Unit 292 District 292 (Region 2)
Blackfoot River bottoms and West Garnet timber in occupied grizzly country east of Missoula
Blackfoot Valley — West Garnet Range, Region 2 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
484
sq mi
Public land
40%
approx.
Elevation
3,300–7,800
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
HD 292 ("West Garnet Range") sprawls across parts of Missoula, Granite and Powell Counties, dropping off the western Garnet Range to the Blackfoot River and the Clark Fork near Milltown and Bonner east of Missoula. It's a rich mix of BLM, DNRC state trust and large private ranch, with the storied Blackfoot River corridor running through the north end. This is genuine big-game country — whitetails and moose in the river bottoms, mule deer and elk on the Garnet slopes, black bear throughout — and it sits squarely inside the Northern Continental Divide grizzly recovery zone, so bear awareness is not optional.
Terrain
Broad Blackfoot and Clark Fork river valleys and timbered West Garnet Range foothills and ridges, with mixed ranch benches stepping up to lodgepole and Douglas-fir high country.
Cover: Cottonwood and willow river bottoms and irrigated hay meadows low; ponderosa and Douglas-fir on mid slopes; lodgepole, spruce and open bunchgrass parks up high; wet willow-and-aspen creek complexes favored by moose.
Landmarks: Blackfoot River corridor · West Garnet Range crest · Clark Fork River near Milltown/Bonner · Scotty Brown Bridge · Lobe Creek · State Route 200 (Blackfoot corridor)
Access
Public and private are heavily interlocked here, and much of the best low ground — the Blackfoot bottoms and valley ranch land — is private. The Blackfoot Valley is a Block Management stronghold: large conservation-minded ranches enroll big acreage in FWP's BMA program, and there are river-access and walk-in sites along the Blackfoot corridor, so this is one of Region 2's better districts for public access to private ground. Pull the current Region 2 BMA list and use parcel mapping to sort BLM/DNRC sections from private.
Managers: BLM, MT DNRC state trust, private ranch + Block Management, USFS Lolo NF
Access points: State Route 200 pullouts and Blackfoot river-access sites · Scotty Brown Bridge / Blackfoot corridor county roads · BLM and DNRC sections off Route 271 (Drummond–Helmville Road) · Lolo NF roads into the West Garnet crest
Species notes
Whitetail Deer
abundant qualityThe Blackfoot and Clark Fork bottoms grow strong whitetail numbers and some heavy, mature bucks in the cottonwood-and-willow river corridors and adjacent hay ground. Access to the private bottoms via BMA or permission is the difference-maker.
- →Hunt river-bottom funnels between bedding cover and hay feed at first and last light
- →Focus the November rut in the Blackfoot cottonwoods and willow flats
- →Use Block Management river-corridor tracts to reach otherwise-private bottoms
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer hold the West Garnet foothill breaks, sage benches and higher timber edges. General-tag opportunity, with better bucks up in the less-pressured foothill country.
- →Glass open south-facing benches and coulees at dawn
- →Climb into the Garnet foothill timber away from roads for mature bucks
- →Hunt a cold snap when snow nudges bucks down toward the benches
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityElk use the West Garnet timber and high parks and shuttle between public forest and private ranch. General-tag hunting with real potential for the hunter who gets into the back timber, though herds hammer onto private under pressure.
- →Work timbered north slopes and secluded Garnet pockets away from roads
- →Glass grassy parks and old burns at dawn and dusk
- →Hunt the security cover between public and the private ranches elk retreat to
Moose
limited qualityShiras moose inhabit the willow-and-aspen wetlands and riparian bottoms of the Blackfoot drainage — a coveted, limited-draw special-permit prospect for the lucky tag holder.
- →Glass willow bottoms, beaver complexes and wet meadows morning and evening
- →Scout riparian pockets pre-season to pattern resident bulls
- →Move slowly and quietly through streamside cover
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears are widespread in the Garnet timber and Blackfoot riparian corridors. A strong secondary tag — but this is fully within occupied grizzly range, so certain identification before any shot is mandatory.
- →Glass green south slopes and burns in spring, berry draws in fall
- →Confirm species beyond doubt — grizzlies share this habitat
- →Hunt riparian and berry-rich edges where bears concentrate
Pro tips
- →The Blackfoot Valley's Block Management enrollment is your ticket to premium private bottoms
- →November rut in the cottonwoods is prime time for a mature whitetail buck
- →Carry bear spray and know grizzly ID — this is occupied NCDE range
- →A parcel-boundary GPS is essential to stay legal in the public/private mosaic
Watch out for
- !Occupied grizzly country — carry spray, store food/game properly, verify bear ID before shooting
- !Best low ground is private; don't assume river bottoms are open
- !Gumbo ranch and forest two-tracks become impassable when wet
- !Cold, fog and snow arrive fast in the Blackfoot corridor
Logistics
Missoula is right at the district's west edge — full services, gear, tags and lodging — making this one of the more convenient Region 2 districts. Bonner, Milltown and Potomac sit on the State Route 200 / Blackfoot corridor; Ovando anchors the upper valley. Most hunting is day-trip off Route 200 and gravel ranch and forest roads.
Nearest towns: Bonner, Milltown, Potomac, Greenough, Missoula, Ovando
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 292 West Garnet Range) · MTFWP Destination: Western Montana (Region 2)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 292 in Montana?
- Unit 292 (District 292 (Region 2)) covers about 484 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,300 to 7,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 292?
- Approximately 40% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, MT DNRC state trust, private ranch + Block Management, USFS Lolo NF. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 292?
- Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Moose, 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 292 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.