Unit 291 District 291 (Region 2)
Low-timber Garnet Range foothills over Clark Fork ag ground between Drummond and Avon
Garnet Range — Upper Clark Fork, Region 2 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
322
sq mi
Public land
35%
approx.
Elevation
4,200–7,500
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
HD 291 ("East Garnet Range") covers the eastern flank of the Garnet Range in Powell County, sandwiched between the Interstate 90 / US-12 corridor, State Route 141 at Avon, and the Nevada Creek / Cottonwood Creek country near Nevada Lake. It's a checkerboard of BLM, DNRC state trust and private ranch draped over rolling timbered foothills that fall to Clark Fork and Little Blackfoot ag valleys. This is a general-tag deer district first — whitetails in the bottoms, mule deer in the foothill breaks — with elk present but more of a moving, weather-driven prospect than a marquee draw.
Terrain
Rolling, timbered Garnet Range foothills and open sage-grass benches dropping to the Clark Fork and Little Blackfoot valley floors and the Nevada Creek drainage.
Cover: Irrigated hay and grain in the valley bottoms; sagebrush and bunchgrass on the south-facing benches; Douglas-fir and lodgepole on the north slopes and higher foothill timber; willow and cottonwood along Cottonwood and Nevada Creeks.
Landmarks: Garnet Range crest · Nevada Lake and Nevada Creek · Cottonwood Creek · Clark Fork / I-90 corridor (Drummond–Garrison) · Braziel Creek Road (BLM Road 2864)
Access
A classic western-Montana checkerboard: BLM and DNRC state-trust sections are interlocked with private ranch, so legal entry hinges on knowing exact parcel lines — carry a GPS with ownership layers. The productive low ag ground and creek bottoms are almost all private. Montana's Block Management program is the key that unlocks this district: several BMAs and walk-in tracts open otherwise-landlocked ranch acreage each fall — pull the current Region 2 BMA list from FWP before you go. BLM roads like Braziel Creek give backdoor access to the foothill public.
Managers: BLM, MT DNRC state trust, private ranch + Block Management
Access points: Braziel Creek Road (BLM Road 2864) off Route 141 · Cottonwood Meadows Road near Nevada Lake · County roads off US-12 near Garrison and Avon · Route 271 (Drummond–Helmville Road) corridor
Species notes
Whitetail Deer
common qualityThe bread-and-butter species. Whitetails hold the Clark Fork and Little Blackfoot ag bottoms, creek willows and the timber-field edges, with good numbers and some mature bucks — but the best bottoms are private, so access is the whole game.
- →Sit funnels between bedding timber and hayfield feed at first and last light
- →Hunt the November rut hard in the cottonwood and willow bottoms
- →Line up a BMA or ranch permission before the season for the productive low ground
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer work the sage benches, coulees and Garnet foothill breaks above the valley. General-tag opportunity rather than a trophy district, though patient glassing of the higher benches turns up decent bucks.
- →Glass south-facing benches and coulees at dawn, then still-hunt the timber edges
- →Push higher into the Garnet foothill timber for bucks that avoid road pressure
- →Time a cold snap — snow drops bucks toward the lower benches near private
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityElk filter through the Garnet Range timber but numbers here are modest and herds are pressure- and weather-driven, moving between public and off-limits private. Expect to hunt hard for a general-tag opportunity.
- →Hunt the timbered north slopes and secluded foothill pockets away from roads
- →Glass grassy parks and burns at the edges of dark timber early and late
- →Be ready to relocate — elk shuttle onto private under hunting pressure
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears use the timbered draws and creek bottoms, especially where spring green-up and berry patches concentrate them. A solid secondary tag for the Garnet foothills.
- →Glass green south slopes and old burns in spring
- →Focus berry-rich draws and timber edges in fall
- →Check bear identification carefully — grizzlies are expanding into the Garnet/Blackfoot country
Pro tips
- →Treat this as a deer district with an elk bonus, not the other way around
- →A parcel-boundary GPS is non-negotiable in this BLM/DNRC/private checkerboard
- →Secure Block Management or ranch access early — the good bottoms are all private
- →Hunt the November rut for your best whitetail buck odds
Watch out for
- !Heavy checkerboard private inholdings — easy to trespass without ownership mapping
- !Grizzlies are expanding into the Garnet/Blackfoot region; carry spray and know bear ID
- !Gumbo two-tracks become impassable when wet — watch the weather
- !Cold, snow and wind arrive fast on the November foothills
Logistics
Drummond, Garrison and Deer Lodge sit right on I-90 with fuel, food and lodging; Avon and Helmville are small crossroads for last-mile access. Missoula (about an hour west) is the nearest full-service hub for gear and tags. Most hunting is day-trip off gravel county and BLM roads.
Nearest towns: Drummond, Garrison, Avon, Helmville, Deer Lodge
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: MTFWP 2024/2025 Deer/Elk Hunting District Legal Descriptions (HD 291 East Garnet Range) · MTFWP Destination: Western Montana (Region 2)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 291 in Montana?
- Unit 291 (District 291 (Region 2)) covers about 322 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,200 to 7,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 291?
- Approximately 35% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, MT DNRC state trust, private ranch + Block Management. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 291?
- Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, 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 291 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.