This unit provides a good combination of private and public-access land. The unit is part of North Dakota’s badlands region which is known for its rugged terrain and colorful soils. Although the terrain in this unit as a whole is milder than the units to the north, there’s some extra rough terrain, especially along the Little Missouri River.

If you are lucky enough to draw a tag in this unit, be sure and check out Deep Creek. It branches off the Little Missouri and heads south through the center of the unit. This is a hotspot for mule deer, but antelope have been known to appreciate the lush grasslands around the river valley.

The state’s primary pronghorn range covers the entire unit. The Little Missouri River creates the western border of the unit. Rougher badlands stretch from the Little Missouri River valley across the unit to the southeast portion. Here you’ll still find badland buttes, but you’ll start to see more wheatgrass fields and livestock pastures down here. The rest of this unit going south and east from the Little Missouri River consists of extremely rough terrain. There are steep buttes and rough, densely forested draws and creek bottoms closer to the river, and brush-covered draws as you move farther away from the river. The bottoms of draws throughout this unit support thick deciduous trees and some junipers as well. Between the buttes and valleys lies relatively flat, barren fields of native grasses and wheatgrass.

Although many areas of this unit are easily accessible, there are plenty of spots that will require a hike. If you’re willing to put in a long hike, you’ll have ample opportunity to get away from all other hunters. There’s generally a lot of consecutive PLOTS properties combined with Little Missouri National Grassland properties. Together, these create a huge public hunting area in the southwest portion. Highway 85 forms the eastern boundary of the unit while Highway 12 forms the southern boundary. Both these primary roads will get you to good access points to travel throughout the badlands. There are a lot of trail roads and decent unmarked roads that wind through the badlands. Wherever you decide to hunt in this unit, you’ll generally be able to get within a few miles of your spot. There’s even a number of roads that snake through the badlands all the way to the Little Missouri River.

Desolate flats of mixed-grass prairies, wheatgrass, and some blue grama grass fill in the areas between badland buttes, canyons, and creek beds. The Little Missouri River, along the north and west edges of Unit 3-B, create a forested valley of deciduous trees, primarily aspen and oak, and some small stands of ponderosa pine. Drainages, valleys, and creek bottoms that branch off the river are forested with aspen and oak as well as some ash, elm, birch, and juniper. Buckbrush thickets are common in Unit 3-B as well. 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 provides a number of motel accommodations as well as stores and restaurants. Although Bowman isn’t centrally located, it is a great spot to stay as both major highways in the area come together here. If you’re wanting to rough it, the Burning Coal Vein Campground located off East River Road is a unique place to camp. It’s less than two miles from the Little Missouri in the northeast portion of the unit. Amidon, located off Highway 85, also has a campground, lodging, and an RV park depending on where you want to stay.