Overview
Known For
North Dakota is part of the Central Flyway and offers some of the best waterfowl hunting in the country. Millions of breeding ducks settle in North Dakota each season. Additionally, upland bird hunting, especially for pheasant, is unparalleled here. Add on all the major big game and North Dakota is off the charts for a hunting experience.
Terrain
North Dakota’s grasslands are central to its geographic identity. The state is home to the Prairie Pothole region, which is the core of what once was the largest grassland expanse in the world. Over 10,000 years ago, when glaciers receded, there were small prairie potholes left that filled with water and became wetlands.
North Dakota Hunting Seasons
| Season | Start Date | End Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Antelope – Archery
Units 1-A, 1-D, 2-A, 2-B, 3-A, 3-B, 4-A, 4-C, 5-A, 6-A, 7-A, 8-A, 10-A, 11-A, 13-A
|
Sep 2, 2022 | Sep 25, 2022 |
|
|
Antelope – Gun or Bow
Units 1-A, 1-D, 2-A, 2-B, 3-A, 3-B, 4-A, 4-C, 5-A, 6-A, 7-A, 8-A, 10-A, 11-A, 13-A
|
Oct 7, 2022 | Oct 23, 2022 |
|
|
Bobcat – Zone 1
Firearms, pre-charged pneumatic air guns, archery equipment (including crossbows), traps
|
Nov 5, 2022 | Mar 15, 2023 |
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Bobcat – Zone 2
Firearms, pre-charged pneumatic air guns, archery equipment (including crossbows), traps, cable devices (snares), pursuing with dogs
|
Nov 21, 2022 | Mar 15, 2023 |
|
|
Coyote – Day Hunting & Traps
All year, statewide. No limit.
|
Apr 1, 2022 | Mar 31, 2023 |
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Coyote – Cable devices
Statewide.
|
Nov 21, 2022 | Mar 15, 2023 |
|
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Coyote – Firearms Night Hunting
Statewide.
|
Nov 21, 2022 | Mar 15, 2023 |
|
|
Deer – Archery
Mule deer and whitetail deer statewide.
|
Sep 2, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
|
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Deer – Youth Any Deer
Ages 14 (by the end of the calendar year) and 15 – any deer (with exceptions)
|
Sep 16, 2022 | Sep 25, 2022 |
|
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Deer – Youth Antlered Deer
Ages 14 (by the end of the calendar year) and 15 – antlered mule deer (unit restrictions)
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Sep 16, 2022 | Sep 25, 2022 |
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Deer – Youth Antlerless
Ages 11 (by the end of the calendar year), 12 and 13 – statewide antlerless white-tailed deer only
|
Sep 16, 2022 | Sep 25, 2022 |
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Deer – Gun
Mule deer and whitetail deer all units.
|
Nov 4, 2022 | Nov 20, 2022 |
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Deer – Muzzleloader
Mule deer and whitetail deer statewide.
|
Nov 25, 2022 | Dec 11, 2022 |
|
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Dove
Statewide.
|
Sep 1, 2022 | Nov 29, 2022 |
|
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Duck – Youth Waterfowl
|
Sep 17, 2022 | Sep 18, 2022 |
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Duck – Low Plains Unit (Resident)
|
Sep 24, 2022 | Dec 4, 2022 |
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Duck – High Plains Unit (Resident)
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Sep 24, 2022 | Dec 4, 2022 |
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Duck – High Plains Unit (Nonresident)
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Dec 4, 2022 |
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Duck – Low Plains Unit (Nonresident)
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Dec 4, 2022 |
|
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Duck – High Plains Unit (2)
Resident and Nonresident
|
Dec 10, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
|
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Elk – E3 & E4 Regular
|
Sep 2, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
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Elk – Archery
Units E1E, E1W, E2, E6.
|
Sep 2, 2022 | Sep 25, 2022 |
|
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Elk – E5 Regular
|
Sep 2, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
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Elk – E1E & E2 Regular
|
Oct 7, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
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Elk – E6 Regular
|
Oct 7, 2022 | Nov 3, 2022 |
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Elk – E1W Regular
|
Oct 7, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
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Elk – E6 Regular (Late)
|
Nov 21, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
|
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Fox – Day hunting & Traps
All year statewide. No limit.
|
Apr 1, 2022 | Mar 31, 2023 |
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Fox – Night hunting
Statewide.
|
Nov 21, 2022 | Mar 15, 2023 |
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Fox – Cable devices
Statewide.
|
Nov 21, 2022 | Mar 15, 2023 |
|
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Goose – Canada Geese – August Management Take/Early September Season
Missouri River Zone
|
Aug 15, 2022 | Sep 7, 2022 |
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Goose – Canada Geese – August Management Take/Early September Season
Western Zone
|
Aug 15, 2022 | Sep 15, 2022 |
|
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Goose – Canada Geese – August Management Take/Early September Season
Eastern Zone
|
Aug 15, 2022 | Sep 22, 2022 |
|
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Goose – White-fronted (Resident)
White-fronted geese. Statewide.
|
Sep 24, 2022 | Dec 4, 2022 |
|
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Goose – Canada Geese – Eastern Zone (Resident)
|
Sep 24, 2022 | Dec 17, 2022 |
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Goose – Light Goose (Resident)
Statewide.
|
Sep 24, 2022 | Dec 30, 2022 |
|
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Goose – Canada Geese – Western Zone (Resident)
|
Sep 24, 2022 | Dec 22, 2022 |
|
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Goose – Canada Geese – Missouri River Zone (Resident)
|
Sep 24, 2022 | Dec 30, 2022 |
|
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Goose – White-fronted (Nonresident)
White-fronted geese. Statewide.
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Dec 4, 2022 |
|
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Goose – Canada Geese – Eastern Zone (Nonresident)
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Dec 17, 2022 |
|
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Goose – Canada Geese – Missouri River Zone (Nonresident)
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Dec 30, 2022 |
|
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Goose – Canada Geese – Western Zone (Nonresident)
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Dec 22, 2022 |
|
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Goose – Light Goose (Nonresident)
Statewide.
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Dec 31, 2022 |
|
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Goose – Spring Conservation Order
Light Goose. Statewide.
|
Feb 19, 2023 | May 15, 2023 |
|
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Ruffed Grouse
Hunting unit restricted, see regulations for details.
|
Sep 10, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
|
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Sharp-tailed Grouse
Statewide.
|
Sep 10, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
|
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Moose – Archery
Units M5, M6, M8, M9, M10, M11.
|
Sep 2, 2022 | Sep 25, 2022 |
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Moose – Regular
Units M5, M6, M8, M9, M10, M11.
|
Oct 7, 2022 | Oct 30, 2022 |
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Mountain Lion – Zone 1 (Early season)
|
Sep 2, 2022 | Nov 20, 2022 |
|
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Mountain Lion – Zone 2
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Sep 2, 2022 | Mar 31, 2023 |
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Mountain Lion – Zone 1 (Late season)
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Nov 21, 2022 | Mar 31, 2023 |
|
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Pheasant – Youth
Statewide.
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Oct 2, 2022 |
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Pheasant – Regular
Statewide. Roosters only.
|
Oct 8, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
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Rabbit
All year statewide.
|
Jan 1, 2022 | Dec 31, 2022 |
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Bighorn Sheep
Units B1, B3, B4. Lottery.
|
Oct 28, 2022 | Dec 31, 2022 |
|
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Turkey – Spring
All open units.
|
Apr 9, 2022 | May 15, 2022 |
|
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Turkey – Spring Youth
All open units.
|
Apr 9, 2022 | May 15, 2022 |
|
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Turkey – Fall
All open units. NOTE: Closing date is tentative according to ND Game and Fish, please see regulations for updated end dates: https://gf.nd.gov/hunting/season-dates.
|
Oct 8, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
|
|
Hungarian Partridge
Daily Bag limit 3, possession of 12.
|
Sep 10, 2022 | Jan 1, 2023 |
|
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Woodcock
Daily bag limit 3, possession of 9.
|
Sep 24, 2022 | Nov 7, 2022 |
North Dakota Licenses, Permits, and Regulations
North Dakota hunting licenses, permits, and regulations for resident and non-resident hunters can be purchased on the official website of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Click below to view the website.
Hunting GPS Maps
Every North Dakota hunter should have hunting GPS maps on hand. North Dakota hunting maps are available from onX Hunt. With a paid membership you can access Satellite, Topo, or Hybrid Basemaps, over which you can view maps of hunting units, along with State, Forest Service, and other public and private property boundaries. You can view trails and roads, and even download maps to the Hunt App for use offline. Click below to get onX Hunt for North Dakota.
Hunting Units
North Dakota’s hunting units vary from species to species. With its big game animals (elk, Bighorn sheep, antelope, moose, and both mule deer and whitetail deer) there are different hunting units and regulations for each species. Even some upland birds have specified hunting units. Click below to view North Dakota’s hunting units in more detail through an interactive map.
Hunting Layers
ND Private Lands
Over 380,000 parcels mapped by the onX team, this layer helps you know who the property owners are in North Dakota. Tap any parcel to learn more info about the owner and acreage.
ND Gov Lands
onX has the most accurate public lands maps with over 4,400,000 acres in North Dakota to help you plan your next adventure. Tap any public land parcel to learn more.
ND Possible Access
onX has mapped 16,000 acres of possible access lands in North Dakota including timber and land conservation groups. Research rules on these private lands before recreating.
ND GMUs
North Dakota Game Management Units. Please hunt responsibly, obey all signage and have a safe legal hunt.
Includes 17 Sublayers
- Bighorn Sheep Hunt Units
- Bobcat Hunt Units
- Deer Hunt Units
- Elk Hunt Units
- Fisher Hunt Units
- Goose Hunt Zones
- Moose Hunt Units
- Mountain Lion Hunt Units
- Non-Residential Waterfowl Hunt Units
- Pheasant Hunt Zone
- Pronghorn Hunt Units
- Ruffled Grouse Hunt Units
- Sage Grouse Hunt Units
- Sharp-tailed Grouse Hunt Units
- Sandhill Crane Hunt Units
- Turkey (Fall) Hunt Units
- Turkey (Spring) Hunt Units
ND PLOTS
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department Private Land Open to Sportsmen. All hunters are expected to know the rules of the program.
ND WMA POI
North Dakota Wildlife Management Areas Points of Interest from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Please note that this layer is not available for off-grid use.
Includes 3 Sublayers
- WMA Shooting Ranges
- WMA Gates
- WMA Parking
ND Species Range and Habitat
Includes 10 Sublayers
- Bighorn Sheep
- Elk
- Greater Prairie Chicken
- Moose
- Mountain Lion
- Mule Deer
- Pronghorn
- Sage Grouse
- Turkey
- Whitetail Deer
ND Electronically Posted Land
ND Electronically Posted Land, Land that has been posted by land owner as No Hunting. Land can still be posted with signs on the ground so double check when at the location.
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