Unit 590 District 590 (Region 5)
Broken ponderosa breaks and coulee country east of Billings — a sleeper elk draw and scattered mule deer on a sea of private ranch land.
Bull Mountains & Pine Ridge — Region 5 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
2,919
sq mi
Public land
15%
approx.
Elevation
3,000–4,600
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
District 590 sprawls east of Billings and south of Roundup, taking in the Bull Mountains north of the Yellowstone River and the Pine Ridge country to the south, bounded by the Musselshell River on the south and east. Despite the name, the 'mountains' are really a big, broken set of ponderosa-timbered hills, coulees, and sandstone ridges rather than true peaks. Elk numbers have climbed steadily and the district is a coveted limited-draw bull unit, while it stays a general unit for mule deer bucks and either-sex whitetail. The overriding reality is private land: most of the game lives on ranch ground, many of the best ranches are leased to outfitters, and free public access hinges heavily on Block Management.
Terrain
Rolling, broken hill country of ponderosa-timbered ridges, sandstone rims, brushy coulees, and grassland parks, dropping to cottonwood river bottoms along the Yellowstone and Musselshell.
Cover: Ponderosa pine and juniper on the ridges and north slopes, sagebrush and native grass on the open faces and parks, and cottonwood-willow galleries along the river bottoms and ag edges.
Landmarks: Bull Mountains · Pine Ridge (south of the Yellowstone) · Yellowstone River · Musselshell River · Fattig Creek · Hawk Creek · Roundup (north) · Custer / Pompeys Pillar area
Access
This is overwhelmingly private ranch country, and access is the central challenge: most deer and elk live on private land, a high percentage of the better ranches are leased to outfitters, and casual permission is hard to come by. Scattered BLM parcels and DNRC state trust sections offer some public footing, but FWP Block Management is the key to free public hunting here — identify enrolled ranches early and check sign-in rules. The Yellowstone and Musselshell bottoms are almost entirely private.
Managers: private ranch + Block Management, BLM, MT DNRC state trust
Access points: Block Management ranches (the primary public route) · Scattered BLM tracts in the Bull Mountains · DNRC state trust sections (recreation permit) · County and ranch roads off US 87 (Billings-Roundup) and I-94 to the south · River-bottom access via public FAS where available
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityThe district's rising star: elk have increased and 590 is a sought-after limited-draw bull unit. Bulls hold in the timbered ridges and coulees of the Bull Mountains, but almost entirely on private ground.
- →Apply for the limited bull draw — this is a permit unit for antlered elk
- →Secure private access or a Block Management ranch before the season; the elk are on deeded land
- →Hunt the ponderosa ridges, brushy coulee heads, and timber-park edges
- →Glass open parks at first and last light and still-hunt the timber during the day
- →Cow/shoulder-season opportunities exist where landowners want harvest — ask around
Mule Deer
common opportunityA general mule deer buck unit. Deer are scattered across the breaks and coulee country and numbers have run down in recent years, but the broken terrain still hides mature bucks.
- →Glass sandstone rims, coulee heads, and open sage faces at dawn and dusk
- →Still-hunt the ponderosa ridges and pockets between the parks
- →Lean on Block Management and BLM ground for public opportunity
- →Hunt the second half of November when the rut pulls bucks into the open
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityEither-sex whitetail are available on a general tag, concentrated in the Yellowstone and Musselshell river bottoms and adjacent ag ground; numbers have been down but the bottoms still hold deer.
- →Hunt the cottonwood river bottoms and ag edges during the November rut
- →Work Block Management and permission ground along the Yellowstone and Musselshell
- →Set up on travel corridors between bedding cover and crop fields at first and last light
Pronghorn
limited opportunityPronghorn use the open grassland parks and sage flats on the fringes of the district; opportunity is limited and largely tied to the surrounding plains.
- →Glass the wide open parks and sage benches and make a long spot-and-stalk
- →Focus on Block Management and BLM openings away from the timbered core
Pro tips
- →Put in for the limited bull draw and line up access simultaneously — a tag without a place to hunt is worthless in this private-land district.
- →Block Management is the backbone of free public hunting here; identify enrolled ranches and their rules early.
- →Don't be fooled by the name — hunt the Bull Mountains as broken timbered breaks, not alpine peaks.
- →River-bottom whitetail on the Yellowstone and Musselshell are a solid consolation when high-country access falls through.
- →Carry ownership maps; ranch, BLM, and state ground interlock tightly out here.
Watch out for
- !Overwhelmingly private land with many top ranches leased to outfitters — secure access before you count on hunting here.
- !Public land is limited and scattered; know exactly where the BLM, state, and Block Management boundaries are.
- !Clay coulee and ranch roads turn to slick gumbo when wet.
- !Warm, dry early seasons; carry water and hunt the cool edges of the day.
Logistics
Billings is the full-service hub on the west/south edge, with Roundup serving the north. Roads are decent gravel and ranch two-tracks, passable in most rigs but slick when wet. The single biggest logistical task is access: map Block Management enrollments and state/BLM sections before you go, because a great deal of this district is deeded ranch land leased for hunting.
Nearest towns: Billings, Roundup, Custer, Musselshell, Pompeys Pillar
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: MTFWP Hunt Planner · GOHUNT — Montana Unit 590 Profile · HuntScore — HD 590 Bull Mountains / Pine Ridge
FAQ
- How big is Unit 590 in Montana?
- Unit 590 (District 590 (Region 5)) covers about 2,919 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,000 to 4,600 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 590?
- Approximately 15% 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 590?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetail 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 590 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.