Quick Tips
- Low moose densities dispersed throughout the unit, may take many days to find a good bull
- Late in the season, roads can become very snow-packed -tire chains are recommended
- GPS with landowner overlay
- Allow plenty of time to hunt the unit
On The Ground
East Deerlodge unit resides northwest of Butte, east of Interstate 90 in portions of Deerlodge and Powell Counties. Two National Forests, Helena and Deerlodge, provide thousands of acres of public lands. Clark Fork runs along the western boundary, the Little Blackfoot creates the northern edge, and the Continental Divide establishes the eastern boundary.
Take advantage of the aggressiveness of bulls as they seek out a cow to breed by raking trees and calling. Be prepared to quarter and transport your trophy out of the timber. Be smart where you harvest your bull as they can weigh over 1,000 pounds and can be very difficult to move once on the ground.
Terrain
Peaks along the Continental Divide reach over 8,500 feet with many peaks over 7,000. Notable peaks include Electric Peak, Thunderbolt Mountain and Bison Mountain. Champion Pass is north of Butte, with McDonald Pass in the north on Montana Route 12. Clark Fork flows through a broad valley that supports agriculture and ranching. Mountains are steep and forested all the way to the peaks. General Eisenhower Range runs southwest to northeast in the upper portion of the unit, with elevations from 5,000 to over 6,000 feet.
Roughly 287 square miles
49.6% public land
Elevations from 4,600–8,600 feet
Vegetation
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. Clearcuts have brought new growth of trees, grasses and shrubs to the mountain slopes.
Access
Forest Service roads and trails provide good access into the National Forest. 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. Major highways connecting to Forest Service roads and county roads are Interstate 90, Montana Route 12 and county road 276.
Camping and Lodging
Deerlodge 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, café and restaurants, medical facilities and 24/ 7 gas and diesel. Deerlodge offers a limited number of choices for lodging, eating and gas and diesel.
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