District 110, Montana

Elevation ranges from 3,000 to 8,100 feet. Terrain is steep and heavily forested with large river drainages (North Fork of the Flathead and its tributaries) providing the primary travel corridors. High ridges, mountain lakes, and thick timbered slopes define the district. Late-season snowpack can make roads impassable without tire chains.

Primary road access is via North Fork Road (County Road 486), an unpaved road running north from Columbia Falls along the east side of the district toward Polebridge; the road is passable in summer and fall with 4WD but requires tire chains in snow. US Highway 93 provides western access. Flathead National Forest (Tally Lake Ranger District, headquartered in Whitefish) maintains a network of USFS roads throughout the district; Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs) are authoritative for open roads. Polebridge is the only community in the district — a small settlement with no grid electricity. Glacier National Park forms the eastern boundary and is closed to hunting. Most of the district is Flathead National Forest public land (~82%); private land is concentrated along the North Fork corridor and is largely posted. Block Management areas may provide access to some private parcels; check Montana FWP Block Management guide annually. Cell service is largely absent.

Dominant cover types are western red cedar, western hemlock, Engelmann spruce, grand fir, and subalpine fir — dense, mature coniferous forest throughout. Alder brush, willows, and mountain maple grow along creek bottoms and draws. Riparian corridors along the North Fork and its tributaries provide important moose and deer habitat. Upper elevations transition to subalpine fir and open rocky terrain near alpine ridgelines.

Elk populations are present but have declined significantly from historic highs (peak harvest 146 in 1986 per FWP Region 1 Elk Report; 2023 harvest 24 total: 18 antlered + 6 antlerless; 2022 harvest 42 total: 32 antlered + 10 antlerless). The LTA bull harvest benchmark is 44; the district's 5-year rolling average bull harvest is 20, well below LTA, reflecting sustained predation pressure. Gray wolves and grizzly bears are documented primary factors in elk population suppression per FWP Region 1 annual reports. White-tailed deer are the more numerous and stable deer species; mule deer are present but at lower densities. Moose inhabit riparian corridors and willow drainages. Black bear numbers are high. Gray wolves maintain a substantial pack presence, and grizzly bears are common throughout — both species are encountered regularly and proper bear spray protocols are essential. Mountain lion are present in the timbered terrain. Grizzly bear is federally protected and non-huntable. No aerial survey data is available for HD 110 (dense conifer forest precludes reliable surveys); population trend is assessed via harvest data.

1. Official FWP district name is WHITEFISH (Whitefish EMU); the North Fork of the Flathead River is the primary geographic feature. 2. Elk harvest data (2023: 18 antlered + 6 antlerless = 24; 2022: 32 antlered + 10 antlerless = 42) confirmed from FWP 2023 Region 1 Elk Report, Table HD 110. 3. LTA bull harvest is 44; 5-year rolling average bull harvest is 20 (2019–2023), per FWP Table 1. 4. No elk B license (antlerless, general season) has been available in HD 110 in recent years; 6 antlerless in 2023 harvest were from archery either-sex season. 5. Per 2026 regulation change (NBC Montana/FWP), all elk B licenses are now valid on private land only statewide. 6. Public land percentage (~82%) sourced from GoHunt profile. 7. Deer B License 110-00 quota increased to 100 in 2026 (from 25 in 2025) but is valid only on private land. 8. Glacier National Park eastern boundary is closed to hunting. 9. No aerial survey data available for HD 110 per FWP report. 10. 2026 season dates used — verify annually at fwp.mt.gov.