Unit 101 District 101 (Region 1)
Montana's northwest border valley — a real elk herd on the ag-land benches, thick whitetail cover, and Whitefish Range grizzly country.
Tobacco Valley / Eureka — Region 1 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
805
sq mi
Public land
55%
approx.
Elevation
2,500–7,700
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
District 101 is the Tobacco Valley unit, wrapping the towns of Eureka, Rexford, and Fortine along the Tobacco River and Fortine Creek up to the Canadian line. Private ranch and ag land line both sides of the valley floor, while the Kootenai National Forest and the Ten Lakes country of the Whitefish Range rise to the east. It holds one of northwest Montana's better valley elk herds — commonly 200 to 300 head wintering, occasionally many more — plus dense whitetail populations that create ag conflict near Eureka. Heavy logging has opened much of the timber, improving both feed and glassing.
Terrain
Broad valley floor along the Tobacco River rising into steep, logged and timbered mountains of the Whitefish and Purcell ranges, with high lake basins in the Ten Lakes country.
Cover: Ag land, hay meadows, and grassy benches on the valley floor; larch-fir-spruce timber broken heavily by clearcuts and regrowth on the slopes; subalpine near the Ten Lakes peaks.
Landmarks: Tobacco River · Fortine Creek · Lake Koocanusa · Ten Lakes Scenic Area · Whitefish Range · Town of Eureka
Access
The valley floor and its best elk and whitetail ground is largely private ranch and ag land, while the surrounding mountains are Kootenai National Forest with excellent public access. FWP Block Management opens key private acreage — including ground managed to address whitetail ag conflict — to free public hunting; check current BMA maps. DNRC state trust parcels are open with a permit. The Ten Lakes country to the northeast offers deep backcountry.
Managers: USFS Kootenai NF, private ranch + ag (with Block Management), MT DNRC state trust
Access points: US Highway 93 through Eureka and Fortine · Grave Creek Road · Ten Lakes / FS roads east of Fortine · Lake Koocanusa / Hwy 37 corridor
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityA genuine valley elk herd — commonly 200 to 300 wintering with counts as high as 600 to 800 in big years. Elk shuttle between private ag and public timber.
- →Glass ag benches and logged openings at first and last light
- →Hunt the public-private edge and Block Management ground where elk feed
- →Push timber pockets and cuts between feeding areas
- →Locate herds from the logging-road network, then move in on foot
Whitetail Deer
abundant opportunityDense whitetail along the Tobacco and Fortine bottoms and ag edges — locally overabundant enough that FWP added antlerless opportunity to reduce ag conflict near Eureka.
- →Hunt field edges, river bottoms, and brushy draws
- →Focus the November rut on cover adjacent to ag
- →Use Block Management ground where whitetail densities are highest
Mule Deer
limited opportunityA secondary deer here — scattered mule deer hold on higher, more open slopes and burns above the whitetail bottoms.
- →Climb to open ridges and old burns
- →Glass high basins early season
- →Expect whitetail to dominate the lower country
Black Bear
common qualityBlack bear are common in the berry-rich logged timber; a strong spring and fall opportunity.
- →Glass green-up openings and avalanche chutes in spring
- →Key on huckleberry and mountain-ash in fall
- →Identify species carefully — grizzlies use this valley
Moose
limited opportunityShiras moose scatter through willow and wet drainages; a limited-permit prize.
- →Hunt willow bottoms and beaver complexes
- →Glass wet meadows at dawn and dusk
Cougar
common qualityLions track the dense deer herds; a winter pursuit on snow.
- →Cut roads and ridges for tracks after fresh snow
- →Follow deer wintering concentrations
Pro tips
- →This is one of Region 1's better valley elk units — glass the ag benches and hunt the Block Management and public-private edge where elk feed
- →Logging has opened the timber; use those cuts for glassing rather than grinding through dark timber blind
- →Whitetail are locally overabundant near Eureka — antlerless opportunity exists to cut ag damage; take advantage on BMA ground
- →Verify current Block Management boundaries and permission slips before hunting valley private land
- →Push into the Ten Lakes country for a wilder, less-crowded high-country hunt
Watch out for
- !Grizzly country — the Whitefish Range and Tobacco Valley sit on the edge of grizzly range; carry bear spray and hunt alert
- !The valley floor is heavily private ranch and ag — know boundaries and use Block Management legally
- !Elk go nocturnal and pile onto private ground under pressure
- !Backcountry logging roads gate seasonally and turn slick when wet
- !Cell coverage is thin off Highway 93 — carry a GPS and satellite messenger
Logistics
Eureka has fuel, groceries, motels, and dining; Whitefish and Kalispell are the larger service hubs to the south. Highway 93 keeps the valley accessible, but backcountry logging roads gate seasonally and cell service fades quickly off the corridor. Carry navigation and cold-weather gear.
Nearest towns: Eureka, Fortine, Rexford, Whitefish
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: MTFWP Region 1 elk & white-tailed deer district narratives (Dec 2025 Commission) · MTFWP Region 1 hunting information · USFS Kootenai National Forest
FAQ
- How big is Unit 101 in Montana?
- Unit 101 (District 101 (Region 1)) covers about 805 square miles, ranging from roughly 2,500 to 7,700 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 101?
- Approximately 55% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Kootenai NF, private ranch + ag (with Block Management), MT DNRC state trust. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 101?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Black Bear, Moose, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 101 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.