Unit 315 District 315 (Region 3)
Ranch-country deer and elk under the west face of the Crazy Mountains
Shields Valley / West Crazy Mountains — Region 3 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
580
sq mi
Public land
25%
approx.
Elevation
4,500–10,800
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
HD 315 (West Slope Crazy Mountains) spans parts of Meagher, Park, and Sweet Grass Counties, running up the Shields River valley north of Livingston and climbing the western slope of the Crazy Mountains to the Crazy Mountain Divide. The valley floor is a broad private ranching landscape — hay meadows and river bottoms that hold whitetails and elk — while the high Crazies are a rugged, checkerboarded mix of Custer Gallatin National Forest and private land with famously contested access. Block Management is the practical key to hunting much of this district.
Terrain
Broad Shields River valley of ranchland and benches rising abruptly into the steep, glaciated western Crazy Mountains, one of Montana's most dramatic island ranges.
Cover: Irrigated hay meadows, cottonwood and willow river bottoms, sagebrush-grassland foothills, Douglas-fir and lodgepole on the mid slopes, and alpine cirques, rock, and stunted timber near the crest.
Landmarks: Crazy Mountain Divide · Shields River · Fairview Peak · Duck Creek · Sixteen Mile Creek · Wilsall · Clyde Park
Access
This is predominantly private ranch country, especially across the Shields Valley floor. Public land is concentrated in the high Crazy Mountains on the Custer Gallatin NF, but the range is heavily checkerboarded with private inholdings and has ongoing, well-documented public-access disputes over historic trails and section corners. Block Management agreements are the most reliable way to reach both valley bottoms and some mountain access; verify every boundary before crossing.
Managers: private ranch + Block Management, USFS Custer Gallatin NF, MT DNRC state trust, BLM
Access points: U.S. Highway 89 through the Shields Valley · Shields River Road · Custer Gallatin NF trailheads on the west Crazies (verify legal access) · Block Management Area access points · Duck Creek and Sixteen Mile Creek drainages
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityElk use the Crazy Mountain slopes and increasingly hold on private valley ranches, where large herds can winter out of reach of public hunters. Public-land opportunity exists on the forest but is pressured; the biggest herds live where access is hardest.
- →Secure Block Management or private permission for the valley herds
- →Hunt the timbered forest slopes back from any legal trailhead
- →Glass the transition between private hay ground and mountain timber at dawn
- →Use snow to time elk moving down to lower private winter range
Whitetail Deer
common qualityWhitetails thrive in the Shields River cottonwood bottoms, brushy draws, and irrigated ag of the valley — the district's most accessible quality opportunity where Block Management is available.
- →Hunt river-bottom edges and hay-field margins morning and evening
- →Work Block Management river frontage along the Shields
- →Target the mid-to-late November rut when bucks cruise the bottoms in daylight
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer hold on the sage foothills, coulees, and open timber between the valley and the mountains, with mature bucks in the broken benches and mountain fringe.
- →Glass sage draws and foothill benches at first and last light
- →Push the fir stringers and rock pockets where old bucks bed
- →Hunt the rut on the open faces in late November
Pronghorn
limited opportunityPronghorn use the open grassland benches and sage flats of the broader Shields Valley in scattered numbers, mostly on private ground.
- →Glass wide open benches and spot-and-stalk using terrain folds
- →Line up private or Block Management access on the flats
- →Focus on grass-sage transitions where bucks tend the does
Mountain Goat
limited trophyThe high Crazy Mountains hold mountain goats in the alpine cliffs and cirques — a rare limited-entry hunt in steep, rugged terrain.
- →Glass the crest cliffs and rockslides near the Crazy Mountain Divide
- →Plan a demanding multi-day alpine hunt if you draw
- →Focus on escape terrain — goats stay tight to rock
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears range the timbered western Crazies and creek bottoms. Grizzlies have been expanding into the Crazy Mountains region, so treat this as potential grizzly country.
- →Glass green slopes and avalanche chutes in spring
- →Hunt fall berry pockets in the mountain timber
- →Carry bear spray and confirm species before any shot given grizzly expansion
Pro tips
- →Block Management is the make-or-break access tool here — line up agreements early and carry the maps
- →The Shields River bottoms are the district's best accessible whitetail opportunity
- →Public access into the Crazy Mountains is genuinely contested — verify every trail and boundary before setting foot on it
- →Elk favor private valley ground; hunt the mountain-to-ranch transition or secure permission
- →Watch weather — gumbo and snow can shut the gravel roads and strand you
Watch out for
- !Predominantly private ranch land — confirm Block Management or landowner permission before crossing anywhere
- !Well-documented public-access disputes in the Crazy Mountains over historic trails and checkerboard corners — do not assume a trail is legal
- !Grizzlies are expanding into the Crazy Mountains — carry bear spray and hunt bear-aware
- !Wet gumbo roads in the valley and foothills become impassable fast
- !Severe cold, wind, and snow on the west face of the Crazies
Logistics
Wilsall and Clyde Park in the Shields Valley offer basic services; Livingston to the south and Big Timber to the east are the fuller supply points, both on I-90. Hwy 89 runs the valley; mountain access is via gravel ranch and forest roads that can be limited and access-sensitive. Confirm trailhead legality in advance and expect little to no cell coverage in the drainages.
Nearest towns: Wilsall, Clyde Park, Livingston, Big Timber
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: MTFWP 2024/2025 Legal Descriptions (HD 315 West Slope Crazy Mountains) · MTFWP Region 3 Deer/Elk Season Setting Justifications · MTFWP Deer & Elk District Maps
FAQ
- How big is Unit 315 in Montana?
- Unit 315 (District 315 (Region 3)) covers about 580 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,500 to 10,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 315?
- Approximately 25% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch + Block Management, USFS Custer Gallatin NF, MT DNRC state trust, BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 315?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Mountain Goat, 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 315 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.