Unit 140 District 140 (Region 1)
Steep timbered backcountry around Hungry Horse Reservoir on the doorstep of the Bob Marshall
South Fork Flathead / Hungry Horse — Region 1 (Northwest Montana) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
878
sq mi
Public land
90%
approx.
Elevation
3,500–8,700
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
District 140 covers the lower South Fork of the Flathead and the Hungry Horse Reservoir country in Flathead County, ringed by the Swan Range and the Great Bear/Bob Marshall backcountry. It is big, steep, heavily forested Region 1 mountain hunting — whitetail and mule deer, timber-dwelling elk, dense black bear, and mountain goats on the high rock. All of it sits in the core of the Northern Continental Divide grizzly ecosystem.
Terrain
Hungry Horse Reservoir near 3,560 ft with slopes climbing steeply to the Swan Range and Great Northern Mountain country approaching 8,700 ft.
Cover: Dense spruce-fir, larch and lodgepole forest with cedar pockets in the wet drainages, extensive old burns and clearcuts, huckleberry mid-slopes, and rocky alpine on the highest peaks.
Landmarks: Hungry Horse Reservoir · South Fork Flathead River · Great Northern Mountain · Swan Range crest · Great Bear / Bob Marshall Wilderness boundary
Access
Overwhelmingly public Flathead National Forest, with the eastern edge running into the Great Bear/Bob Marshall Wilderness where travel is foot and stock only. The Hungry Horse Reservoir loop road and its spur Forest roads open the front country; the backcountry demands packing in. Very little private land, so access is about roads and legs, not permission. Block Management is largely irrelevant here given the public dominance.
Managers: USFS Flathead National Forest, designated Wilderness (Great Bear/Bob Marshall margins), MT DNRC state trust
Access points: Hungry Horse Reservoir East and West Side roads (FS 895 / FS 38) · Forest Service spur roads into Swan Range drainages · Trailheads into the Great Bear/Bob Marshall backcountry · Boat access on Hungry Horse Reservoir
Species notes
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityWhitetails hold in the lower drainages, reservoir edges and old cuts; solid numbers but tied to the timber and bottoms.
- →Hunt reservoir-fringe timber and drainage bottoms at first and last light
- →Work old clearcut and burn edges where browse regrows
- →The November rut pulls bucks along the lower creek corridors
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer favor the higher open slopes, burns and rock of the Swan Range above the timber.
- →Climb above the reservoir and glass open south slopes and burns
- →Hunt alpine edges early before deer drop to winter range
- →Watch avalanche chutes and rocky benches on the crest
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityElk use the steep timber and backcountry drainages; they lean on heavy security cover and thin out under pressure near roads.
- →Pack away from the reservoir road into the backcountry drainages
- →Hunt dark north-slope timber where elk bed
- →Follow sign to benches and wallows in the upper basins
Moose
limited qualityShiras moose occur in the willow bottoms and subalpine fir of the drainages — a scarce, limited-permit prize.
- →Glass willow flats, beaver ponds and creek bottoms at light edges
- →Check subalpine fir stringers during the fall rut
- →Expect a low-density, hard-drawn hunt
Black Bear
abundant qualityBlack bears are dense in this wet, berry-rich country, feeding hard on green-up in spring and huckleberries in fall.
- →Glass avalanche chutes and old cuts in spring for feeding bears
- →Hit huckleberry slopes in late summer and early fall
- →Watch lush riparian green-up in the drainage bottoms
Cougar
common opportunityGood deer numbers support solid mountain lion densities through the timbered slopes — a winter tracking hunt.
- →Cut fresh tracks on snowed FS roads after new snow
- →Focus on deer-wintering lower slopes and reservoir fringes
- →Best odds with hounds on a tracking snow
Mountain Goat
limited qualityMountain goats hold on the high rock of Great Northern Mountain and the Swan crest — a rare, hard-drawn limited-permit hunt.
- →Glass the highest cliff bands and alpine ledges
- →Plan multi-day backcountry access into the high country
- →Prepare for a physically demanding cliff hunt
Pro tips
- →This is a public-land, boots-and-roads district — success comes from getting off the reservoir loop into the drainages and backcountry.
- →Use the reservoir for boat access to timber that is a long drive by road.
- →Time the high country early — goats, alpine mule deer and backcountry elk get cut off once snow closes the upper routes.
- →Berry crops drive the bears; find the huckleberries and glass the chutes.
- →Carry bear spray, hunt with a partner, and pack meat out immediately — this is dense grizzly country.
Watch out for
- !Core Northern Continental Divide grizzly habitat — bear spray, clean camps, and fast meat retrieval are essential; carcasses draw grizzlies.
- !The eastern edge borders the Great Bear/Bob Marshall Wilderness — motorized and wheeled travel is prohibited inside, know the line.
- !Steep, remote terrain and long access mean self-rescue is on you; the backcountry is unforgiving.
- !Upper Forest roads gate or snow-close early; confirm access and carry recovery gear on the reservoir loop when wet.
Logistics
Stage out of Hungry Horse or Columbia Falls on Highway 2, with Kalispell as the full-service hub 20-30 miles west. The reservoir loop road is long and slow; back-side and spur roads are rough and snow-closed early, and true backcountry requires horses or a serious foot effort. Fuel up before heading around the reservoir.
Nearest towns: Hungry Horse, Columbia Falls, Martin City, Kalispell
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: MTFWP 2026/2027 Legal Descriptions (HD 140 Lower South Fork / Great Northern) · MTFWP Region 1 (Northwest Montana) · Flathead National Forest — Hungry Horse Reservoir
FAQ
- How big is Unit 140 in Montana?
- Unit 140 (District 140 (Region 1)) covers about 878 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,500 to 8,700 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 140?
- Approximately 90% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Flathead National Forest, designated Wilderness (Great Bear/Bob Marshall margins), MT DNRC state trust. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 140?
- Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Moose, Black Bear, Cougar, Mountain Goat. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
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