Unit 335 District 335 (Region 3)
The road-laced Boulder Mountains south of Helena — accessible public-land elk and deer in a capital-city backyard.
Boulder Mountains / Helena South — Region 3 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
218
sq mi
Public land
65%
approx.
Elevation
4,500–8,500
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
District 335 is the Helena-South unit, covering the Boulder Mountains and surrounding foothills south of Helena and west of Interstate 15. The Helena National Forest makes up the bulk of the elk habitat, a mid-elevation landscape of timbered ridges, mining-scarred drainages, and sage foothills threaded with roads and trails. Both mule deer and whitetail are hunted here alongside elk. The district sits in the Deer Lodge Elk Management Unit and has run at or over its elk objective, but easy road access out of Helena, heavy pressure, and winter-range encroachment have pushed trophy quality and mature-bull numbers down — this is an opportunity and access hunt, not a trophy destination.
Terrain
Timbered mid-elevation mountains and forested ridges dropping to sage-and-grass foothills, cut by old mining drainages and a dense road-and-trail network.
Cover: Douglas-fir and lodgepole timber on the slopes, sagebrush and bunchgrass on the foothills and south faces, aspen and willow in the draws, with old mine tailings and cutover blocks.
Landmarks: Boulder Mountains · Continental Divide / MacDonald Pass · Helena National Forest · Interstate 15 corridor · Basin Creek · Bison Creek / Tenmile drainages
Access
The Helena National Forest anchors public access and is heavily roaded, making this one of the most accessible elk districts in the region — a double edge, since it drives road-hunting pressure. Private ranch and rural-residential ground fills the foothills and valley bottoms near Helena, Boulder, and Basin; some parcels enroll in FWP's Block Management program, and state trust (DNRC) land is open with a conservation license.
Managers: USFS Helena-Lewis & Clark NF, MT DNRC state trust, BLM, private ranch + Block Management
Access points: Interstate 15 (Basin, Boulder, Jefferson City exits) · US 12 / MacDonald Pass · Basin Creek Road · Tenmile Creek Road · extensive Helena NF forest roads and trails
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityAt or over the Deer Lodge EMU objective in numbers, but easy road access out of Helena and winter-range encroachment have driven mature-bull quality and overall trophy potential low; a general-opportunity elk hunt.
- →Get well off the road network — pressure concentrates near trailheads and forest roads
- →Hunt back-timber pockets and steeper north slopes elk retreat to under pressure
- →Work the September rut before hunters and snow scatter herds
- →Use the dense road grid to scout, then hunt on foot away from it
Mule Deer
common opportunityWidespread on the open foothills, sage faces, and higher rims; solid general-season opportunity, with antlerless B-license opportunity in recent years.
- →Glass sage foothills and south faces at dawn and dusk
- →Push into higher rims and timber edges for mature bucks
- →Hunt the timber-to-sage transition zones
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityHolds in the creek bottoms, aspen draws, and ag-and-residential edges of the lower foothills.
- →Still-hunt willow and aspen bottoms
- →Hunt ag and Block Management edges during the November rut
- →Watch riparian corridors near Boulder and Basin
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bear scatter through the timbered drainages and berry patches; an incidental spring/fall opportunity.
- →Glass green-up openings and old burns in spring
- →Key on berry patches and moist north slopes in fall
Cougar
common qualityMountain lions follow the healthy deer and elk herds through the timber; a winter hound-and-snow pursuit.
- →Cut roads and ridgelines for fresh tracks after snow
- →Follow the deer wintering areas in the foothills
Pro tips
- →The whole district's weakness is its access — beat the crowd by hiking well off the road grid into back-timber pockets
- →Elk numbers are healthy but bull quality is low; hunt for opportunity, not a trophy
- →Watch winter-range encroachment near Helena — elk drift onto private ground as snow deepens
- →Use Block Management and state trust parcels to reach foothill deer ground near Boulder and Basin
- →Lions are a genuine winter opportunity here off the healthy deer herds
Watch out for
- !Heavy road-hunting pressure — this is Helena's backyard and access is easy
- !Rural-residential and private ranch ground laces the foothills; know boundaries and use Block Management legally
- !Elk drift onto private winter range near town as snow deepens, complicating late access
- !Early mountain snow and cold; back roads can get greasy
- !Low mature-bull quality — set expectations accordingly
Logistics
Helena offers full services just north of the district, with Boulder and Basin providing fuel and basics along I-15. The dense Helena National Forest road network makes access easy, but that same accessibility means crowds — plan to hike away from vehicles. Cell coverage is decent near the interstate and towns and fades in the back drainages.
Nearest towns: Helena, Boulder, Basin, Clancy, Jefferson City
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT — Montana Hunt District 335 Unit Profile · MTFWP Deer/Elk HD 335 Map · Montana Statewide Elk Management Plan (Deer Lodge EMU)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 335 in Montana?
- Unit 335 (District 335 (Region 3)) covers about 218 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,500 to 8,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 335?
- Approximately 65% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Helena-Lewis & Clark NF, MT DNRC state trust, BLM, private ranch + Block Management. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 335?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Black Bear, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 335 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.