North Dakota Elk — Unit E4
Unit E4
North Dakota Unit E4 covers 71,223 acres and lies 20 miles north-west of Belfield and 38 miles west of Dickinson. 65% of it is public land, mostly national forest (54%) and state trust land (11%). In 2025, 22 people hunted elk here and took 19 — 86% of them killed something. The 2026 draw put up 10 resident tags here for 1,147 first-choice applicants.
Your chance of drawing here
Every elk license type on offer in Unit E4, with the prior-draw chance for a first-choice resident applicant. Type your points in to see your own number.
Chances are from the 2026 draw (the most recent) for a first-choice resident. "Points needed" = the cut in the last draw.
Simple view Odds at every point level-
<1% Long shot
| Hunt | Your odds | Points needed | Tags / applicants | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E4-ANY ↗ Unit E4 any elk | <1% Long shot | — | 10 / 1,147 | Sep 4 – Jan 3, 2027 |
What these columns mean
- Your odds —
- the share of applicants at your point level who drew this tag in the 2026 draw. Not a forecast: quotas and demand move every year.
- The badge —
- plain language for that number. Likely draw 75% or better · Real chance 40%+ · Long shot 15%+ · Point builder below that, so you are applying mainly to bank a point · Undersubscribed means fewer first-choice applicants than tags, so everyone who applied drew.
- Points needed —
- the lowest point total that still got a tag in the 2026 draw, and how that cut has moved since the earliest draw we hold.
- Tags / applicants —
- tags on offer and first-choice applicants for them, as the agency published them. Under five tags we print counts instead of a percentage, because one applicant either way swings it.
What it costs to apply (2026 resident fees)
| License | Up front | Gone if you miss | If you draw |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per application | $27 | $7 | $62 |
Application window: closes Mar 25, 2027 (expected). Full fee breakdown.
The country
Boundaries are drawn for orientation only — the written boundary description in the regulations governs.
How the hunting has gone
What North Dakota Game and Fish Department publishes for this area after each season — harvest statistics for everyone who hunted it, not draw odds and not a forecast.
| Season | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | 19 | 86% |
| 2024 | 24 | 20 | 83% |
| 2023 | 21 | 18 | 86% |
| 2021 | 22 | 15 | 68% |
| 2019 | 22 | 14 | 64% |
| 2018 | 22 | 17 | 77% |
| 2017 | 23 | 14 | 61% |
| 2016 | 21 | 16 | 71% |
| 2015 | 23 | 18 | 78% |
| 2014 | 23 | 16 | 70% |
What the agency says about the area
An area in Billings and Golden Valley counties north of Interstate 94 (excluding all of Theodore Roosevelt National Park), composed of the following land: Golden Valley County T. 140 N. R. 103 W. All N. of I-94; T. 141 N. R. 103 W. Sec. 25-27 & 34-36. Billings County T. 141 N. R. 100 W. Sec. 19, 30 & 31; T. 141 N. R. 101 W. All except T.R.N.P.; T. 142 N. R. 101 W. Sec. 25-36; T. 140 N. R. 102 W. All except T.R.N.P. and south of I-94; T. 141 N. R. 102 W. All except T.R.N.P.; T. 142 N. R. 102 W. Sec. 19-36.
Boundary: North Dakota elk hunting units (NDGF General Information map service, layer 34)
Harvest: 2025 Big 3 Harvest Statistics (news release, 2026-03-05)
Harvest: North Dakota OUTDOORS, Buffaloberry Patch, May 2025
Harvest: North Dakota OUTDOORS, Buffaloberry Patch, May 2024