White-tailed deer are abundant and occupy nearly all of the Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA) distributed across the three-county Wetland Management District (WMD). The nesting cover provided as seeded DNC and native undisturbed grasslands for waterfowl and upland nesting birds also provides excellent habitat for white-tailed deer. Habitat enhancement through edge effect is provided by surrounding private lands managed for annual production of crops and livestock and by occasional habitat management treatments including prescribed burning, grazing, and haying.

The Missouri River breaks characteristic of the west edge of the WMD in Burleigh and Emmons Counties provides habitat for small herds of mule deer. Occasionally, pronghorn are observed in the western most reaches of the WMD along the breaks and mixed grass prairie areas adjacent to the Missouri River.

Coyote and red fox are locally abundant across the WMD with inverse population relationships. Mange appears to be a temporary widespread issue reducing populations of the canids in localized areas across the WMD.

Porcupine are commonly observed despite a general lack of woodland habitat in this prairie environment. Raccoon, skunk, mink, weasel, badger, and beaver are also abundant.