District 393, Montana

The district spans an elevation range of approximately 4,734 feet in the valley bottoms to 7,956 feet on ridgelines, with Sacagawea Peak at 9,665 feet marking the high point of the Bridger Range. Terrain transitions from broad river and creek-bottom flats in the Shields Valley and Bridger Creek drainages up through steep foothills and heavily forested ridges; roughly 80% of the area has slopes at or below 23 degrees, but the publicly accessible Forest Service parcels tend to be the steeper, more rugged terrain. The Bridger Range runs approximately 45 miles north-south from Bozeman to Maudlow.

Public land constitutes approximately 13% of the district — about 9% USFS (Custer Gallatin National Forest, Bozeman Ranger District) and 4% state lands — with the remaining 87% in private ownership. Primary road access follows Montana Route 86 (Bridger Canyon Road) running north from Bozeman along the west side of the range, providing access to Fairy Lake Road (Forest Service Road to Fairy Lake Campground at the northern Bridger Range) and the M Picnic Area trailhead at the southern end. The Shields Valley on the east side is accessed via US-89 north of Livingston. Secondary access roads include Ringling-Maudlow Road, Dry Creek Road, Brammer Creek Road, and Story Mill Road along district boundaries. There are no wilderness areas within HD 393 itself. A significant proportion of elk habitat is on private lands not enrolled in the Block Management Program, and hunters must obtain landowner permission to cross private land to reach some National Forest parcels. Hunters should consult FWP's Block Management Program for any enrolled private parcels in the area.

Lower elevations support irrigated agricultural fields, native grasslands, and riparian cottonwood-willow corridors along Bridger Creek and the Shields River, which are primary elk and deer feeding areas. Mid-elevations feature mixed conifer stands of Douglas-fir, lodgepole pine, and scattered ponderosa pine. Upper slopes and north-facing aspects hold denser spruce-fir forest. Alpine meadows and rocky outcrops appear near ridgetops. The transition from open valley agriculture to forested mountain slopes creates classic edge habitat heavily used by both elk and deer.

Elk populations in HD 393 are reported as within management objectives following the 2024 season per FWP Region 3 forecast. Historical aerial surveys documented approximately 5,000 elk in the broader Elk Management Unit (2003 survey data); current population figures should be verified in the current FWP Region 3 hunting forecast. Much of this population occupies private ranchland and may be under outfitter lease. Elk use valley-bottom agricultural fields for feeding and retreat to timbered slopes for cover, with the rut occurring from early September through mid-October. White-tailed deer and mule deer are both present; mule deer in the Livingston-area districts are reported below long-term averages as of 2025 surveys, though fawn-to-adult ratios showed improvement. Deer similarly concentrate on private agricultural land while using forested terrain for cover. Mountain lion are present as a huntable species. Black bear are present in forested areas. The district is not noted for trophy-class bulls or bucks, but hunter opportunity at both deer and elk is generally good given population levels.