Unit 447 District 447 (Region 4)
An island range east of Great Falls — elk above objective, ringed by private wheat country and a growing Block Management foothold.
Highwood Mountains — Region 4 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
884
sq mi
Public land
21%
approx.
Elevation
3,400–7,625
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
District 447 is the Highwood Mountains, a small, isolated island range rising out of the wheat-and-grass plains east of Great Falls. A timbered volcanic core sits surrounded by a broad apron of private ranch and dryland farm ground. Elk have done well here and the population has run above the district's upper objective, but roughly four-fifths of the land is private, so access is the whole game. Recent additions to FWP's Block Management program — especially on the eastern end — have opened new public opportunity in a district that has long been tough to hunt without permission.
Terrain
A compact timbered island range topping out near Highwood Baldy, skirted by rolling grassland and dryland-farm benches falling toward the Missouri and Highwood Creek.
Cover: Douglas-fir and lodgepole on the mountain core and north slopes; open bunchgrass and sage on the flanks; wheat and hay ground on the surrounding benches, with cottonwood and brush along Highwood and Shonkin creeks.
Landmarks: Highwood Mountains · Highwood Baldy · Highwood Creek · Shonkin Creek · Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest (Highwood unit)
Access
Only about a fifth of the district is public — a block of Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest over the Highwood core plus scattered state-trust sections. Everything else is deeded ranch and farm ground, and access to the private land around the mountain can be difficult. The bright spot is Block Management: enrollments have grown in recent years, including a newer BMA on the eastern end, and some landowners allow public elk hunting. Check current BMA maps and rosters; state trust parcels are open with a conservation/recreation permit.
Managers: private ranch + Block Management, USFS Helena-Lewis & Clark NF (Highwood unit), MT DNRC state trust
Access points: USFS roads into the Highwood Mountains core · Block Management ranches, including the newer eastern-end BMA (check current maps) · DNRC state-trust sections · county roads off US 87 / Highwood and Geraldine
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityThe Highwood elk herd has run above the district's upper population objective; good numbers, but they lean on private land and access is the limiting factor.
- →Secure a Block Management or private permission before the season — it is the whole game here
- →Hunt the Forest timber core and watch where elk feed onto surrounding private
- →Glass grassy flanks and coulees at first and last light
- →Antlerless opportunity drives much of the harvest — plan around it
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer work the broken foothill draws and coulees around the mountain core and out onto the benches.
- →Glass coulee heads and broken benches at dawn
- →Push timber-edge pockets for mature bucks
- →Hunt the November rut when bucks follow does into the open
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityWhitetail hold the ag bottoms and brushy creek corridors — Highwood and Shonkin creeks and the farm edges — largely a private-land deer.
- →Still-hunt cottonwood and willow creek bottoms
- →Work Block Management ag edges during the November rut
- →Glass field margins at first and last light
Pronghorn
common opportunityThe open plains and dryland-farm benches surrounding the Highwoods hold antelope out on the grass.
- →Glass wide-open benches and grassland far from the timber
- →Spot-and-stalk using the rolling terrain for cover
- →Line up private or BMA access — most antelope ground here is deeded
Black Bear
limited opportunityA small black bear presence in the timbered Highwood core; incidental opportunity where you can reach the Forest.
- →Glass green slopes and openings in the mountain core
- →Key on fall mast and berry patches
- →Numbers are low — this is an island range, not big bear country
Cougar
limited opportunityLions move through the range following the deer and elk; low density in a small island mountain.
- →Cut roads and ridgelines for fresh tracks after snow
- →Hunt near deer and elk concentrations
Pro tips
- →Access is everything — get on current Block Management maps early, and note the newer BMA on the eastern end
- →This is a small island range; elk cycle between the Forest core and surrounding private, so hunt the edges and the weather
- →The plains around the mountain are legitimately good antelope country if you can secure access
- →Learn the Forest and state-trust boundaries precisely — the public block is compact and surrounded by deeded ground
- →Great Falls makes an easy basecamp — you can day-hunt the Highwoods and still resupply in town
Watch out for
- !About 80% private — access to the ranch and farm ground around the Highwoods can be difficult; secure permission or BMA before you go
- !Checkerboard ownership around the mountain; know exactly whose ground you are on
- !Dispersing grizzlies have occasionally been documented moving through the central Montana island ranges and plains — carry bear spray, though the Highwoods are not established grizzly country
- !Dryland-farm and prairie two-tracks turn to gumbo when wet — carry recovery gear
- !Open-country wind and fast weather swings; dress for sudden cold
Logistics
Great Falls is the regional hub for fuel, groceries, and lodging, a short drive west; the small towns of Highwood, Geraldine, and Belt ring the mountain for basics. Cell coverage is decent on the plains but fades in the timber core. The surrounding land is a checkerboard of private farms and ranches — map your legal access carefully before driving in.
Nearest towns: Highwood, Geraldine, Belt, Great Falls
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: MTFWP Region 4 elk hunting districts (draft elk plan) — HD 447 Highwood Mountains · MTFWP North-central Montana Big Game Forecast (Region 4) · Hunt Talk — MT 447 Elk, Highwood Mountains
FAQ
- How big is Unit 447 in Montana?
- Unit 447 (District 447 (Region 4)) covers about 884 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,400 to 7,625 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 447?
- Approximately 21% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch + Block Management, USFS Helena-Lewis & Clark NF (Highwood unit), MT DNRC state trust. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 447?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Pronghorn, 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 447 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.