Unit 1

Most of this unit is divided into dry farms and pastures, and there are many center-irrigated circular crop fields, too. Common crops include milo, safflower, wheat, barley, alfalfa, soybeans and corn. Rangelands have sagebrush, yucca, wild grasses, wild plum brush, junipers and many species of forbs. There are groves of post oak, blackjack oak and poplars in places. Cottonwoods, birches and lots of brush grow along rivers and creeks with cattails, willows, tamarisk and bulrushes in marshy bottoms and around some ponds.

Most hunting here takes place on private lands that are serviced by county roads. Public land is limited, but the game department has arranged for many walk-in hunting areas, which allow public hunting at no additional fee on private tracts. Most walk-in areas are between 160 and 320 acres, but some exceed 1,000 acres, and many border one another. These properties are listed in the yearly Hunting Atlas, which gives details on public hunting areas as well. Some ranchers are willing to allow deer hunting for a daily or trophy fee. Controlled shooting areas (private fee hunting sites licensed by the state) are in seven of the counties that have land in Unit 1, listed here. Public hunting areas include the 458-acre Sheridan Wildlife Area, the 1,000-acre South Fork Wildlife Area, the 480-acre St. Francis Wildlife Area and the Norton Wildlife Area near Keith Sebelius Reservoir. The Norton WA covers more than 6,500 land acres and about 1,000 water acres and has a few roads open to hunters.

Camping is not allowed in walk-in hunting areas. If you lease property and want to camp, get written permission from the landowner. Whistle Stop RV and Antiques provides hookups near Walmart in Colby (phone: 785-460-6000). Thomas County Fairgrounds in Colby also provides parking for RVs but no showers or restrooms (phone: 785-443-2844). Another private campground is High Plains Camping near the intersection of Interstate 70 and Highway 83. Terrace Gardens RV Park in Oberlin (phone: 785-475-2308) provides RV and tent sites. Sometimes free camping is available at Roadside Park in St. Francis. Rental cabins, RV sites and tent campsites are at Prairie Dog State Park in Norton. There are motels are in several towns, including Dusty Farmer Motel in St. Francis (phone: 785-332-8924), Sleep Inn & Suites in Norton and Landmark Inn in Oberlin.