Bring your shotgun for pheasants, sharptail grouse, and possibly a greater prairie chicken
Species
General Size
Trophy Potential
Whitetail Deer
110"-140"
150"+
On The Ground
Terrain
Vegetation
Access
Camping and Lodging
Historical Temperatures
High
Low
Moon Phases
November 2024
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This unit is located in the central-eastern portion of the state with Unit 22A to the north, 23A to the east, 32A to the south, and 18A to the west. The area is rather remote with very little services across the bulk of the unit except for a few small townships spread throughout the unit with the biggest being Watertown. The major river running through this unit is the Big Sioux River which offers some fantastic habitat if you can gain access, as well as miles of rolling hills covered in CRP and prairie grass.
This unit has mostly private land with the only notable public land being game production areas, the largest being near Long Lake. If you are planning a hunt here, it would be best if you arrive with prior arrangements made on some portion of private land.
While there are only a few hundred feet of elevation change across the unit, you will gain a bit of elevation as you move from west to east and from south to north. The bulk of the unit is very flat with little roll to the overall landscape. Any broken land will be found along the Big Sioux River or other creek bottoms.
A mix of short and tall prairie grass and countless species of wildflowers can be found in most areas of the unit that haven’t been turned for agricultural purposes. Very sparse amounts of timber including a mix of Cottonwood, American Elm, Green Ash, and Bur Oak are located along the riparian zone of the James River.
Interstate 29 cuts through the middle of the unit going north and south. Interstate 29, along with the other main highways 81, 20, and 212 offer access to countless roads covering the majority of the unit which makes navigating to one spot or the other very simple.
Located in the south-central portion of the unit, just off of Interstate 29, is Watertown with a population of just over 22,000 people and quite a few amenities. There are a number of lodging options from bigger chains to locally owned hotels, fast food, sit down restaurants, and other stores should you need to purchase anything. Camping spots are limited, but there are a few established campgrounds in Watertown.