Unit 704 District 704 (Region 7)
Southeast Montana's mule-deer heartland between the Tongue and Powder rivers, anchored by Custer National Forest pine hills — with sleeper trophy bulls on the private ground.
Tongue-Powder Custer Country — Region 7 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
5,431
sq mi
Public land
30%
approx.
Elevation
2,250–4,400
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
District 704 fills the country between the Tongue and Powder rivers in southeastern Montana, running from rolling prairie and sagebrush flats in the north up into the timbered ponderosa ridges of the Custer (Ashland) National Forest on the south end. It is one of Region 7's most diverse districts — cottonwood river bottoms, sagebrush flats, chalky breaks, and pine-and-juniper buttes all in one — and traditionally one of its most productive mule deer districts, though numbers ride the eastern-Montana cycle. About 30 percent of the district is public, split between isolated BLM tracts across the north and central portions and the big Custer NF block in the south. Elk live in scattered pockets with some genuinely good bulls, but they concentrate on private land; the Forest ground holds sign more than animals.
Terrain
Rolling prairie and big sagebrush flats in the north give way to forested timber buttes and steep river breaks in the south, with the Tongue and Powder river bottoms framing the district.
Cover: Cottonwood and willow river bottoms along the Tongue and Powder, sagebrush-grassland flats and rolling prairie across the middle, and heavily timbered ridges and plateaus of ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, and juniper on the Custer National Forest and pine buttes to the south.
Landmarks: Tongue River · Powder River · Custer National Forest (Ashland Ranger District) · Otter Creek · Ashland pine hills
Access
Roughly 30 percent of 704 is public — a large block of Custer National Forest across the timbered south end plus many isolated BLM parcels scattered through the north and central portions, mixed with DNRC state-trust sections. The Custer NF is the most reliable free public ground, though hunters find far more sign than animals on the Forest. FWP's Block Management program opens additional private ranch acreage, and it is often where the deer and elk actually are — sign up and check current Region 7 BMA maps. State-trust sections are open with a recreation permit; many BLM tracts are landlocked behind private ground.
Managers: USFS Custer NF, BLM, private ranch + Block Management, MT DNRC state trust
Access points: Custer National Forest (Ashland Ranger District) roads and trailheads on the south end · Region 7 Block Management Areas (check current FWP maps and sign-in boxes) · scattered BLM tracts across the north and central district · MT DNRC state-trust sections (state-lands recreation permit required) · access along the Tongue and Powder river corridors
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityTraditionally one of Region 7's most productive mule deer districts — bucks range from the sagebrush breaks and pine buttes to the timbered Custer NF ridges. Numbers are on a lower cycle but the district still grows mature bucks for hunters who work the country.
- →Glass coulee heads, sagebrush breaks, and pine-butte edges at first and last light
- →Hunt the timbered Custer NF ridges and their grassy openings for bedded bucks
- →Time the mid-to-late-November rut when bucks move with does in the open
- →Combine Custer NF public ground with Block Management ranches to cover more country
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited trophyElk live in isolated pockets across 704, and the district holds some genuinely big bulls — but the animals concentrate on private land, and the Custer NF ground famously holds more sign than elk. A sleeper trophy district for hunters with private access.
- →Focus on the southern portion where elk are most established, then chase them onto reachable ground
- →Expect lots of sign but few elk on the Forest — Block Management or private permission is the real key
- →Glass timbered ridges and grassy Custer NF valleys at first and last light
- →Hunt water and travel corridors between private feed and Forest cover
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityWhitetail hold the Tongue and Powder river bottoms and the brushy creek corridors — cottonwood-and-willow ambush country, also on a lower cycle but reliable along the water.
- →Still-hunt cottonwood and willow bottoms along the Tongue and Powder
- →Watch ag and brush edges at dawn and dusk
- →Hunt the November rut when bucks cruise the river-bottom cover
Pronghorn
common qualityThe sagebrush flats and rolling prairie of the northern and central district are strong pronghorn range — a classic plains spot-and-stalk hunt on BLM and Block Management ground.
- →Glass wide flats and low ridges from a high vantage
- →Use terrain folds and fencelines to close on a stalk
- →Work Block Management and DNRC sections for legal open-country access
- →Practice long-range shooting before the season
Cougar
limited opportunityMountain lions follow the deer through the Custer National Forest pine timber and the river breaks — a limited winter hound-and-snow pursuit in the district's rougher country.
- →Cut Forest roads, ridgelines, and breaks for fresh tracks after snow
- →Hunt the pine-timber deer wintering country of the Custer NF and Tongue/Powder breaks
Pro tips
- →Treat this as a mule deer district first — it's traditionally one of Region 7's best, so hunt the breaks, pine buttes, and Custer NF ridges hard through the November rut
- →The elk are a sleeper trophy opportunity but live on private ground — expect sign, not animals, on the Forest, and prioritize Block Management or permission
- →Blend public Custer NF ground with Block Management ranches to reach the country that actually holds game
- →Pronghorn on the northern sagebrush flats are a reliable free-range add-on
- →Note the first southeast-Montana CWD-positive elk was found in HD 704 — follow current FWP CWD sampling and carcass-transport guidance
Watch out for
- !About 70 percent private — trespass is the top risk; know your boundaries and use Block Management and state-trust ground legally
- !Many BLM tracts are landlocked behind private ranches — verify legal access before relying on them
- !Gumbo and clay roads turn impassable when wet or during snowmelt — carry recovery gear and watch the forecast
- !CWD has been detected in the district — check FWP sampling stations and carcass-transport rules
- !Remote country with thin cell coverage and long distances between services — carry a GPS/messenger and stock fuel and water
Logistics
Ashland and Broadus are the small towns nearest the country for fuel and basics, with Miles City the larger regional hub to the north for groceries, lodging, and gear. Roads are mostly gravel and Forest routes off the paved highways; cell service disappears fast off the main roads, so carry a GPS or satellite messenger. This is remote, thinly settled country — plan fuel, water, and a real camp, especially if hunting the Custer NF south end.
Nearest towns: Ashland, Broadus, Miles City, Colstrip, Birney
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT Montana Unit 704 profile (Tongue-Powder, Custer NF) · MTFWP Region 7 Elk Management Plan (HD 700-series descriptions) · MTFWP Block Management: Region 7
FAQ
- How big is Unit 704 in Montana?
- Unit 704 (District 704 (Region 7)) covers about 5,431 square miles, ranging from roughly 2,250 to 4,400 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 704?
- Approximately 30% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Custer NF, BLM, private ranch + Block Management, MT DNRC state trust. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 704?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Whitetail Deer, Pronghorn, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 704 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.