Unit 317 District 317 (Region 3)
The steep east wall of Paradise Valley — a strong elk herd behind a fortress of private ranch and rugged wilderness.
Paradise Valley / Absaroka Front — Region 3 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
424
sq mi
Public land
45%
approx.
Elevation
4,900–10,500
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
District 317 covers the east side of Paradise Valley, running from Livingston south along the Absaroka front toward Chico and Six Mile Creek. The valley floor is almost entirely private ranch and river-bottom ground along the Yellowstone River, backed by extremely steep, rugged Custer Gallatin National Forest that climbs into the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. The rocky_elk herd here is well above objective (recent counts near 1,850 against a 900-1,700 target), making it a premier — if access-limited — elk district. Deer, bear, and high-country goats and sheep round out the opportunity. This is squarely inside Greater Yellowstone grizzly country.
Terrain
A broad private valley floor along the Yellowstone River rising abruptly into steep timbered canyons and alpine peaks of the Absaroka front.
Cover: Irrigated valley bottom and cottonwood/willow river corridor, then steep Douglas-fir and lodgepole canyon walls, subalpine fir higher, and open alpine rock and tundra at the crest.
Landmarks: Yellowstone River · Absaroka Range · Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness · Mill Creek · Mission Creek · Chico / Emigrant area
Access
Access is the defining challenge: most of the valley floor and the mouths of the productive side-canyons are private ranch, and the National Forest behind them is steep and rugged, often requiring a hard climb from limited trailheads. Elk shelter on private ground and use the timber above. FWP's Block Management program opens some ranch acreage to free public hunting — check current BMA maps, and lock down access early. State trust (DNRC) parcels are open with a conservation/recreation permit.
Managers: private ranch + Block Management, USFS Custer Gallatin NF, MT DNRC state trust
Access points: Mill Creek Road (FS 486) and trailheads · Mission Creek and Suce Creek trailheads · Big Creek and Sixmile drainages · public Forest trailheads along the Absaroka front
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
abundant qualityThe signature species — a herd well above population objective, but heavily tied to private ranch land, so success hinges on access and on catching elk moving to public timber.
- →Secure Block Management or private permission early — access is everything here
- →Hunt the timbered public canyons above the ranches and intercept elk moving between private feed and forest cover
- →Glass high parks and burns at first and last light
- →Be prepared to climb hard and hunt the steep public ground others avoid
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer use the open foothill breaks and timbered ridges of the Absaroka front, with better bucks living high early.
- →Glass open slopes and rock rims at dawn
- →Hunt the alpine and timber edges early
- →Follow deer to lower breaks with snow
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityWhitetail hold in the Yellowstone River bottoms, irrigated fields, and willow corridors — mostly private ground.
- →Still-hunt river bottoms during the November rut
- →Use Block Management and public river access
- →Watch ag and field edges at first and last light
Black Bear
common qualityBlack bear work the berry brush, green-up slopes, and avalanche chutes — but grizzlies are established throughout this front.
- →Glass green avalanche chutes and openings in spring
- →Key on berry brush in fall
- →Confirm species with absolute certainty before shooting
Mountain Goat
limited trophyA prized limited-permit mountain_goat opportunity on the high rock of the Absaroka crest.
- →Glass cliff bands and alpine ledges from below
- →Plan a physical high-country stalk
- →Scout access and camps ahead of a coveted tag
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyA coveted limited-permit bighorn hunt in the steep canyon and alpine country of the Absaroka front.
- →Glass steep grassy faces and rock rims
- →Hunt canyon breaks and alpine benches
- →Expect a once-in-a-lifetime tag and scout hard
Moose
limited qualityShiras moose scatter through willow bottoms and wet drainages; a limited-permit species.
- →Hunt willow flats and beaver-pond complexes
- →Glass wet meadows at dawn and dusk
Cougar
common qualityLions follow the abundant deer and elk; a winter snow-and-hound pursuit.
- →Cut roads, ridges, and canyon bottoms for fresh tracks after snow
- →Follow deer wintering areas
Pro tips
- →Access is the whole game — line up Block Management or private permission months ahead, or commit to hunting the steep public timber the crowd skips
- →The elk herd is above objective, so opportunity exists, but the animals lean on private land; hunt the public/private seam
- →Hunt the steep, rugged Forest ground others won't — that is where public-land elk survive here
- →Use Block Management and public river access for the whitetail bottoms
- →Carry bear spray and hunt alert — established grizzly range every day
Watch out for
- !Occupied Greater Yellowstone grizzly country — carry bear spray, hunt alert, keep a clean camp, and be certain of your bear before shooting
- !Heavy private-land ownership on the valley floor and canyon mouths; secure legal access and know boundaries
- !Steep, rugged public terrain with limited trailheads — physical hunting and long climbs
- !Early snow and slick canyon roads late season; carry recovery gear
- !High-country goat and sheep tags demand serious fitness and route scouting
Logistics
Livingston is the hub for fuel, groceries, and lodging, with more services in nearby Bozeman; Emigrant and Pray have limited stops. Trailhead access up the side-canyons is often a slow gravel drive, and cell service fades in the drainages — carry a paper map, GPS, and a satellite messenger. Expect to hunt steep, physical public ground.
Nearest towns: Livingston, Emigrant, Pray, Bozeman
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: MTFWP 2025 Elk Count (HD 317 Absaroka above objective) · MTFWP Deer/Elk Hunting Districts (2026-2027) · Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Paradise Valley grizzly bear habitat · USFS Custer Gallatin National Forest
FAQ
- How big is Unit 317 in Montana?
- Unit 317 (District 317 (Region 3)) covers about 424 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,900 to 10,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 317?
- Approximately 45% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch + Block Management, USFS Custer Gallatin NF, MT DNRC state trust. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 317?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Black Bear, Mountain Goat, Bighorn Sheep, Moose, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 317 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.