Unit 320 District 320 (Region 3)
An island range south of the Jefferson River — good general-tag bulls, strong whitetail numbers, and a private-land winter puzzle.
Tobacco Root Mountains — Region 3 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
838
sq mi
Public land
55%
approx.
Elevation
4,800–10,600
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
District 320 covers the eastern Tobacco Root Mountains, a steep, rugged island range lying south of the Jefferson River and northwest of Ennis in southwest Montana. The district runs the high-line of the Tobacco Roots north to the Jefferson and east toward Highway 287. Elk and whitetail deer are both numerous, and a brow-tined-bull restriction pushes elk into an older age class, giving this general-tag district genuinely good trophy potential — the archery elk hunt in particular is excellent. The catch is access: elk and deer winter largely on private valley land and are often unavailable to most hunters during the rifle season.
Terrain
A compact, steep-and-rugged island range with a largely roadless interior rising to peaks over 10,000 feet, dropping to the Jefferson and Madison valley floors.
Cover: Densely forested high country of Douglas fir, lodgepole, and ponderosa with scattered native-grass meadows and wildflower parks; sagebrush foothills and irrigated ag in the surrounding valleys.
Landmarks: Tobacco Root Mountains · Jefferson River · Ennis Lake · Hollowtop Mountain · Highway 287 corridor
Access
The high, roadless core of the Tobacco Roots is Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest with good foot access, but the productive foothills and valley winter range are largely private ranchland. Because elk and deer drift onto private ground for winter, they become hard to reach during rifle season — Block Management enrollments and DNRC state-trust parcels are the key to legal access on the fringes, so check current BMA maps. Much of the range interior is roadless.
Managers: USFS Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF, private ranch + Block Management, BLM, MT DNRC state trust
Access points: South Boulder Road and drainages off the north face · Mill Creek and Cataract drainages · USFS trailheads out of Pony and Harrison · Hwy 287 / Ennis Lake approaches on the east
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityA standout general-tag elk district — a brow-tined-bull rule protects mature bulls and the archery hunt is very good. The population sits above the FWP objective range.
- →Hunt archery season hard while elk are still high and on public timber
- →Work meadow edges and timber pockets in the roadless interior
- →Call and locate bugling bulls in the September rut
- →Scout private-boundary escape terrain — elk vanish onto private winter range once rifle pressure builds
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityWhitetail are numerous in the river bottoms, ag edges, and lower foothills — the district's most accessible deer.
- →Still-hunt Jefferson River and creek bottoms during the November rut
- →Hunt ag-and-timber edges via Block Management
- →Glass valley fields at dawn and dusk
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer use the higher open slopes and foothill sage; densities are moderate but a patient hunter can find a decent buck in the backcountry.
- →Glass high open basins and sage foothills early in the season
- →Hunt the timber-and-rock transition
- →Move to lower foothills as weather pushes deer down
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear inhabit the timbered slopes and berry brush of the range; a solid spring and fall forest opportunity.
- →Glass green-up chutes and south slopes in spring
- →Key on berry brush and forest openings in fall
Moose
limited opportunityA few Shiras moose scatter through willow drainages and wet basins; a limited-permit species here.
- →Hunt willow bottoms and wet meadows
- →Glass beaver-pond complexes at dawn and dusk
Pro tips
- →Archery in September is the best play — elk are high, on public ground, and bugling before they retreat to private winter range
- →The brow-tined-bull rule means older bulls; hunt for a mature animal rather than a raghorn
- →Whitetail in the Jefferson bottoms are the reliable meat hunt when the high country empties
- →Scout the public-private boundary now — knowing exactly where the forest ends saves a rifle season
- →The roadless interior rewards hunters willing to hike or pack in deep
Watch out for
- !Elk and deer winter on private ranchland and are often unavailable during rifle season — access is the central challenge here
- !Steep, roadless interior means long, physical hunts and demanding pack-outs
- !High-elevation weather turns fast — early snow and cold at the tops
- !Know exact public-private boundaries; use Block Management legally on the fringes
Logistics
Base out of Ennis, Whitehall, or Sheridan for fuel, lodging, and groceries. Forest roads reach the range flanks but the interior is largely trail-access on foot or horseback. Cell service fades quickly off the valley highways — carry a GPS and satellite messenger.
Nearest towns: Ennis, Sheridan, Whitehall, Twin Bridges, Harrison
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT Montana Unit 320 Profile (FWP description) · MTFWP 2025 Elk Count (HD 320 Tobacco Root) · USFS Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
FAQ
- How big is Unit 320 in Montana?
- Unit 320 (District 320 (Region 3)) covers about 838 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,800 to 10,600 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 320?
- Approximately 55% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF, private ranch + Block Management, BLM, MT DNRC state trust. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 320?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Black Bear, Moose. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 320 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.