NDGF Electronic Posting
By Doug Leier
Farmers, ranchers and all landowners should be aware of a key deadline: July 1, 2026. This date serves as the cutoff for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s electronic posting system.
Electronic posting allows landowners to designate land as “posted” via a digital database. For these digital designations to be legal and visible on official department maps for the 2026 season, they must be registered through the department’s self-service portal by the July deadline.
New this year, landowners have the option to electronically post their land from Aug. 1-July 31 (entire season); Aug. 1-Nov. 22 (through deer gun season); or only during deer gun season (Nov. 6-22).
Landowners who have a profile on the Game and Fish Department’s mobile application have the option to communicate with hunters using their cellphone app. A link will be available for hunters to send a request to the individual posting the land.
The traditional physical signs remain a legal method for posting land, the electronic system offers a modernized alternative designed to reduce maintenance and increase transparency. Physical signs are often subject to weathering, fading, or being displaced by wind. The digital system, hosted on the North Dakota Game and Fish website, provides a centralized record that is accessible to the landowner.
By logging into the self-service portal, landowners can select specific parcels as posted or not. This efficiency benefits the landowner while providing hunters with a reliable clearinghouse of information regarding land status across the state.
The mid-summer deadline is necessary to ensure data is accessible by mid-August when early Canada goose season opens. It takes several weeks to process thousands of statewide entries and verify the accuracy of map layers before the earliest fall seasons begin.
If a landowner misses the July 1, 2026, deadline, their property cannot be added to the electronic system for the current year. While these individuals may still post their land using physical signs, they will not have the advantage of being searchable on the official Game and Fish Department mobile maps or the ArcGIS Explorer app.
Don’t just think of this service as prohibiting access. The open choice can generate hunter interest to reduce Canada goose or other species such as turkey or deer that may cause winter depredation issues.
Once the July 1 cutoff passes, the digital map is essentially locked for the season. This allows hunters to conduct late summer scouting with the confidence that the data they are viewing online or via mobile apps is the most current and reliable information available. Keep in mind physical sings can be placed anytime by the landowner or leasee.
Beyond administrative ease, the electronic system serves as a communication tool. A significant benefit of the digital platform is the option for landowners to include a contact phone number with their posting.
This feature facilitates direct communication, allowing hunters to request permission via call or text rather than searching for farmsteads in person. This streamlined process encourages the “ask,” which remains the cornerstone of North Dakota hunting ethics.
Landowners are encouraged to log in to the Game and Fish portal well before the deadline to verify their parcels and update any contact information. Simultaneously, hunters should familiarize themselves with the Department’s digital tools, including the mobile app and various map layers.
https://gf.nd.gov/hunting/posting-land#electronic
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