Big Game Hunting

Elk Season Information

Moose, Elk, and Bighorn Sheep Hunting Regulations

Applications available in early-to-mid March.  Application deadline: March 30.

Elk Season Dates:

• Bow (Units E1, E2) - September 2 - 25.
  • Restricted to bows only during this time period. Restricted to unit and type of elk as designated on license.
  • All license holders are allowed to hunt during all open E1 or E2 seasons with appropriate legal archery equipment or firearms. 
• Regular Season (Unit E1): October 7 - 31 and November 25 - December 11 - Restricted to antlerless elk only in the November 25 - December 11 portion.
  • Restricted to unit and type of elk as designated on license.
  • All license holders are allowed to hunt during all open E1 or E2 seasons with appropriate legal archery equipment or firearms.
• Regular Season (Unit E2): October 7 - December 31.
  • Restricted to unit and type of elk as designated on license.
  • All license holders are allowed to hunt during all open E1 or E2 seasons with appropriate legal archery equipment or firearms.
• Regular Season (Unit E5) - September 2 - December 31.
  • Open to all lottery license holders from all units.
  • Hunters may only take the type of elk on their license.
• Antlerless Elk Season (Units E1, E2) - August 12 - September 30.
  • Only private lands determined by the Director to be severely impacted by elk are to be open after other measures have been attempted and determined ineffective.  The Director may authorize individuals with valid antlerless elk licenses to participate in their respective unit. 
• Any Elk September Season (Units E3, E4) - September 2 - 30.
  • After Sept. 4, E3, E4 lottery license holders may hunt in either unit.
• Any Elk October Season (Units E3, E4) - October 7 - 31.
  • After Oct. 9, E3, E4 lottery license holders may hunt in either unit.
  • Landowner preference license holders may only hunt in their unit.
• Any Elk Extended Season (Units E3, E4) - November 4 - December 31.
  • For both September and October Season Any license holders in either unit. 

Elk General Restrictions:

• Orange clothing is required when hunting during seasons open to firearms.
• Landowner preference license holders may only hunt in their unit.

Elk Licenses by Unit:

• Unit E1 Regular Season -  70 licenses - (15) any elk (55) antlerless elk.
• Unit E2 Regular Season - 130 licenses - (40) any elk (90) antlerless elk.
• Unit E3 September Season - 100 licenses - any elk.
• Unit E3 October Season - 100 licenses - any elk.
• Unit E4 September Season - 50 licenses - any elk.
• Unit E4 October Season - 50 licenses - any elk.

Elk Unit Descriptions:

Unit E1 - Cavalier, Pembina, and Walsh counties, and those portions of Rolette and Towner counties north of ND Highway 66 and east of ND Highway 30.

Unit E2 - McKenzie and Dunn counties, excluding all of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Unit E3 - Billings, Golden Valley and Slope counties.  Except that portion of Unit E4 in Billings and Golden Valley counties and Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Unit E4 - An area in Billings and Golden Valley counties north of Interstate 94, excluding all of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  Composed of land in the following:

• Golden Valley County
  • T. 140N. R. 103W.  All N. of I-94.
  • T. 141N. R. 103W. Sec. 25-27 & 34-36.
    
    
• Billings County
  • T. 140N. R. 102W. All except T.R.N.P. and south of I-94.
  • T. 141N. R. 100W. Sec. 19, 30 & 31.  
  • T. 141N. R. 101W.   All except T.R.N.P.
  • T. 141N. R. 102W. All except T.R.N.P.
  • T. 142N. R. 101W. Sec. 25-36.
  • T. 142N. R. 102W. Sec. 19-36.

Unit E5--The remainder of the state not included in a numbered unit.

Resident licenses required:

• Fishing, Hunting and Furbearer Certificate, $1
• General Game and Habitat License, $13, or a Combination License, $32 (includes Small Game, General Game and Habitat, Furbearer, and Fishing licenses)
• Elk License, $20/$10 for youth under age 16.

Nonresidents

Nonresidents may participate in the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation/Game Warden Museum elk license raffle. Contact the nearest game warden for raffle tickets.

A nonresident successful in winning the raffle license must also purchase the following:

• Nonresident Fishing, Hunting and Furbearer Certificate, $2
• General Game and Habitat License, $13.

A Nonresident May Not Hunt G&F Lands October 8-14

Nonresidents may not hunt on lands owned or leased by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, including State Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and Private Lands Open To Sportsmen (PLOTS), for the first week of pheasant season (October 8-14). This restriction applies to all types of hunting, not just pheasants.  This restriction does not apply to lands owned or managed by other state agencies that may be open to hunting, such as state school lands, federal lands that may be open to hunting, such as US Fish and Wildlife Service Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs), or to private lands not enrolled in the G&F PLOTS program.

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