Unit 622 District 622 (Region 6)
The heart of the Middle Missouri Breaks — CMR badlands, trophy bulls by permit, and rugged mule deer country.
Missouri River Breaks — Region 6 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
720
sq mi
Public land
60%
approx.
Elevation
2,200–3,400
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
District 622 sits in the middle Missouri River Breaks northwest of Jordan, a maze of timbered coulees, gumbo ridges, and ponderosa pockets breaking down toward the Missouri River and the Big Dry Arm of Fort Peck. Much of the ground is the Charles M. Russell (CMR) National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding BLM, making this some of the best public-land big-game country in eastern Montana. It is one of the marquee limited-permit elk units of the Breaks, with genuine trophy bulls, and it holds strong mule deer, whitetail in the bottoms, bighorn sheep on the refuge, and pronghorn on the prairie edges.
Terrain
Classic Missouri Breaks — flat-to-rolling prairie benches abruptly shattering into steep, brushy coulees, clay badlands, and timbered draws that drop toward the Missouri River and Fort Peck.
Cover: Ponderosa pine and juniper on north slopes and ridges, sagebrush and grass on the benches, greasewood and buffaloberry in the coulee bottoms, cottonwood and willow along the river and creek bottoms.
Landmarks: Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge · Missouri River · Big Dry Arm of Fort Peck Lake · Musselshell River confluence area · Hell Creek country · Jordan
Access
A public-land stronghold: the CMR refuge and large BLM tracts open enormous acreage, with scattered state trust sections (open with a conservation/recreation permit). Private ranches ring the public core and control much of the prairie access into the Breaks — many are enrolled in FWP's Block Management program for free public hunting. Check current BMA maps and refuge rules before you go; the CMR has its own access and vehicle restrictions.
Managers: USFWS Charles M. Russell NWR, BLM, MT DNRC state trust, private ranch + Block Management
Access points: Refuge and BLM roads off the Jordan / Sand Springs country · Hell Creek Road to Fort Peck Lake · Big Dry Arm access points · backcountry two-tracks into the Breaks (weather-dependent)
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common trophyA premier limited-permit Breaks elk unit — low tag numbers, mature age structure, and real trophy bulls holding in the timbered coulees and CMR.
- →Glass timbered heads of coulees and north-slope pine pockets at first and last light
- →Locate bulls by bugling in the September archery rut, then close through the breaks terrain
- →Hunt the CMR refuge core where bulls hold on public ground
- →Be prepared to hike far from roads and pack meat out of steep country
- →Expect a draw-only permit — plan point strategy years ahead
Mule Deer
common qualityThe backbone deer of the Breaks — bucks use the sage benches and coulee rims, with good trophy potential in a district that has rebounded off recent lows.
- →Glass coulee rims and sage flats at dawn and dusk
- →Still-hunt brushy draws and juniper pockets in midday
- →Hunt the rut in mid-to-late November when big bucks move and drop their guard
- →Cover ground glassing from high benches into the breaks below
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityWhitetail concentrate in the cottonwood river bottoms and creek corridors, separate from the mule deer up on the breaks.
- →Hunt the Missouri and creek-bottom cottonwoods and brush
- →Watch field and bottom edges at first and last light
- →Focus the November rut in the bottoms
Pronghorn
common qualityAntelope work the open prairie benches and grassland above and between the breaks.
- →Glass the open flats and prairie benches
- →Use terrain to stalk within range
- →Watch water sources and fence lines in warm early season
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyThe Missouri Breaks bighorn herds on and around the CMR produce outstanding rams — a coveted, tightly limited once-in-a-lifetime permit.
- →Glass river-breaks rimrock and steep clay faces
- →Focus on the CMR refuge sheep ranges
- →A draw-only hunt of a lifetime — scout hard if drawn
Pro tips
- →This is a public-land elk jewel — an elk permit here is worth every point it takes to draw; scout the CMR and BLM coulees hard
- →Treat gumbo like it can strand you: if rain or snow is coming, get out to gravel or you may be stuck for days
- →Glass, glass, glass — the Breaks reward patient optics work from high benches over covering ground
- →Learn the CMR refuge boundaries and its specific access and vehicle rules; they differ from BLM
- →Whitetail and mule deer split by habitat — hunt bottoms for whitetail, benches and coulees for muleys
Watch out for
- !Gumbo clay roads become impassable when wet — carry recovery gear, extra food/water, and watch the forecast
- !Extremely remote with little to no cell service; self-rescue capability and a satellite messenger are essential
- !Private ranches control much of the access into the public core — know boundaries and use Block Management legally
- !CMR refuge has its own rules distinct from BLM — vehicle, camping, and access restrictions apply
- !Late-season cold, wind, and snow can turn dangerous fast in open, exposed country
Logistics
Jordan is the hub for fuel, a motel, and basic groceries, but it is small and remote — top off fuel and supplies in Miles City, Lewistown, or Glasgow before heading in. There is boat and camp access at Fort Peck via Hell Creek. Cell coverage is minimal off the highways; carry paper maps, a GPS, and a satellite messenger. Services in the Breaks itself are essentially nonexistent.
Nearest towns: Jordan, Sand Springs, Winnett, Mosby
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: MTFWP Deer/Elk hunting district maps · USFWS Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge hunting · MTFWP fall elk distribution in the Missouri River Breaks (HD 621/622/631 study) · MTFWP Block Management program
FAQ
- How big is Unit 622 in Montana?
- Unit 622 (District 622 (Region 6)) covers about 720 square miles, ranging from roughly 2,200 to 3,400 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 622?
- Approximately 60% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFWS Charles M. Russell NWR, BLM, MT DNRC state trust, private ranch + Block Management. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 622?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Pronghorn, Bighorn Sheep. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 622 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.