The unit is part of North Dakota’s badlands region known for its rugged buttes and steep draws. Although the terrain in this unit as a whole is milder than the units north, there are plenty of forested creek bottoms and draws that hold herds of both species.

Good deer populations can be found here and hunters tend to do well during all seasons. Public access may be

Although most areas in this unit are easily accessible, there are plenty of spots that you cannot drive to. Rougher badlands stretch from the Little Missouri River valley across the unit to the east before they transition into wheatgrass fields and livestock pastures. The Medicine Pole Hills in the center of this unit include some impressive buttes, numerous creeks, and lush grass fields that sustain deer. Besides the wet creek bottoms, most of this unit is desolate buttes and fields of native grasses until you reach the eastern side. The creek bottoms support deciduous trees and junipers. Big Gumbo Creek forks off the Little Missouri and runs towards Montana, creating a lush creek bottom with lots of watering holes for whitetail. Check this area out if you get the chance to.

Camp Crook Road runs west of the Little Missouri River from Marmarth south to the South Dakota state line. This road will get you to any spot you’d like to hunt west of the river. Rhame Road runs south of Rhame to the South Dakota state line on the east side of the Little Missouri and is a good road for accessing most property east of the river. Highway 85 forms the eastern boundary of Unit 4F while Hiway 12 forms the northern boundary. Both these highways will get you to good access points to travel throughout the unit. There are a lot of trail roads and decent unmarked roads that wind through the badlands. The oil industry is active in parts of Unit 4F. Wherever there’s an active oilfield, the roads will be well maintained to accommodate the increased truck traffic. Highways 85 and 12 intersect at Bowman, creating the unit’s eastern and northern borders, while the Montana and South Dakota state lines create the western and southern borders of Unit 4F. North Dakota’s southwestern most hunting unit features a variety of terrain including river valleys, croplands and badlands and enough public access hunting property to sustain both mule deer and whitetail hunters. 4F provides a good combination of private, BLM, State Trust and PLOTS properties. The terrain transitions to wheatgrass fields and livestock pastures as you move to the eastern side of this unit. There are some decent State Trust Lands and PLOTS properties, but most of the public access exists as BLM ground between the Montana state line and Little Missouri River. This is good whitetail country, but it’s also an active oil field country. The roads will be in excellent condition thanks to the oil industry, but there will also be an increase in truck traffic traveling through the BLM ground. This can be an advantage as the deer don’t spook as easily when they get comfortable around the increased traffic. You’ll find some State Trust Lands and PLOTS areas with draws that hold both muley and whitetail throughout this unit. There’s generally some good PLOTS CRP fields in this area for walk-in hunters.

Desolate flats of mixed grass prairies between badland buttes, canyons, and creek beds. The Little Missouri River supports some smaller patches of deciduous trees, primarily aspen and oak. Creek bottoms throughout this unit are forested with aspen, oak and some ash, elm, birch and juniper. Some badland buttes feature cedars as well. Buckbrush thickets are common in the whitetail draws of Unit 4F. The southeast portion of the unit is agricultural property with wheatgrass fields and livestock pastures. With the exception of the Little Missouri River valley and the outlying draws, valleys and creek bottoms, there aren’t as many groves of trees as there are in the badlands units to the north.

Bowman, at the northeast corner of this unit, provides a number of motel accommodations as well as a variety of restaurants and a sporting goods store. Although Bowman isn’t centrally located, it is a great spot to stay as both major highways in the area come together here. You can take Highway 85 south, or Highway 12 west towards the Little Missouri River valley. Along Highway 12, Marmarth also has a small motel and restaurant, as well as a campground. If you’re pulling a camper trailer, Bowman is your best spot for an RV park.