (NDGF), 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Mountrail, McLean |
| Deer units | Deer unit 3A3, Deer unit 3B2 |
| Deer licenses in unit 3A3, 2026 | 2,500 (3,269 first-choice applicants) |
| PLOTS within 5 miles | 711 acres |
| Nearest towns | New Town (2 mi), Parshall (6 mi) and Four Bears Village (7 mi) |
Which hunting units is Van Hook WMA in?
Van Hook WMA lies in deer units 3A3 and 3B2. Each unit's 2026 lottery, for the whole unit, not the WMA alone:
| Unit | WMA acres in it | Licenses, 2026 | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer unit 3A3 | 3,681 | 2,500 | 3,269 |
| Deer unit 3B2 | 1,187 | 750 | 789 |
Lottery: NDGF deer lottery statistics. WMA acres in each unit measured by FilledTag from NDGF's boundaries.
What other hunting land is near Van Hook WMA?
Within 5 miles of the WMA's boundary, the maps NDGF publishes show 711 acres of PLOTS (2 tracts centered in that ring) and 53,326 acres of other public land.
| Within 5 miles | Acres |
|---|---|
| Corps of Engineers | 52,032 |
| State trust land | 1,254 |
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 711 |
| State park (rules vary) | 224 |
| BLM | 40 |
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 Van Hook WMA?
Van Hook WMA is about 2 miles southeast of New Town, and 6 miles west of Parshall. Highways within 8 miles: ND 1804 (34 miles of it), ND 23 (25 miles of it), ND 37 (13 miles of it) and ND 8 (8 miles of it). NDGF's PLOTS Guide shows the WMA's parking areas and roads.
Questions hunters ask
How big is Van Hook WMA?
NDGF lists Van Hook WMA at 4,868 acres, in 3 separate pieces. FilledTag measured 4,868 acres from NDGF's boundary.
What county is Van Hook WMA in?
Mountrail County (4,740 acres) and McLean County (128 acres).
Which hunting units is Van Hook WMA in?
Deer units 3A3 and 3B2, by NDGF's unit maps. A license is good only in the unit printed on it.
What is the closest town to Van Hook WMA?
New Town (2 miles), Parshall (6 miles) and Four Bears Village (7 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.
North Dakota hunting Mountrail County McLean County Deer unit 3A3 Deer unit 3B2