Unit 705 District 705 (Region 7)
Sprawling SE Montana breaks country — the region's top mule deer and antelope ground with a growing pine-hills elk herd
Southeast Prairie & Pine Breaks — Region 7 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
6,173
sq mi
Public land
20%
approx.
Elevation
2,600–4,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
HD 705 is a massive multi-county district anchored in Carter County and reaching into Powder River, Custer and Fallon Counties in Montana's far southeast corner. It runs from the Wyoming line north past Broadus and Powderville to US-12 near Locate, then east to the North Dakota border. The terrain grades from timbered plateaus and pine ridges down into rolling prairie breaks, cottonwood river bottoms, sagebrush flats and chalky cliff country. It is one of Region 7's most productive mule deer and antelope districts and holds one of southeastern Montana's core elk populations.
Terrain
Diverse breaks country — high timbered ridges and juniper-pine plateaus dropping off into rolling prairie, coulees and chalky-cliff breaks, cut by river and creek bottoms.
Cover: Ponderosa pine and juniper on the ridges and buttes, sagebrush-grassland flats, greasewood and cottonwood galleries along the Powder and Little Missouri drainages, native shortgrass prairie.
Landmarks: Long Pines (Custer NF) · Chalk Buttes · Ekalaka Hills · Powder River · Little Missouri River · Broadus · Ekalaka
Access
Predominantly private ranchland with scattered, often isolated BLM parcels and two small detached blocks of the Custer National Forest (Long Pines, Ekalaka Hills / Chalk Buttes). Public-land access is fragmented, so Montana's Block Management program (BMAs) is the key to hunting this district — it opens large tracts of private acreage to free public hunting through FWP. State trust (DNRC) sections add walk-in opportunity with a conservation/state-land permit. Knock on doors and check the Region 7 Block Management maps before the season.
Managers: private ranch + Block Management, BLM, USFS Custer NF (Sioux Ranger District), MT DNRC state trust
Access points: Broadus (US-212) · Ekalaka (MT-7) · US-12 corridor near Locate · Powderville Road / Powder River bottom roads · Custer NF two-tracks into the Long Pines and Ekalaka Hills
Species notes
Mule Deer
abundant qualityTraditionally one of Region 7's top mule deer districts, with bucks using the breaks, buttes and coulees. Numbers swing with drought and winter, but genetics and age structure can produce mature bucks off the pine ridges and prairie breaks.
- →Glass the heads of coulees and chalky breaks at dawn and dusk
- →Still-hunt timbered ridges and juniper pockets during the rut
- →Focus Block Management and isolated BLM/Custer NF parcels for pressured mature bucks
- →Watch for bucks bedded on shaded north slopes midday
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityWhitetails hold in the river and creek bottoms — the Powder River, Little Missouri and their cottonwood galleries and adjacent ag — while mule deer own the open breaks.
- →Hunt cottonwood bottoms and brushy draws near ag fields
- →Set up on field edges and travel corridors at first and last light
- →Rattle and grunt during the November rut
- →Secure Block Management access to bottomland ranches
Pronghorn
common qualityHistorically one of the most productive antelope districts in the region, though populations have declined and license numbers reduced after hard winters. Good bucks still range the sagebrush flats and grass prairie for those who draw a tag and put in miles.
- →Glass wide-open flats and gentle ridgelines from vehicle-accessible high points
- →Spot-and-stalk using terrain folds and coulees to close distance
- →Hunt water sources and fence lines in dry early-season stretches
- →Prioritize Block Management ranches for room to roam
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityHD 705 is part of southeastern Montana's core elk range, with animals tied to the pine hills, timbered plateaus and Custer NF breaks. Herds move between public timber and private ag, making access and timing decisive.
- →Locate herds in the pine ridges and timbered plateaus, then pattern movement to private ag
- →Hunt Custer NF Long Pines / Ekalaka Hills timber where elk hold
- →Use Block Management to reach elk that spend daylight on private
- →Glass at long range at dawn and be mobile — elk shift ranges quickly
Pro tips
- →Block Management is the single biggest access lever here — pull the Region 7 BMA maps and enrollment status early, as tracts change year to year.
- →This is a multi-county, multi-species district — a single trip can pair mule deer in the breaks with antelope on the flats and elk in the pines.
- →Scout the isolated BLM and detached Custer NF parcels; they hold pressured game but require map work to reach legally.
- →Verify land-ownership boundaries carefully — public and private are heavily intermixed and unmarked; use a mapping app with parcel data.
- →Watch the weather window: dry two-tracks become gumbo after rain or snow and can strand you for days.
Watch out for
- !Fragmented, checkerboarded public land amid dominant private ranchland — confirm boundaries and secure permission or Block Management access before hunting.
- !Gumbo roads become impassable when wet; late-season snow and cold add risk in remote country.
- !Long distances between services and unreliable cell coverage — carry fuel, water and self-recovery gear.
- !Antelope numbers have declined in recent years, so tags and success can be tighter than the district's reputation suggests.
Logistics
Ekalaka and Broadus offer basic services, fuel and limited lodging; Baker and Miles City are the larger supply and motel hubs. This is remote country with long distances between towns and spotty cell coverage — carry extra fuel, water, recovery gear and paper maps. Roads are gravel and dirt two-tracks that turn to impassable gumbo when wet.
Nearest towns: Ekalaka, Broadus, Baker, Miles City
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: MTFWP 2026/2027 Legal Descriptions (HD 705 boundary) · 2024 Southeast Montana (Region 7) Hunting Forecast — Ekalaka Eagle · MTFWP Block Management: Region 7
FAQ
- How big is Unit 705 in Montana?
- Unit 705 (District 705 (Region 7)) covers about 6,173 square miles, ranging from roughly 2,600 to 4,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 705?
- Approximately 20% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch + Block Management, BLM, USFS Custer NF (Sioux Ranger District), MT DNRC state trust. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 705?
- Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Pronghorn, Rocky Mountain Elk. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 705 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.