Hunt District 452 in Montana experiences significant hunting pressure during the season, with campsites filling up quickly and many areas influenced by guided hunts from nearby ranches. Public lands are accessible but limited, with most accessible areas seeing heavy activity from vehicles, including ATVs and motorcycles, especially during archery season. While the hunting opportunities can be promising if one can distance themselves from the crowds, the reality is an increase in popularity and pressure in recent years due to proximity to major towns like Great Falls, Helena, and Bozeman. For those applying for a general tag or interested in understanding draw odds, the advice is to be aware of the competitive nature of permits and plan accordingly, possibly considering the impact of group applications and preference point allocations.
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | N/A | 140"+ |
| Whitetail Deer | N/A | 130"+ |
| Elk | N/A | 290"+ |
High
Low
This district is comprised of the Castle Mountains in central Montana. The Castle Mountain’s are an island mountain range situated between the Little Belt Mountains to the north and the Crazy Mountains to the south. The area is less than half public land with only one public access road to the National Forest. The area is managed for hunter opportunity rather than trophy quality. Public land elk hunting in this district is popular among backpack hunters due to the lack of roads in the district.
The elk population in this district is way over objective. During the archery season elk are plentiful and active in public land areas of the Castle Mountains. Later in the rifle season elk tend to move lower into the private land foothills around the mountain range. Trophy quality is low, but overall this area provides good opportunity to harvest a branch antlered bull on a general tag. Mule deer and whitetail are also available throughout the district.
This district begins on Highway 89 south of White Sulphur Springs and rises east up and over the Castle Mountain range. The foothills in the western portion of the district are made up primarily of rolling sage flats. The eastern portion of the district is comprised of thick forested mountain terrain that rises several thousand feet in elevation. The mountain terrain is made up of wide, densely timbered canyons.
Public access in this district is available primarily from one National Forest road that goes through the Castle Mountains on the eastern boundary of the district. There is also some public access available through the Block Management Program.
From Elk Peak down to the base of the mountain is dense pine and Douglas fir forest. The lower foothill country is made up of large sagebrush flats, prairie grass pastures and agricultural croplands.
The options for camping and lodging are fairly diverse. Hotels are available in nearby White Sulphur Springs, public campgrounds are available and backpack style camps are also popular in this area. White Sulphur Springs is the main hub for this district to restock supplies, fuel and any other needs.
Roughly 160 square miles
36.9% public land
Elevation from 5,100-8,600 feet
Forest Service Road #211-581 is the only public access road in the district
Good area for a backpack style archery hunt