Wakopa Wildlife Management Area: hunting, units and nearby land
Wakopa Wildlife Management Area is 7,173 acres of land managed by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department in 4 pieces, in Rolette County. It lies in deer unit 1 and elk unit E1W. Within 5 miles of its boundary are 930 acres of PLOTS walk-in land and 1,810 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)Wakopa WMACounty lineLake or riverHighway
| Size | 7,173 acres (NDGF), 4 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Rolette |
| Deer units | Deer unit 1 |
| Elk units | Elk unit E1W |
| Deer licenses in unit 1, 2026 | 400 (955 first-choice applicants) |
| PLOTS within 5 miles | 930 acres |
| Nearest towns | St. John (4 mi), Belcourt (8 mi) and East Dunseith (8 mi) |
Which hunting units is Wakopa WMA in?
Wakopa WMA lies in deer unit 1 and elk unit E1W. Each unit's 2026 lottery, for the whole unit, not the WMA alone:
| Unit | WMA acres in it | Licenses, 2026 | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer unit 1 | 7,165 | 400 | 955 |
| Elk unit E1W | 7,165 | 155 | 2,760 |
Lottery: NDGF deer lottery statistics; NDGF elk lottery statistics. WMA acres in each unit measured by FilledTag from NDGF's boundaries.
What other hunting land is near Wakopa WMA?
Within 5 miles of the WMA's boundary, the maps NDGF publishes show 930 acres of PLOTS (7 tracts centered in that ring) and 1,810 acres of other public land. Other wildlife management areas close by: School Section Lake WMA (255 acres in the ring).
| Within 5 miles | Acres |
|---|---|
| State trust land | 1,318 |
| PLOTS (private land open to hunting) | 930 |
| Waterfowl production area | 492 |
| NDGF wildlife management area | 255 |
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 Wakopa WMA?
Wakopa WMA is about 4 miles west of St. John, and 8 miles northwest of Belcourt. Highways within 8 miles: ND 30 (7 miles of it), ND 3 (7 miles of it), US 281 (7 miles of it) and ND 43 (3 miles of it). NDGF's PLOTS Guide shows the WMA's parking areas and roads.
Questions hunters ask
How big is Wakopa WMA?
NDGF lists Wakopa WMA at 7,173 acres, in 4 separate pieces. FilledTag measured 7,173 acres from NDGF's boundary.
What county is Wakopa WMA in?
All of it is in Rolette County.
Which hunting units is Wakopa WMA in?
Deer unit 1; elk unit E1W, by NDGF's unit maps. A license is good only in the unit printed on it.
What is the closest town to Wakopa WMA?
St. John (4 miles), Belcourt (8 miles) and East Dunseith (8 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.