Unit 401 District 401 (Region 4)
North-central prairie on the Canadian line — Block Management deer and pronghorn under the Sweetgrass Hills.
Hi-Line / Marias — Sweetgrass Hills Country — Region 4 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,810
sq mi
Public land
15%
approx.
Elevation
3,100–6,900
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
District 401 lies hard against the Canadian border in north-central Montana, running the Hi-Line country around Shelby, Chester, and Cut Bank beneath the isolated Sweetgrass Hills. It is big, open dryland farm and prairie broken by the Marias and Milk river drainages and their coulees, with the Sweetgrass Hills rising as a lone island of higher, brushier ground. Large tracts are private, but a decent amount of huntable land comes through FWP's Block Management program, which is often the key to access. Elk are minimal here — the draw is deer (both whitetail and mule) and prairie pronghorn, with whitetail numbers recovering from recent EHD hits.
Terrain
Open dryland farm and short-grass prairie cut by river coulees and breaks, with the isolated Sweetgrass Hills buttes rising to timbered, brushy higher ground near the border.
Cover: Dryland wheat and stubble, native prairie and sage, cottonwood-and-willow river bottoms along the Marias and Milk, and aspen, juniper, and Douglas-fir on the higher Sweetgrass Hills slopes.
Landmarks: Sweetgrass Hills (West, Middle, East Butte) · Marias River · Milk River · Canadian border · Hi-Line (US 2) corridor
Access
Large tracts of private farm and ranch dominate, but a meaningful share of the huntable ground is private land enrolled in FWP's Block Management program, which opens it to free public hunting and is frequently the difference-maker here. Scattered BLM and DNRC state-trust sections — including public ground on the Sweetgrass Hills buttes — add opportunity; state trust is open with a conservation/recreation permit. Note that Elk B licenses valid on private and DNRC land are not offered in HD 401. Secure BMA sign-in or permission before the hunt.
Managers: private ranch + farm + Block Management, MT DNRC state trust, BLM (scattered)
Access points: US 2 (Hi-Line) corridor through Shelby, Chester, and Cut Bank · I-15 north to the border at Sweetgrass · BLM parcels on the Sweetgrass Hills buttes · county grid roads and Block Management sign-in boxes · Marias River access below Tiber Dam
Species notes
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityThe backbone of the district — whitetail hold the Marias and Milk river bottoms and ag edges; herds are rebuilding after recent EHD outbreaks but hunting remains good.
- →Still-hunt the cottonwood river bottoms during the November rut
- →Glass ag field edges and coulees at dawn and dusk
- →Prioritize Block Management ground along the rivers for legal bottom access
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer work the prairie breaks, coulees, and the brushy Sweetgrass Hills; a scouting-and-glassing game across big country.
- →Hunt the Sweetgrass Hills buttes and public BLM/DNRC ground for less-pressured bucks
- →Glass coulee systems and river breaks from high vantages
- →Cover ground to locate pockets of bucks in the open prairie
Pronghorn
common opportunityPronghorn range the open Hi-Line prairie and stubble; numbers have been stable to increasing after mild winters.
- →Glass big country from high points and use coulees to stalk
- →Focus on Block Management and state-trust ground where antelope aren't locked behind private gates
- →Scout water and fence crossings in dry stretches
Pro tips
- →Block Management is the access key here — sign up and locate enrolled tracts before the season in this private-heavy district
- →The Sweetgrass Hills hold the district's best public and mule-deer opportunity — hunt the buttes and their brushy slopes
- →Whitetail live in the Marias and Milk river bottoms; hunt the cottonwood cover, not the open wheat
- →Note that HD 401 does not offer Elk B licenses on private/DNRC land — plan for deer and pronghorn
- →Avoid the dirt roads when wet — Hi-Line gumbo will strand you
Watch out for
- !Most of the district is private — verify land status and use Block Management legally
- !EHD outbreaks have knocked back whitetail in recent years; herds are still recovering in the bottoms
- !Wet-weather gumbo roads become impassable — carry recovery gear and watch the forecast
- !Elk opportunity is minimal and Elk B licenses on private/DNRC land are not available here
- !Grizzlies are increasingly dispersing east onto the plains from the Rocky Mountain Front near Cut Bank; stay bear-aware in the western reaches
Logistics
Shelby and Cut Bank offer fuel, lodging, and groceries along the Hi-Line, with more options in Chester and full services in Great Falls to the south. County grid roads make travel easy when dry but the gumbo turns greasy and impassable when wet. Cell coverage fades off the US 2 and I-15 corridors — carry a map and a satellite messenger.
Nearest towns: Shelby, Chester, Cut Bank, Sunburst, 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 401 profile · MTFWP Region 4 draft hunting district descriptions · MTFWP Destination: North-central Montana (Region 4) · MTFWP Region 4 hunting information
FAQ
- How big is Unit 401 in Montana?
- Unit 401 (District 401 (Region 4)) covers about 1,810 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,100 to 6,900 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 401?
- Approximately 15% 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 401?
- Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Pronghorn. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 401 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.