Whitetail and mule deer live in this arid prairie unit, which occupies the southwestern corner of the state and features the largest piece of public land in Kansas, 108,175-acre Cimarron National Grassland.

Most land is flat to slightly rolling, but there are areas that are too hilly for farming and a few cliffs overlooking the Cimarron River, the area’s main drainage. Most land is between 2,500 and 3,600 feet above sea level. Bordering Oklahoma and Colorado, Unit 18 contains Morton, Stevens, Seward and Meade counties and includes parts of Clark, Ford, Gray, Haskell, Grant and Stanton counties. Notable towns are Dodge City, population about 28,000, at the northeastern corner and Liberal, population about 20,000, on the southern border.

Most of the unit is covered with irrigated and dry crops, especially wheat, corn, alfalfa, barley and rye. Native prairie land has sandsage, milkweed, yucca, various shortgrass species, sunflowers, wildflowers and many forbs and species of prairie shrubs. Main grasses are buffalo grass, sideoats and blue grama. There are some junipers and cedars as well as some strips of cottonwoods growing along rivers and dry and running creeks and on some slopes.

Meade State Park in Meade County has four campgrounds, with sites that may be reserved. Just outside the unit near Dodge City is Horse Thief Reservoir with a rustic rental cabin and 42 campsites. Liberal city operates a Arkalon Park Campground, but it closes Oct. 15, so it’s closed during firearms deer season and the peak of archery deer hunting season. There are a good number of private camping facilities, such as Gunsmoke RV Park and Water Sports Campground & RV Park in Dodge City, Ulysses RV & Camper Park in Ulysses, Seven Winds RV Park and Western Star RV Park in Liberal. There are motels in the larger towns. Liberal has a Holiday Inn, Days Inn and Hampton Inn as well as Boles Ranch Bed & Breakfast and Bluebird Inn Bed & Breakfast. Shady Lane Bed & Breakfast is in Hugoton, while Boot Hill Bed & Breakfast is in Dodge City. There is also a bed and breakfast, Fort’s Cedar View, on the outskirts of Ulysses.

Almost all land is private except for Cimarron National Grassland, the largest piece of public land in Kansas at more than 100,000 acres. No permits other than regular deer tags and hunting licenses are required. Deer hunters are welcome there as well as on Meade Lake Wildlife Area, which covers 360 acres; the lake itself is 80 acres. Many private walk-in hunting areas are open to the public and are listed here. State-licensed private fee areas are listed here.