In the far northeastern corner of the state, Unit E1E is an awesome unit. There are ample public-land opportunities with excellent elk habitat that make this unit a dream come true for the DIY hunter. The Pembina River enters the unit from Canada, and with it brings some excellent elk habitat. The elevation drops from about 1,500-ft. to about 1,000 ft. in the river bottom, and then quickly rises back up. This brings with it broken country and forest.

Lots of public access and great elk habitat, gives the public land hunter the upper hand. Friendly landowners can isn't a bad alternative either.

This unit is diverse. The Pembina River and its tributaries create steep canyon land that is heavily forested. There are also large swaths of fairly flat, forested country. And like almost everywhere else in the state, there is also a lot of agricultural land on private property. If you are planning to hunt the canyons around Pembina River, be sure to come at least somewhat in shape, as the land can be pretty rugged.

The agriculture in this region can consist of corn, soybeans, and sugar beets, all of which have ample calories and are excellent for elk. Along the rivers, you will find trees and shrubs, with the trees being largely deciduous. This type of vegetation makes for excellent elk habitat and would be a smart place to focus your attention.

Unlike many other areas in the state, you will have to put in work to get to some of the public land offerings. There is a hiking trail along the Pembina River, but there aren’t roads to access large portions of it. This often just means the hunters who are willing to work the hardest will be rewarded. Luckily for hunters, this terrain and habitat has plenty of public access. The Pembina Hills Wildlife Management Area has about 1,300 acres of prime habitat between two parcels. Following the river a little further to the south, you quickly run into the Wilber Allen Wildlife Management Area that also has about 1,300 acres of prime habitat. Going even further south, you run into even more parcels of the Pembina Hills Wildlife Management Area that combined provide well over 2,000 additional acres of phenomenal habitat. If you are looking for a DIY hunt on public property, these areas combine to provide one of the best opportunities in the state. A little further south, the Little South Pembina River meets the main vein of the Pembina River, and provides more canyon, wooded, deer-haven habitat. The best way to access this area as a public-land hunter is via the Charles V. Pulver Wildlife Management Area. This area contains just over 1,600 acres that is sure to house elk. If hunting steep country isn’t your forte, don’t worry, unit E1E offers great opportunities for you as well. Sitting in the heart of the unit, Jay V. Wessels Wildlife Management Area provides nearly 3,100 acres of public access and excellent elk hunting. It is heavily forested, and the hunter that puts in the time to understand where they live will have an excellent chance of taking a bull on this property. And while the other forested areas in this unit are accompanied by fairly steep country, this area is relatively flat and easy to navigate.

This unit is not very populated, but if you are looking to stay in a hotel/motel and have some creature comforts in your basecamp, you may want to check out the town of Cavalier. There are several small places to stay that are simple and clean. If primitive camping is more your speed, this is a great unit for that. Most of the wildlife management areas allow primitive camping, but be sure to check each one’s specific regulations, just to be safe.