District 282, Montana

The district features rolling to moderately steep forested mountains, open parks and meadows, glaciated potholes, wetland fens, and broad river-bottom flats along the Blackfoot and Clearwater drainages. Elevations range roughly from 4,000 to 5,500 feet (approximate, per GoHunt). Portions of the southern WMA transition from burned-over foothill terrain into larger river flats. Significant wetland complexes including eutrophic lakes, beaver ponds, and spring seeps punctuate the uplands.

Primary highway access via MT Highway 200 (east-west along the southern boundary) and MT Highway 83 (north from the Hwy 200 junction at Clearwater Junction, running along the WMA's west side). The main vehicle entry point to the WMA interior is Woodworth Road (Tote Road), reached by taking MT 83 seven miles north from its Hwy 200 junction, then turning east. Woodworth Road runs east to the Cozy Corners junction with Cottonwood Lakes Road, continuing east to Cottonwood Creek. The Seeley-Monture Road (USFS Road 477) runs southeast from near Cottonwood Creek to the WMA's eastern boundary. The WMA is open to public access May 15 through December 1 (closed December 2 through May 14 annually). The Seeley Lake Game Preserve immediately to the north is closed to all hunting. Some private land blocks exist along the eastern slope and Blackfoot drainage; public access across private land in those areas is limited. No designated wilderness falls within HD 282 itself, but the district serves as the primary winter range for elk herds that summer in the Bob Marshall Wilderness to the north. Grizzly bear presence requires food storage orders to be followed when camping or hunting in the area.

Cover types include fescue grasslands (key winter grazing for elk and deer), diverse upland mixed forests of lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, and spruce-fir, riparian cottonwood-alder corridors along the Blackfoot and Clearwater rivers and Cottonwood Creek, and partially burned areas that provide shrub-regeneration browse. Open parks and meadows are distributed throughout the timbered hills. The forest has been actively managed to maintain forage quality for wintering big game.

Elk are the signature species, with approximately 1,400 animals migrating annually from Bob Marshall Wilderness summer range to overwinter on the WMA grasslands and sheltered timber. The district supports both white-tailed deer and mule deer as primary winter residents. Black bear are present and huntable in the general fall season. Grizzly bears occupy the area (food storage rules apply; grizzly are not huntable). Mountain lion are present but the WMA is closed to mountain lion hunting. Waterfowl (ducks, geese) use the wetland complexes. Upland birds including dusky grouse, ruffed grouse, and spruce grouse are present. Bald and golden eagles, osprey, great blue heron, sandhill cranes, and curlews frequent the riparian and wetland areas. Population data indicates elk herds in the Blackfoot drainage have generally been below or near the lower end of FWP population objectives in recent years.

Harvest data (84 animals, 16.9% success, 198 hunters) is from HuntScore citing 2021 combined-species data — treat as approximate baseline only. Elevation range (4,000-5,500 ft) is approximate per GoHunt. Public land 91% confirmed by HuntScore (86% state, 3% USFS, 2% BLM, 2% other). HD 282 boundary is ~41 sq miles / 26,136 acres per HuntScore; the WMA itself is larger (43,761 acres per FWP). Mountain lion closed in HD 282 per 2025 regulations; 2026 lion PDF was not text-parseable but closure is consistent with prior year. WMA closure Dec 2-May 14 eliminates late muzzleloader season (Dec 12-20) within the WMA core. Permits 282-50 and 282-51 lock holders into HD 282 for antlered deer — notable regulatory constraint. Elk population below or near lower FWP objective in recent years per HuntScore context.