North Dakota Turkey Unit 45

Unit 45 covers Stark County in western North Dakota and features a mix of rolling hills, expansive grasslands, and rugged badlands, with the terrain primarily dominated by semi-arid prairie. The county is intersected by the Heart River, which creates riparian corridors with trees and shrubs, offering key habitat for wild turkeys, particularly for nesting and roosting. While much of the county is open prairie, the river valleys and sheltered draws provide the necessary cover and food sources for turkeys, such as seeds, berries, and insects. The varied topography, with its combination of open grasslands, wooded areas, and creek beds, supports a growing turkey population in the region, particularly along the river corridors. Wild turkeys in Stark County favor areas with a mix of open foraging space and wooded cover, which are provided by the diverse terrain. Although the turkey population is still relatively small, the combination of grasslands and riparian zones makes Stark County an ideal environment for their expansion.