Grizzlies are commonly encountered in this area and spray or a sidearm are recommended
Clean campsites are a must when camping in bear country
GPS, maps, or a compass are highly recommended
On The Ground
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This hunting district is found in south central Montana and lies just north of Bozeman. This area, home to the Bridger Mountain Range, features some of the best scenery in the state and has a good population of black bear. Private lands make up a large portion of the unit and access can become an issue in much of the lower elevation areas. Most of the public ground will be found in the Bridger Mountains, though physically accessing some of the better habitat can be a chore in itself. Hikers are a common sight among some of the best bear habitat, so careful consideration will need to be used when selecting a hunting area.
Good bears can be found in this district, but the lack of public land coupled with the amount of recreational use can drive some hunters away.
As far as terrain features, this district really has it all. Most of the low lying private lands will consist of large expanses of open prairie type land. Here, the terrain is fairly broken and cross country travel can be done without too much trouble. The Bridger range on the southern end of the district will offer more extreme terrain, with extremely steep ridgelines, lots of elevation change, and some very rugged country. There are plenty of trails throughout this range and reaching the backcountry is generally pretty straight forward. Cross country travel away from trails can be difficult and sometime dangerous, exercise caution in these areas.
A fairly typical spread of vegetation will be found in this area. In the lower elevations, sage will be a dominant sight along with natural grasses, rock, and juniper trees. In a few isolated pockets hunters will also encounter stands of mature ponderosa pine. In the higher elevations, the sage will slowly thin out and a tree cover consisting of white pine, ponderosa pine, red fir, lodgepole, and subalpine fir will grow heavily. Interspersed with the heavy tree cover will be large meadows and avalanche chutes full of native grasses, willow, and some aspen.
For the most part, public access is very limited in this hunting district. The most open and free areas to roam are in the Bridgers, though escaping pressure, be it hikers or hunters, can be difficult. Most of the public land found in the lower elevations (in extremely small parcels) may be inaccessible as it is surrounded by private land. Landownership maps can be very beneficial when navigating this area. The many trails found in the Bridgers can be a great way to access the backcountry, but will also be a large attractant to recreational hikers. Instead, consider accessing drainages that spur off with trails in them; this can be a good way to find pockets of unpressured areas favored by bears and by hunters looking for solitude. Most of the high elevation areas will require some degree of physical exertion to reach, therefore, physical fitness should be considered when planning for this hunt. The southeastern end of the unit can still provide good public access with more opportunities in the form of logging roads. This area will generally see less foot traffic from hikers and will require less physical effort to access.
There are plenty of modern lodging options to be found in Bozeman as well as primitive campsites found throughout the district. On public lands, camping is permitted for up to 14 days. Groceries and supplies can be found in Bozeman and nearly every small town in the area. Bozeman is somewhat of a hub for the outdoor industry, so there are plenty of options for sporting goods here.
Roughly 1,121 square miles
17.3% public land
Elevations range from 4,000-9,500 feet
Main roads for access include Interstate 90, Highway 89, Sixteen Mile Rd, and Bridger Canyon Rd
Accessing some of the high elevation bear habitat can take some physical effort
Land ownership maps and software can be time saving when hunting lower elevations
Bear tags are not valid until 24 hour after the time of purchase, keep this in mind if you are a travelling hunter