Unit 405 District 405 (Region 4)
Missouri breaks northeast of Great Falls — some of Montana's best general-season mule deer bucks, if you can get on the private ground.
Missouri River Breaks — Region 4 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
471
sq mi
Public land
9%
approx.
Elevation
2,600–3,900
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
District 405 is the Missouri River breaks-and-benchland country northeast of Great Falls, a compact unit of broken coulees, grass ridges, and river bottoms along the Missouri toward Fort Benton, with the north flank of the Highwood Mountains rising on its southern edge. It's predominantly private — only about 8.5 percent public — and best known for producing quality general-season mule deer out of the breaks, plus whitetail in the river and creek bottoms. Elk are minimal, mostly the occasional wanderer off the Highwoods. Access is the whole game: line up private permission or Block Management before you count on hunting here.
Terrain
Rugged Missouri River breaks and coulees dropping off dryland-farm benchland, with timbered river bottoms below and the Highwood foothills climbing on the south edge.
Cover: Grass and sagebrush breaks and ridges, dryland wheat on the benches, ponderosa and juniper on the rougher slopes, and cottonwood-willow bottoms along the Missouri and its creeks.
Landmarks: Missouri River · Highwood Mountains · Shonkin Creek · Benchland wheat country · City of Great Falls · Town of Fort Benton
Access
Overwhelmingly private ranch and farm land with only scattered BLM and state-trust parcels, many of them landlocked. Block Management is the primary route to public hunting — pull the current Region 4 BMA maps and sign in. Some Missouri River corridor access exists via BLM and river accesses. Confirm legal access to state-trust sections before relying on them.
Managers: private ranch + Block Management, BLM, MT DNRC state trust
Access points: Missouri River corridor accesses · US Highway 87 / Hwy 228 near Highwood · county grid roads off the benches · Block Management sign-in boxes
Species notes
Mule Deer
common trophyThe marquee species — the Missouri breaks here produce some of Montana's better general-season mule deer bucks, largely on private ground.
- →Glass coulee heads, breaks, and river rims at first and last light
- →Spot-and-stalk the broken country patiently
- →Hunt the late-November rut when big bucks move and chase
- →Do the legwork to secure private or Block Management access to the best breaks
Whitetail Deer
common qualityWhitetail hold in the Missouri and creek bottoms and feed out into the adjacent grain and alfalfa.
- →Hunt cottonwood bottoms and field edges morning and evening
- →Still-hunt the brushy river corridors during the November rut
- →Set up between bedding cover and crop fields for the evening feed
Pronghorn
common qualityAntelope range the open benchland and grass flats above the breaks when tags are available.
- →Glass from high benches and pick a buck before stalking
- →Use terrain folds and fence lines to close
- →Watch water sources in dry early season
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityElk are few — mostly occasional animals drifting off the Highwood Mountains onto the district's south edge.
- →Focus on the Highwood foothills on the southern boundary
- →Treat elk as a bonus while hunting deer
Cougar
limited opportunityMountain lions follow the deer into the timbered Missouri breaks and coulees; a low-density winter track-and-snow pursuit.
- →Cut the breaks and river-bottom cover for fresh tracks after snow
- →Follow deer wintering areas along the Missouri
Pro tips
- →This district is about big general-season mule deer in the breaks — the buck quality is the draw, and it's mostly behind private gates
- →Do your access homework early: secure private permission or line up Region 4 Block Management parcels before the season
- →Glass the Missouri coulees and river rims at dawn and hunt the late-November rut for a mature buck
- →Whitetail live in the river and creek bottoms — hunt cover-to-crop transitions
- →Don't drive the gumbo or the breaks two-track when wet; a high-clearance rig and recovery gear pay off
Watch out for
- !Only ~8.5% public — the trophy mule deer ground is overwhelmingly private; use Block Management legally and secure permission, and don't trespass
- !Many state-trust and BLM parcels are landlocked — verify legal access before you count on them
- !Gumbo roads and breaks two-track become impassable when wet — plan around weather
- !Rough breaks country with spotty cell service — carry a mapping app, GPS, and recovery gear
- !Private-land checkerboard — know exactly whose ground you're on before you hunt
Logistics
Great Falls is the full-service hub for fuel, groceries, lodging, and processing, with Fort Benton nearby for basics. Roads are a mix of highway and county grid that turn to gumbo when wet, and the breaks are rough two-track — high clearance helps. Cell coverage is spotty off the benches; carry a GPS and land-ownership app to stay legal on the private checkerboard.
Nearest towns: Great Falls, Fort Benton, Highwood, Belt
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT Montana Unit 405 profile · MTFWP Region 4 Hunting Districts (Elk Management Plan) · MTFWP 2024/2025 Legal Descriptions
FAQ
- How big is Unit 405 in Montana?
- Unit 405 (District 405 (Region 4)) covers about 471 square miles, ranging from roughly 2,600 to 3,900 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 405?
- Approximately 9% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch + Block Management, BLM, MT DNRC state trust. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 405?
- Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Pronghorn, Rocky Mountain Elk, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 405 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.