Quick Tips
- Be prepared for heavy snow during late seasons
- GPS maps are helpful determining boundaries
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 130"-140" | 160"+ |
| Whitetail Deer | 110"-130" | 140"+ |
| Elk | N/A | 320"+ |
On The Ground
East Deer Lodge district lies within portions of Deer Lodge, Silver Bow and Powell Counties. The entire district is east of Interstate 90 between the communities of Garrison in the north and Butte in the south. Helena National Forest covers the eastern third from U.S. Highway 12 to Interstate 90. Elk, mule deer and whitetails can be found across the area. Much of the western third is privately controlled with thousands of acres of public access provided by Wildlife and Block Management Areas.
Whitetails favor the drainages that lead to Clarks Fork and the surrounding agricultural lands within the valley. Mule deer bucks may be down in the valley or up in the foothills so they can drift to croplands each night. There might be a buck or two hanging along the Continental Divide in the early fall and into October. Bulls love the higher basins above 8,000 feet until the snow depth forces them to head downwards to the ridges and drainages above the Clark Fork.
Terrain
A number of peaks along the Continental Divide have elevations over 8,000 feet. Some of those peaks are Thunderbolt Mountain and Bison Mountain. Champion Pass on the Continental Divide is north of Butte and McDonald Pass is in the north along Montana Route 12. Clark Fork flows along the western edge creating a broad valley that supports agriculture and ranching. Mountains are steep and heavily forested up to their peaks. General Eisenhower Range in the northeast corner has elevations over 6,000 with forested rolling hills.
Roughly 579 square miles
49.5% public land
Elevations from 4,500-8,000 feet
Vegetation
The river valley has large meadows, some areas of sagebrush, mountain shrubs with cottonwood and willow along the creeks. Foothills to peaks have dense stands of ponderosa and lodgepole pine, stands of spruce and fir with aspen scattered across the steep slopes near open grassy parks. Clear cuts have brought a new growth of trees, grasses and shrubs to the mountain slopes.
Access
A good access system of Forest Service roads is provided by Helena National Forest. Very few areas cannot be reach by a road or a trail. Some of the roads are designated as four-wheel drive so bring chains and a winch in periods of heavy snow or rain. Old logging trails provide good hiking trails for the adventurous hunter. Spotted Dog Wildlife Manage Area consist of over 37,000 acres. Block Management Areas offer thousands of acres of private land access.
Major highways are Interstate 90, Montana Route 12 and County road 276.
Camping and Lodging
Deer Lodge and Helena National Forests offer developed and dispersed camping that is limited to 16 accumulated days within any 30 day period. Butte offers many choices of motels, hotels, bed and breakfast, cafés and restaurants, medical facilities and 24/ 7 gas and diesel. Deer Lodge offers a limited number of choices for lodging, eating and gas.
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