Unit 690 District 690 (Region 6)
An island mountain range that grows giant bulls, ringed by prairie, ag, and hard-to-reach private ground.
Bears Paw Mountains / Hi-Line — Region 6 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
3,996
sq mi
Public land
20%
approx.
Elevation
2,500–6,900
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
District 690 wraps the Bears Paw Mountains, a forested island range rising out of the plains north of the Missouri River and south of Havre in north-central Montana. The mountain core holds ponderosa pine, brushy creek bottoms, and open grassy slopes, while the surrounding country falls away to sage prairie and dryland/irrigated ag. The Bears Paws have earned a reputation as one of Montana's best trophy-bull elk pockets, and the district also carries strong mule deer, bottom-land whitetail, and prairie pronghorn. The Rocky Boy Indian Reservation sits in the heart of the range as separate tribal land, and much of the best hunting is on private ranches — access is the central challenge here.
Terrain
A compact forested island range (Bears Paw Mountains) cresting near 6,900 ft, dropping through pine foothills and coulees into open sage prairie and river-bottom ag.
Cover: Ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir on the mountain, with cottonwood- and willow-choked creek beds, open grassy hillsides, and sage; lower elevations are prairie grass, shrubs, and dryland/irrigated farmland.
Landmarks: Bears Paw Mountains · Baldy Mountain · Beaver Creek · Rocky Boy Indian Reservation · Big Sandy · Missouri River (south boundary country)
Access
This is a private-land district at its core. There is scattered BLM and DNRC state trust (open with a state land recreation permit), plus Beaver Creek County Park south of Havre, but the elk-rich mountain ground is largely private ranch and the Rocky Boy Reservation, which requires separate tribal permission. FWP Block Management enrolls a number of area ranches for free public hunting — check current BMA maps and sign-in rules. A lot of the top-end trophy hunting runs through outfitters or paid access.
Managers: private ranch + Block Management, MT DNRC state trust, BLM, tribal (Rocky Boy — separate)
Access points: Beaver Creek Road / Beaver Creek County Park south of Havre · US Highway 87 corridor toward Big Sandy · county and ranch roads off the Hi-Line (US 2) · scattered BLM and state parcels — verify on a land-ownership layer
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common trophyThe marquee draw — the Bears Paws produce mature, heavy trophy bulls nearly every year, and recent surveys have run well above the long-term average.
- →Draw or secure access early — the best ground is private and limited-permit
- →Glass the pine-and-grass mosaic on the mountain edges at first and last light
- →Work the transition between timbered slopes and open feed
- →Consider outfitted or Block Management access to reach the trophy ground
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer are strong across the foothills, coulees, and prairie breaks; densities north of Highway 2 and in the eastern prairie have held above average.
- →Glass coulees, pine pockets, and sage benches from high points
- →Hunt the rut in mid-to-late November when bucks move
- →Push open ridgelines and juniper draws off the mountain flanks
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityWhitetail hold in the creek bottoms, willow tangles, and ag edges around the range — the classic river-bottom deer of the Hi-Line.
- →Still-hunt cottonwood and willow bottoms along Beaver Creek and area streams
- →Watch ag edges and shelterbelts at dawn and dusk
- →Focus the November rut in the bottoms
Pronghorn
common qualityPronghorn range the open sage prairie and grassland surrounding the mountain, typical of the north-central plains.
- →Glass wide from vehicle-accessible high ground and stalk
- →Focus on Block Management and public parcels for shootable access
- →Hunt water and fence-line funnels in early season heat
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bear are present in the timbered mountain core in modest numbers — a bonus opportunity, not a primary target.
- →Glass green draws and berry patches on the mountain in spring and fall
- →Hunt the pine-and-brush pockets where feed concentrates
Pro tips
- →The Bears Paw trophy elk are the reason to be here — line up access (draw, Block Management, or outfitter) well ahead of season
- →Respect the Rocky Boy Reservation boundary; it is separate tribal land requiring tribal permission
- →Run a land-ownership layer constantly — the mountain is a checkerboard of private, tribal, state, and BLM
- →Beaver Creek County Park south of Havre offers rare walk-in public ground close to the range
- →Glass the timber-to-grass edges for both elk and mule deer at the light ends of the day
Watch out for
- !Access is the biggest hurdle — the best ground is private ranch or reservation land
- !Do not enter the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation to hunt without tribal authorization
- !Prairie and mountain roads turn to greasy gumbo when wet — carry recovery gear
- !Early-season heat during the antelope opener; late-season cold, wind, and snow
Logistics
Havre on the Hi-Line (US 2) is the full-service hub for lodging, fuel, and supplies, with Big Sandy to the southwest. Amtrak's Empire Builder stops in Havre. Secure private access or a Block Management sign-in before you arrive, and carry a land-ownership map — public and private are tightly interwoven around the range.
Nearest towns: Havre, Big Sandy, Box Elder, Chinook
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 690 (South Hill–Blaine–Chouteau) · RMEF Montana Hunting Forecast (Bears Paw / HD 690 elk survey) · GOHUNT Montana Unit 690 Profile
FAQ
- How big is Unit 690 in Montana?
- Unit 690 (District 690 (Region 6)) covers about 3,996 square miles, ranging from roughly 2,500 to 6,900 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 690?
- Approximately 20% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch + Block Management, MT DNRC state trust, BLM, tribal (Rocky Boy — separate). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 690?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Pronghorn, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 690 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.