Hunting in Hunt District 310, Montana, presents unique challenges and opportunities. While there are reports of a resident elk herd, hunters must be cautious due to high grizzly bear activity; bringing bear deterrent is advised. Access to hunting areas can be limited by wilderness and special management zones, requiring familiarity with boundaries and possibly a special permit to access prime regions. Despite concerns about predator presence impacting the elk population, hunters appreciate the unit's natural beauty and the potential for successful hunts, especially with horseback access and flexible tactics around neighboring units like 360 and 362, which can provide better elk and deer encounters under varying conditions.
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 120"-130" | 150"+ |
| Whitetail Deer | N/A | 110"+ |
| Elk | 300"-330" | 360"+ |
High
Low
Upper Gallatin district consists of portions of Gallatin and Madison Counties south of Bozeman. The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Lee Metcalf Monument Mountain Wilderness Area, Cabin Creek and Gallatin Wildlife Management Areas all provide close to two hundred thousand acres of publicly accessible land. Elk, mule deer and whitetails are available.
Very few bulls reach old age in this area due to the high number of rifle hunters, but some do slip through the cracks long enough to reach trophy quality size. Hunting pressure is increasing every year in this area on both the archery and rifle hunts, but there are plenty of elk to go around.
Sage Peak sits above 10,000 feet and is joined by many other mountains with elevations over 9,000 feet or more, all well above treeline. Alpine basins, knife edge ridges and deep creeks make this a challenging mountain experience. Gallatin River flows through the heart of the Gallatin Range taking the snowmelt northward towards the Missouri River some 50 miles to the west. The landscape is vertical, rocky and unforgiving.
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest including Lee Metcalf Wilderness trailheads and a good system of Forest Service roads can be reached from U.S. Highway 191 between Bozeman and West Yellowstone. The majority of Forest Service roads head west of the highway. Heavy snows can shut down Forest Service roads.
Alpine areas are covered with wildflowers and short grasses during the summer months. Small stands of willows can be found around the high lakes and small streams. Moss and lichens seem to grow everywhere. Dropping below timberline dense stands of pine, spruce and fir form impenetrable barriers on the steep mountain slopes. Small open parks have meadows of lush grasses and stands of aspen around their fringes. Dropping below 8,000 feet clusters of mountain mahogany and other mountain shrubs carpet the long ridges. Gallatin River is lined with towering pines.
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest camping in any one area, campsite or developed campground is limited to 16 accumulated days within any 30 day period. Bozeman is some 20 miles to the north and West Yellowstone is about 40 miles to the south. These communities offer a variety of lodging, cafes, restaurants, medical facilities, a regional airport near Bozeman and 24/7 gas and diesel.
Roughly 314 square miles
91% public land
Elevation from 6,100-11,300