District 361, Montana

Elevation ranges from approximately 6,100 to 10,200 feet. The western fringe consists of rolling sage flats and shallow draws that quickly give way eastward to densely forested ridges gaining elevation rapidly before topping out in scree-covered slopes and rock fields. The central and upper portions are largely roadless and steep. High-clearance vehicles are advisable; snowpack can persist at higher elevations well into hunting season.

The district is managed by the Hebgen Lake Ranger District of the Custer Gallatin National Forest (office at 330 Gallatin Rd, West Yellowstone, MT; 406-823-6961). Primary road access includes US Highway 20 over Targhee Pass (7,072 ft) on the Montana-Idaho border, US Highway 287 running northeast along the Madison River and Hebgen Lake corridor, and Forest Service Road 167. The Targhee Pass Trailhead provides access to the Continental Divide Trail and the Lionhead OHV area. Interior portions are largely trailless and roadless; accessing remote areas typically requires horses or extended foot travel. Heavy hunter pressure concentrates at trailheads and gated roads during general season. Grizzly bear food-storage regulations are in effect throughout the Hebgen Lake Ranger District — all food and game carcasses must be stored per IGBC standards.

Sagebrush grasslands with fingers of ponderosa pine dominate the lower western margins. Mid-elevation ridges and slopes support lodgepole pine, Douglas fir, and western larch with a forest floor of huckleberry and bear grass. Upper terrain transitions to low-growing juniper and krummholz before opening into rock fields and scree above tree line. Riparian corridors follow the Madison River and Hebgen Lake shoreline.

Elk are the primary big-game target but FWP aerial surveys confirm few elk winter in HD 361 and no population objective is stated for the district; the herd largely disperses into adjacent Yellowstone National Park during winter. HD 361 is part of the Gallatin-Madison Elk Management Unit. Mule deer are present with some numbers on the western side of the district. Mountain lions are documented. Gray wolves have a well-established presence and are credited by FWP managers and hunters with a significant reduction in deer and elk harvest numbers since approximately 2010. Grizzly bears are described as having a very strong presence, making bear spray and sidearms advisable. Black bears are also present.