Unit 260 District 260 (Region 2)
Suburban river-bottom country packed with over-objective elk and whitetails — an access puzzle, not a wilderness hunt.
Missoula Valley — Region 2 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
155
sq mi
Public land
20%
approx.
Elevation
3,100–6,000
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
HD 260 wraps the low river-bottom and foothill country around Missoula, running along the Bitterroot and Clark Fork rivers toward the Ninemile and Frenchtown valleys. This is a small, low-elevation, heavily private and semi-suburban district: elk numbers sit far over population objective, but nearly all of them live on private ag and residential ground, and portions have historically been restricted to archery/limited weapons to keep bullets away from homes. The prize here is over-objective elk and abundant valley whitetails — for hunters who can crack the private-land access problem.
Terrain
Broad valley bottoms where the Bitterroot meets the Clark Fork near Missoula, rising to low timbered foothills toward the Ninemile and Petty Creek.
Cover: Cottonwood river bottom, irrigated ag and hayfields, brushy riparian corridors; ponderosa and Douglas-fir on the surrounding low foothills; residential and suburban development throughout the valley.
Landmarks: Clark Fork River · Bitterroot River · Ninemile Valley · Petty Creek · Frenchtown · Missoula
Access
Access is the defining challenge: the productive valley bottom is overwhelmingly private ag and residential, and the elk live on it. Public opportunity is limited to Lolo National Forest and DNRC parcels on the foothill fringe (Ninemile, Petty Creek) plus any Block Management Areas that open private ground — securing landowner permission is often the only way onto the elk. Suburban safety restrictions apply in developed pockets.
Managers: private ranch + Block Management, USFS Lolo NF, MT DNRC state trust
Access points: Ninemile Road / Remount area · Petty Creek Road · Lolo NF foothill access · Frenchtown-area DNRC parcels · I-90 valley corridor
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
abundant opportunityElk numbers run dramatically over objective, but the herd is concentrated on private valley ag and residential land; the district has at times been limited to archery to keep hunting compatible with the suburban setting. Opportunity is high if you can access private ground.
- →Prioritize landowner permission — access is the whole game here
- →Pattern elk moving between hayfields and river-bottom cover at dawn and dusk
- →Watch the private-to-public foothill transitions where elk push toward Lolo NF
- →Damage/shoulder-season and Block Management opportunities can open private access — check FWP options
Whitetail Deer
abundant qualityDense whitetail populations thrive in the irrigated river bottoms and riparian corridors; good buck numbers where access can be secured.
- →Hunt cottonwood bottoms and brushy field edges along the rivers
- →The November rut concentrates bucks in riparian corridors
- →Chase Block Management and private permission for the best bottomland
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer use the low timbered foothills and open slopes on the valley margins, offering the most accessible public deer hunting in the district.
- →Glass open foothill slopes and Lolo NF fringe early and late
- →Work the transition between ag and timber
- →Focus public effort on Ninemile and Petty Creek foothills
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears use the timbered foothills and drainages on the valley edges; spring green-up and fall mast draw them onto huntable public fringe.
- →Glass green-up on foothill slopes in spring
- →Check berry and orchard-mast areas in fall
- →Hunt the Lolo NF foothills rather than the private bottoms
Cougar
common opportunityMountain lions follow the abundant deer into the valley foothills; a winter tracking-snow pursuit around the drainage mouths.
- →Cut tracks on foothill roads after fresh snow
- →Focus on deer-wintering slopes near the valley edge
Pro tips
- →This is an access hunt, not a scouting hunt — invest your effort in landowner relationships and Block Management before the season
- →Watch for FWP damage hunts, shoulder seasons and management tools that open private elk ground
- →Public hunters should focus deer effort on the Lolo NF and DNRC foothills of Ninemile and Petty Creek
- →Time whitetail hunting to the November rut in the river bottoms
- →Respect suburban weapon and safety restrictions — know exactly where they apply
Watch out for
- !Overwhelmingly private and semi-suburban — most game is on land you must get permission to hunt
- !Weapon/safety restrictions apply in developed areas; know the boundaries
- !Very limited public land; do not assume walk-on access to the valley bottom
- !Verify property lines carefully in the patchwork of private, DNRC and forest ownership
- !The Ninemile has documented grizzly movement down from the NCDE — occurrence is still uncommon but real, so carry bear spray in the foothills and drainages
Logistics
Missoula sits at the heart of the district with full services, lodging and an airport — the easiest logistics of any Region 2 hunt. Roads are paved and plentiful and everything is close; the difficulty is not travel but obtaining permission on the private ground that holds the game. Base in Missoula or Frenchtown.
Nearest towns: Missoula, Frenchtown, Lolo, Huson
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: Western Montana hunters question statewide proposals (Missoula Current) · FWP Deer and Elk Hunting Districts (2026 and 2027 Seasons) · Destination: Western Montana (Region 2) | Montana FWP
FAQ
- How big is Unit 260 in Montana?
- Unit 260 (District 260 (Region 2)) covers about 155 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,100 to 6,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 260?
- Approximately 20% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch + Block Management, USFS Lolo NF, MT DNRC state trust. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 260?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Black Bear, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 260 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.