Unit 282 District 282 (Region 2)
Montana's premier elk winter range at Clearwater Junction — a limited-draw game range
Blackfoot-Clearwater WMA — Region 2 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
41
sq mi
Public land
95%
approx.
Elevation
4,000–6,200
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
HD 282 is the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area, a compact ~44,000-acre FWP game range in Missoula and Powell Counties at the junction of Highways 200 and 83 near Clearwater Junction and Seeley Lake. It exists to provide winter range for one of Montana's largest migratory elk herds — roughly 1,400 elk that summer in the Bob Marshall/Scapegoat wilderness and drop onto these foothills and grasslands in winter. General elk and deer hunting here is by limited special drawing, making it a coveted, tightly managed unit.
Terrain
Open bunchgrass foothills, glacial pothole grasslands, and timbered draws rising off the Blackfoot valley floor between the Blackfoot and Clearwater Rivers.
Cover: Rough fescue and bunchgrass parks with scattered ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir stringers, aspen pockets, willow-lined creeks, and shrubby draws — classic winter-range mosaic.
Landmarks: Blackfoot-Clearwater WMA · Clearwater Junction (Hwy 200/83) · Woodworth Road · Cottonwood Creek · Seeley-Monture Road (FS 477) · Blackfoot River · Clearwater River
Access
The core is FWP-owned public WMA land, but access is seasonally managed: roads are typically open only mid-May to mid-November to protect wintering elk, and the area is closed to public entry through the critical winter/spring window. Hunting elk and deer in the general season requires drawing the special WMA licenses/tags; archery, black bear, upland bird, and waterfowl seasons are open to any licensed hunter.
Managers: MT FWP Wildlife Management Area, MT DNRC state trust, USFS Lolo NF (adjacent)
Access points: Highway 83 (Seeley Lake Road) entrances · Woodworth Road · Cottonwood Lakes Road at Cozy Corners · Seeley-Monture Road (FS 477) · developed campgrounds at Clearwater Junction
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
abundant qualityThe reason the WMA exists — ~1,400 wintering elk migrate here from the Bob Marshall complex. General-season hunting is limited-draw only, keeping quality high.
- →Apply for the limited WMA elk permits well ahead of deadlines
- →Glass open grassland parks and timber edges at first and last light
- →Hunt the timber-grassland transition where elk stage
- →Time hunts to fall migration as elk build onto the winter range
Whitetail Deer
common qualityWhitetails hold in the willow and cottonwood bottoms along the Blackfoot and Clearwater and in the WMA's brushy draws.
- →Still-hunt river-bottom cover and creek draws
- →Hunt the November rut along field-and-timber edges
- →Watch aspen and willow pockets at dawn and dusk
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer use the open bunchgrass foothills and timbered ridges of the game range.
- →Glass grassland benches and pothill slopes at dawn
- →Spot-and-stalk on the open winter-range foothills
- →Watch ponderosa stringers bordering the grass parks
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears work the aspen draws and berry pockets — but grizzlies occupy the WMA, and FWP-posted food-storage orders apply.
- →Glass green draws and berry patches in the evening
- →Identify every bear carefully — grizzlies share this ground
- →Hunt aspen and shrubby draw edges
Pro tips
- →This is a limited-draw unit for general-season elk and deer — build points and apply early
- →Archery, black bear, and bird seasons are open to all licensed hunters — the general-access opportunity here
- →Respect the seasonal closures; the WMA locks down to protect wintering elk
- →Hunt the timber-grassland edge where migrating elk stage onto the winter range
- →Carry bear spray and follow the posted food-storage order — grizzlies occupy the WMA
Watch out for
- !General-season elk and deer are LIMITED-DRAW only — you cannot hunt them here on a general tag
- !Seasonal access closures (roads generally open only ~May 15 to mid-November); winter/spring entry is restricted
- !Occupied grizzly country — mandatory food-storage compliance and bear-spray readiness
- !Small unit with heavy attention — know the WMA boundary and rules before hunting
Logistics
Right at Clearwater Junction on Highway 200/83, about 40 miles ENE of Missoula, with developed campgrounds on site (16-day camping limit). Seeley Lake to the north has full services; Missoula is under an hour for major resupply. Note the seasonal road closures — plan around the mid-May to mid-November access window.
Nearest towns: Seeley Lake, Ovando, Greenough, Missoula
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: MTFWP 2024-2025 Hunting District Legal Descriptions (HD 282 Blackfoot-Clearwater WMA) · Blackfoot-Clearwater WMA — MTFWP Lands Detail · MTFWP Hunt Planner
FAQ
- How big is Unit 282 in Montana?
- Unit 282 (District 282 (Region 2)) covers about 41 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,000 to 6,200 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 282?
- Approximately 95% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: MT FWP Wildlife Management Area, MT DNRC state trust, USFS Lolo NF (adjacent). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 282?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 282 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.