Northwest of Hutchinson, in the middle of the state, this unit has good numbers of whitetail deer and limited hunting opportunities for hunters without access to private land.

Parts of eight counties are in this unit including: Ellsworth, Saline, Dickinson, Marion, McPherson, Rice, Harvey and Reno. Running through the unit are the Arkansas River and several tributaries, as well as Cottonwood River. Marion Lake is the largest body of water in this area. Most land is flat to slightly rolling and is between 1,300 and 1,600 feet above sea level.

Many round center-pivot irrigated fields are in the central part of this unit, stretching east of Hutchinson and up through McPherson to the north. They are planted in alfalfa and corn mainly. Most of the remainder of the unit is divided into rectangular dry farms and pastures. Common crops include hay, soybeans, wheat and sorghum. Along creeks and rivers are various species of brush and trees such as elm, willow, oak, cottonwood and hackberry.

Campgrounds have been built at Sand Hills State Park northwest of Hutchinson. McPherson RV Ranch & Horse Motel offers facilities for tenters, RV campers and even horses. Camping is not allowed on walk-in hunting area land. Hutchinson has many lodging options, ranging from cheap motels to nationally franchised hotels, McPherson has some two-star motels, and Newton has a Days Inn, Holiday Inn and Comfort Inn.

Marion Wildlife Area has 3,700 acres of mixed grassland and woodland along with 2,350 acres of cropland that is open to hunting. Through the state’s walk-in hunting program, public hunters may hunt at no fee on several private parcels listed in the Fall Hunting Atlas, which also includes details on state and federal hunting areas. Controlled (private fee) hunting areas in Ellsworth, Saline, Dickinson, McPherson, Harvey, Reno and Rice counties are listed on the KS Outdoors website. Some private fee areas might allow deer hunting but are designed primarily for upland bird hunters.