GOHUNT

Montana Hunt District 385 - Absaroka/Beartooth

Updated Feb 17, 2026

At a Glance

280Square Miles

99%Public Land

7,700 - 10,000Elevation Range

Quick Tips

Physical conditioning prior to the hunt can make traversing the terrain much easier
Access into the hunting grounds will be very difficult and physically trying
Early snowfall can shut access down overnight
Success rates will be incredibly low and hunters should expect to experience what will likely be the most difficult hunt of their lives

This district is found in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness along the Montana and Wyoming border and just north of Yellowstone National Park. This subunit features some incredibly steep and unforgiving terrain and will make for a challenging hunt for anyone with a tag, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has adopted a backcountry tag for this unit that begins much earlier than most other districts, however, the odds of success will not be any greater. Access into the unit and removing an animal from the backcountry, should a hunter be successful, will be the largest hurdles.

When researching info for the HD385 Bison tag, most hunters will encounter information for the Gardiner basin area due to the sheer amount of bison in that area. Very few bison will be taken from this unit annually, mostly because of the terrain and remoteness. Some good hunting can be found along the southern edge near the Yellowstone National Park border. Livestock will need to be used to pack out the animals the 15+ miles to the nearest trail head.