Quick Tips
- Listening or calling into remote canyons can be a great way to locate packs
- Locating packs can be easier during periods of heavy snow
On The Ground
Terrain
Vegetation
Access
Camping and Lodging
Historical Temperatures
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This hunting district is found in northwestern Montana and falls within the famous Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. Hunters will be greeted with some of the best views the state has to offer and some truly remote adventures. This area is considered a backcountry district with zero road access; most of the area is only available to those with livestock or those willing to shoulder a pack and put on the miles.
Good numbers of wolves can be found here but populations are spread thingly throughout the entire district and locating packs can still be difficult.
This country is truly remote and something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Hunters can expect extreme elevation changes, very dense vegetation, and dangerous cliffs that can appear out of nowhere. The area is well established with trails, but traveling off trail can be very difficult until one reaches the high country and can escape some of the underbrush, though the relief is minimal. Due to the extreme nature of the access requirements, most hunters will need a fair amount of physical conditioning, even when hunting off of horses or mules.
This area is home to a vast array of vegetation which provides excellent feed opportunities for bears, though it can cause glassing difficulties later in the spring. In the creek bottoms you can expect to find a typical arrangement of leafy plants and grasses along with cedar, yew, and various pines. In spots, the creeks bottoms can also become impassable with huge patches of alder and willow. As the elevation climbs, the ground cover will remain largely the same but hunters can expect to encounter more fir and lodgepole. Very little reprise from the constant ground cover will be found until reaching some of the highest elevations and periodic areas of alpine type county. Here you can expect to encounter subalpine fir, native grasses, and rock. In some of the wetter avalanche chutes, the ever present willow and alder will grow heavily. Most of the high elevation bowls will open up enough to provide some great glassing opportunities.
This area is completely roadless and hunters will have little trouble finding real estate to hunt. The primary issue for most hunters will lie in the remote nature of the unit and a healthy hike to access any huntable terrain. Hunters on horseback will find little trouble escaping the crowds but may still be required to hike on foot to reach remote locations to hunt. Hunters interested in backpack hunting will find themselves at home and shouldn’t have much of a problem when it comes to escaping pressure.
Any hunters interested in modern lodging will be forced to look for options outside of the district; Both Seeley Lake and Kalispell provide lodging. Groceries and sporting goods can also be found in either of these towns. When backcountry camping, it will be important to practice clean camp practices due to the amount of grizzly bears in the area.
Roughly 1,100 square miles
100% public land
Elevations range from 4,000 - 8,500 feet