Hunt Zone 3D2, North Dakota

Slope County encompasses some of North Dakota's most rugged non-Badlands terrain. The northwestern portion features hundreds of small draws, sandstone buttes, and ridgelines with minimal road access — ATV or UTV travel is often required. Elevation ranges from approximately 1,750 to 2,750 feet. Spring Creek and the upper Knife River corridor run through the northern portion of the unit, their drainages carving deep draws and branching coulees that concentrate deer. Moving south and east, terrain softens into rolling mixed-grass prairie interspersed with cropland, livestock pasture, and timbered creek bottoms. Cottonwood is the dominant tree species along drainages, with a mix of deciduous species in heavier cover. Highway 49 bisects the unit north-to-south, providing access to secondary roads that reach most southern public parcels.

Public land access in unit 3D2 is limited — approximately 2.3% of the unit is publicly accessible. State Trust Lands and PLOTS (Private Land Open To Sportsmen) properties are scattered across the unit, with the heaviest concentration accessible via secondary roads in the southern and central portions. BLM land exists in the southwestern corner near Richardton — nearly 2,000 acres of quality deer habitat. The only NDGF Wildlife Management Area in Slope County is Speck Davis Pond (159 acres, located 9 miles west, 1 mile south, 6 miles west, 4 miles north of Amidon). PLOTS properties are walk-in access only, marked with yellow signs, and may be closed if livestock are present. The rough northwest corner holds the best mule deer habitat but has the fewest accessible public acres. Private land access — whether leased or by permission — significantly expands hunting opportunity in this unit.

Mixed-grass prairie dominates upland areas with blue grama, western wheatgrass, and native grasses. Timbered drainages feature cottonwood, green ash, and box elder with dense buckbrush understory providing whitetail cover. Cropland (wheat, sunflowers, corn) in the eastern portion provides an important food source. Sandstone buttes and rocky ridges in the northwest support sparse sagebrush and short-grass communities used heavily by mule deer. Livestock grazing is widespread and may affect PLOTS access.

Deer in 3D2 concentrate in creek bottoms and drainages during the gun season, with mule deer favoring the sandstone ridges, draws, and buttes of the northwest. Whitetails hold tight to timbered creek bottoms, brushy drainages, and cropland edges in the central and eastern portions of the unit. As the rut peaks in early November (coinciding with the gun opener), bucks become more mobile across all terrain types. CWD was first detected in unit 3D2 in 2025 (two mule deer tested positive), marking an expansion of the disease's range into this unit; hunters should consult current proclamation for carcass transport restrictions.

CWD first detected in unit 3D2 in 2025 (2 mule deer positives — previously CWD-free). 2026 deer gun season: Nov. 6–22. Archery season: Sept. 4–Jan. 3. Muzzleloader (whitetail only): Nov. 27–Dec. 13. Youth season: Sept. 18–27. The 2026 statewide license pool was reduced to 39,100 total licenses, the lowest in over 50 years. Nonresident any-antlered draw in 3D2 is highly competitive (52 applicants for 3 licenses in 2025; winners had 4–6 bonus points). Resident any-antlered draw saw ~73.6% success in 2025 (1,019 applicants, 700 licenses). No antlerless whitetail-specific licenses offered in 3D2 for 2026. Mule deer hunter success statewide was 82% in 2025 season; whitetail gun success was 53% antlered, 45% antlerless.