Unit 400 District 400 (Region 4)
North-central grain country between the Rockies and the Marias — pronghorn, breaks mule deer, and low pressure for the patient.
Golden Triangle Wheat Country — Region 4 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,891
sq mi
Public land
13%
approx.
Elevation
3,200–4,400
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
District 400 sprawls across nearly 1,900 square miles of north-central Montana's Golden Triangle, the great dryland wheat belt east of the Rocky Mountain Front around Conrad, Brady, and Dutton. It is farm country first — flat to rolling grain and stubble broken only by the coulees and breaks along the Marias, Teton, and Marias-tributary drainages. Elk are essentially absent, but the district holds pronghorn on the open plains and both mule and whitetail deer in the breaks and river bottoms. Public land is scarce (roughly an eighth of the unit), so success rides on scouting, landowner permission, and Block Management access.
Terrain
Flat to gently rolling dryland farm ground and native prairie cut by brushy coulees and eroded breaks along the Marias and Teton river systems.
Cover: Dryland wheat, barley, and stubble, native short-grass and sage prairie, with cottonwood-and-willow river bottoms and buckbrush coulees threading the breaks.
Landmarks: Marias River · Teton River · Golden Triangle wheat belt · Lake Frances / Tiber-area coulees · Pondera and Toole county prairie
Access
The district is overwhelmingly private dryland farm and ranch — only about 13% public. What public opportunity exists is scattered BLM and DNRC state-trust sections plus, critically, FWP Block Management acreage, which opens sizeable private tracts to free public hunting and is often the only practical way onto huntable ground. Secure permission or BMA sign-in ahead of time; state trust sections are open with a conservation/recreation permit. The best deer ground — the river-bottom and breaks cover — is almost all privately held.
Managers: private ranch + farm + Block Management, MT DNRC state trust, BLM (scattered)
Access points: US 89 / I-15 corridors through Conrad and Brady · Marias River access below Tiber Dam · county grid roads across the wheat sections · Block Management sign-in boxes on enrolled ranches
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe signature big game of the district — pronghorn roam the open prairie and stubble; numbers have held stable to increasing after mild winters.
- →Glass big country from vehicle-accessible high points and drive the grid to locate bucks
- →Make long, patient stalks using coulees and terrain folds for cover
- →Focus on Block Management and DNRC ground where antelope aren't locked behind private gates
- →Scout water sources and fence crossings in dry stretches
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer hold the coulees, sage draws, and broken ground along the Marias and Teton breaks; regional numbers sit below long-term averages.
- →Hunt the breaks and coulee heads where prairie meets river bottom
- →Glass draws and rims at first and last light
- →Cover ground to find pockets of bucks in an under-hunted district
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityWhitetail concentrate in the Marias and Teton river bottoms and adjacent ag — classic bottomland deer, almost entirely on private land.
- →Still-hunt cottonwood bottoms during the November rut
- →Glass field edges and river breaks at dawn and dusk
- →Lean on Block Management parcels along the rivers for legal bottom access
Pro tips
- →Scouting and access are everything — line up Block Management sign-ins and landowner permission before the season in this private-dominated district
- →Pronghorn are the real draw; hunt the open prairie and use coulees to close the distance
- →The Marias and Teton breaks hold the mule deer — hunt broken ground, not the flat wheat
- →Pressure is genuinely low, so patient hunters willing to knock on doors and cover country are rewarded
- →Avoid the dirt roads when they're wet — Golden Triangle gumbo will strand you
Watch out for
- !Only about an eighth of the district is public — verify land status and use Block Management legally
- !Wet-weather gumbo roads become impassable; carry recovery gear and watch the forecast
- !EHD outbreaks can knock back whitetail numbers in the river bottoms in dry years
- !Elk are essentially absent here — this is a pronghorn and deer district
- !Cell coverage is unreliable off the highways; carry a map and a way to call for help
Logistics
Conrad and Shelby offer fuel, groceries, and lodging, with full services in Great Falls to the south; Brady and Dutton are small farm towns with limited amenities. County grid roads make travel easy in dry weather but the gumbo turns impassable when wet. Cell coverage is spotty off the main corridors.
Nearest towns: Conrad, Brady, Dutton, Shelby, Great Falls
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT Montana Unit 400 profile · MTFWP Destination: North-central Montana (Region 4) · MTFWP Region 4 hunting forecasts · MTFWP Region 4 hunting information
FAQ
- How big is Unit 400 in Montana?
- Unit 400 (District 400 (Region 4)) covers about 1,891 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,200 to 4,400 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 400?
- Approximately 13% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch + farm + Block Management, MT DNRC state trust, BLM (scattered). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 400?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 400 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.