Unit 380 District 380 (Region 3)
Montana's premier trophy-bull elk range — a limited-permit island of big bulls, cooperatively managed and famous statewide.
Elkhorn Mountains — Region 3 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,045
sq mi
Public land
70%
approx.
Elevation
4,000–9,500
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
District 380 is the Elkhorn Mountains, a compact, isolated island range rising between Boulder, Townsend, and Helena that is distinguished in Montana as a premier destination for mature bull elk. Brow-tined bull hunting is by limited permit only under a unique spike-only general regulation, and antlered mule deer are likewise permit-only — management deliberately built to grow age class. The range runs from roughly 4,000-foot sagebrush flats to nearly 9,500-foot peaks, blanketed in timber, grass parks, and open hillsides. The entire mountain lies within the Elkhorn Cooperative Management Area, jointly stewarded by two national forests, BLM, and FWP, and includes the road-closed Elkhorns Wildlife Management Area protecting critical elk winter range.
Terrain
A steep, timbered island mountain range with rolling grass parks and open hillsides mixed at all elevations; higher north slopes are forested, the southern end grades from pine-and-sage into juniper-sage flats.
Cover: Lodgepole, ponderosa, and Douglas-fir on the higher and northern slopes; grasses dominate the parks and open faces; the south end mixes pine and sagebrush giving way to sagebrush and juniper on the flats.
Landmarks: Elkhorn Peak · Crow Peak · Elkhorns Wildlife Management Area · Elkhorn ghost town · Crow Creek · Helena-Lewis & Clark and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forests
Access
Public access is excellent, with trails into the more remote interior taking off from both the east and west sides of the range. The core is national forest under the Elkhorn Cooperative Management Area; the Elkhorns Wildlife Management Area is closed to vehicles to protect winter range, so plan to hunt it on foot or horseback. Private ranchland rings the base along the sagebrush flats and creek bottoms — several parcels are enrolled in Block Management, and DNRC state trust sections open with a conservation/recreation permit.
Managers: USFS Helena-Lewis & Clark NF, USFS Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF, BLM, MT DNRC state trust, private ranch + Block Management
Access points: Crow Creek Road (east side, from Radersburg/Townsend) · Tizer Basin / McClellan Creek (north) · Elkhorn ghost town road from Boulder · Forest trailheads on both the east and west flanks · BLM and Block Management access at the range base
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
abundant trophyThe reason HD 380 is a household name in Montana. Managed for age class under a spike-only general season with brow-tined bulls by limited permit only, the range produces genuinely mature bulls — though overall numbers have run below the management goal.
- →Apply for the limited brow-tined bull permit — it is the whole point of hunting here
- →Hunt the interior parks and timber edges, working in from the road-closed WMA on foot or horseback
- →Bugle the timbered basins during the September rut
- →Focus on the transition between high grass parks and the surrounding forest at first and last light
Mule Deer
common qualityAntlered mule deer are limited-permit only here; numbers on the national forest have been down, but the permit structure protects buck age class.
- →Draw the limited antlered permit and hunt the open high parks and rocky ridges
- →Glass sagebrush faces on the south end at dawn
- →Push higher toward the peaks for mature bucks holding above pressure
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityWhitetail hold the lower creek bottoms and ag edges ringing the range rather than the mountain interior.
- →Hunt the Crow Creek and other lower bottoms during the November rut
- →Watch private-edge and Block Management ag ground at the base
Moose
limited qualityA small Shiras moose population uses the willow bottoms and wet drainages; a coveted, very-limited-permit species.
- →Glass willow flats and beaver-pond complexes at dawn and dusk
- →Work the wet timbered drainages high in the range
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyThe Elkhorns support a small bighorn population — a rare, once-in-a-lifetime draw tag when offered.
- →This is a long-odds special draw; scout the rocky high country and cliff bands if you hold the tag
Black Bear
common qualityBlack bear are well distributed through the timbered drainages and berry country of the range.
- →Glass green-up on avalanche paths and south slopes in spring
- →Key on berry patches and mast in fall timber
Cougar
common qualityStrong lion numbers track the elk and deer herds; a winter hound-and-snow pursuit.
- →Cut ridges and roads for fresh tracks after snow
- →Follow the wintering elk and deer concentrations
Pro tips
- →The limited brow-tined bull permit is the crown jewel of Montana elk hunting — build points and apply; the general season is spike-only
- →Learn the Elkhorns Wildlife Management Area boundary and its vehicle closure; the best winter-range hunting is a foot-or-horse game inside it
- →September archery is a legitimate DIY path to a mature bull when the rut is on
- →Hunt the interior parks-and-timber mosaic, not the road edges — pressure concentrates near the trailheads
- →Sort out the national-forest-versus-private ring at the base and use Block Management to reach the lower bottoms legally
Watch out for
- !Bull elk are spike-only on the general license — brow-tined bulls require the limited permit; know the regulation before you hunt
- !The Elkhorns WMA is closed to motor vehicles to protect winter range — plan foot/horse access and packouts accordingly
- !Grizzly bears are slowly expanding across southwest Montana; encounters remain uncommon in the Elkhorns but carry bear spray and stay alert
- !Private ranchland rings the base — respect boundaries and use Block Management legally
- !High-country cold, early snow, and long packouts demand real backcountry preparation
Logistics
Base out of Townsend (east side) or Boulder (west side); Helena is the nearest full-service city with lodging, fuel, and outfitters. Interior access is on foot or horseback given the road-closed WMA, so plan for backcountry logistics and a way to pack out a bull. Cell coverage is spotty in the range interior — carry a GPS with ownership layers and a satellite messenger.
Nearest towns: Townsend, Boulder, Helena, Montana City, Radersburg
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: MTFWP Elkhorn Mountains Elk Project Final Report (2015-2018) · MTFWP Montana Outdoors: Big Bulls to the Elkhorns · FWP Region 3 Hunting Forecasts (Anaconda Leader) · USFS Elkhorn Wildlife Management Unit
FAQ
- How big is Unit 380 in Montana?
- Unit 380 (District 380 (Region 3)) covers about 1,045 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,000 to 9,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 380?
- Approximately 70% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Helena-Lewis & Clark NF, USFS Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF, BLM, MT DNRC state trust, private ranch + Block Management. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 380?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Moose, Bighorn Sheep, 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 380 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.