Hunt Zone 4F, North Dakota

Zone 4F occupies the extreme southwestern corner of North Dakota, bounded by Highway 85 and Highway 12 at Bowman to the north and east, and the Montana and South Dakota state lines to the west and south. The unit is 637 square miles (elevations 2,700–3,350 ft) and sits within the broader Little Missouri Badlands region. The western portion features rugged buttes, steep coulees, and deeply cut draws along the Little Missouri River valley — classic badlands topography, though generally less severe than the more northern 4A–4C units. Moving east toward Bowman, the terrain moderates into open mixed-grass prairie, wheatgrass fields, and livestock pastures. The Medicine Pole Hills in the center of the unit include impressive buttes, numerous creek drainages, and lush grass fields. Big Gumbo Creek forks off the Little Missouri River and runs west toward Montana, creating a fertile creek bottom with abundant watering holes. Tree cover is sparse compared to northern badlands units, limited primarily to cottonwood and juniper in creek bottoms and draws.

Zone 4F has approximately 13% public land. The primary public access is BLM ground concentrated between the Montana state line and the Little Missouri River — this is the core mule deer habitat. The Bowman-Slope Unit of the Little Missouri National Grassland (part of the 1,033,271-acre Dakota Prairie Grasslands system administered by the U.S. Forest Service) provides additional public hunting in the southwestern portion of the unit. State Trust Lands exist throughout but access can be restricted for active grazing leases. The NDGF PLOTS (Private Land Open To Sportsmen) program enrolls CRP fields and other private parcels for walk-in access only — these are marked with yellow signs and are strictly foot-traffic only unless the landowner grants additional permission. Highway 12 is the primary access corridor; hunters use Camp Crook Road and Rhame Road to reach the southern hunting areas near Marmarth. No National Wildlife Refuges are present within 4F boundaries.

Dominant plant communities include mixed-grass prairie (blue grama, western wheatgrass, needlegrass), sagebrush flats, and native rangeland. Badlands draws and creek corridors support cottonwood, green ash, and Rocky Mountain juniper. The eastern portion transitions to heavily grazed pasture and some dryland crop fields. Big Gumbo Creek bottom and Medicine Pole Hills creek drainages provide the most productive whitetail habitat. CRP grasslands enrolled in PLOTS provide additional cover and food source areas. Sagebrush and silver sagebrush cover is significant in the western badlands portion and is key mule deer browse.

Mule deer in Zone 4F concentrate along the Little Missouri River corridor, with the primary mule deer range extending roughly 15 miles south of Marmarth along the river and about 10 miles east of the river. These deer use badland buttes and draws for bedding and travel between water sources. Whitetail are more broadly distributed, favoring creek bottoms — particularly Big Gumbo Creek and its tributaries — and areas with brushy cover near agricultural fields in the eastern part of the unit. During the rut (peak mid-November), bucks from both species become more mobile and are encountered in open terrain. The zone sees some deer movement in and out of adjacent South Dakota and Montana; the lack of hard barriers along state lines allows free movement.

Zone 4F is part of the '4x' western ND badlands zone complex and carries special mule deer management provisions — mule deer doe licenses are issued exclusively through lottery in all 4A–4F units (state law). Nonresident hunters can apply for Type C (antlered whitetail), Type D (antlerless whitetail), Type E (antlered mule deer), and Type F (antlerless mule deer) gun licenses. The 2026 gun season runs November 6–22 (16.5-day season). Archery season runs September 4 (noon) through January 3. Muzzleloader season runs November 27 (noon) through December 13. Total 2026 gun tag allocation for 4F: 200 Type C, 50 Type D, 150 Type E, 50 Type F. The unit is active oil field country in parts of the western section; hunters should be aware of road infrastructure changes and access variations. Statewide mule deer success rates run 80–82% for antlered and antlerless respectively, among the highest in the state, reflecting that mule deer tags in the badlands are a premium limited resource. Overall ND gun deer success statewide was 57% in 2025.