Quick Tips
- Do some on-the-ground scouting before your trip. The public access areas are all very close and allow you to see a lot of areas quickly to decide where you want to spend your time
- All of the public access exists in the southwest corner of the unit. If you want to hunt public land, don't waste your time elsewhere
- There are a ton of lakes and ponds in the area that offer good fishing and waterfowl hunting if you get your deer early
- Sheyenne National Grasslands does provide the opportunity to get off the beaten path. Make sure you have a good pair of boots
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Whitetail Deer | 110"-150" | 160"+ |
On The Ground
While the huge majority of Unit 2A is private, public land hunters should not overlook it. The majority of the public land makes for excellent deer habitat. The Sheyenne National Grassland provides approximately 70,000 acres of excellent public access and is surrounded by many smaller public access areas like the Hartleben Waterfowl Product Area or the Prochnow Waterfowl Production Area.
While the public land here is limited, it is easy to access, and thus very easy to scout. Hunters will find the most success by surveying and glassing all of these areas prior to the season to figure out which one is holding the deer they want.
Terrain
This unit is in the southeast corner of the state and is made up of mostly flat farmland. There is virtually no public access east of Interstate 29, and while there are certainly whitetails in this area, it will take access to private land to put anything on the ground. The northwest section is also entirely private. The southwest corner that contains most of the public access is made up of small ponds, lakes and sloughs that make excellent waterfowl and whitetail habitat. It also contains the Sheyenne National Grasslands, which are largely made up of gentle rolling hills that are easy to traverse.
Roughly 1,138 square miles
1.5% public land
Elevations range from 1,000 – 1,100 ft
Vegetation
The Sheyenne National Grasslands are prairie land comprised of grass and wildflowers. However, they also have groves of bur oak. This combination of vegetation makes them an excellent home for whitetail deer. There are also several other types of trees encompassing the banks of the Sheyenne River, such as basswood, American elm, and green ash.
Access
There are plenty of public roads getting you close to the Trust Lands and other public hunting grounds. There are some unpaved roads in this unit, but there are a lot of good gravel roads. Interstate 29 runs right through the heart of this unit and makes it easy to access from top to bottom. While some of the areas that have accessible land are made up of waterfowl production areas, there is some state trust land. It is all in relatively close proximity. Keep in mind that State Trust Land is generally open to public access. However, operators leasing the land may lose access if livestock are present.
Camping and Lodging
The Sheyenne National Grasslands has an established campground on the north end. There are also RV parks in the area, such as Jorgens Hallow Campground -if you are planning to hunt the public land in Unit 2A and you want to camp, these are your best options. If you would like to stay in a nearby establishment, Hankinson, North Dakota has a few options, including the Hankinson Inn.
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