Quick Tips
- 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 district
- You are adjacent to the park and in known grizzly bear habitat, pack bear spray and be bear aware
On The Ground
This district is located in southwest Montana just north of Yellowstone National Park. This district is on the west side of the Gallatin River. It lies just south of Big Sky ski area and just north of West Yellowstone. This district is loaded with grizzly bears.
This district historically was a good moose district with quality bulls, but with the reintroduction of wolves and numerous grizzly bears, this district is not worth applying for. Moose numbers are at an all time low, and the locals feel there should be no moose tags in these districts.
Terrain
This district consists of the entire drainage of Taylor Fork Creek on the west side of the Gallatin River. Taylor Fork is a relatively slow stream gradient with great fishing and open meadows adjacent to the stream. The open slopes continue up for a considerable distance then at the gradient break the landscape is steep and mountainous and covered in timber. The Gallatin, Madison divide at the headwaters is in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness and has peaks above timberline and numerous mountain goats.
Roughly 262 square miles
89% public land
Elevations from 6,500-11,300 feet
Vegetation
The streams riparian area has willows and small brush. The open meadows are mostly timothy grass with some areas of sagebrush and the forest is conifers of spruce, fir, and pine. There are numerous bogs and small potholes in this district. The headwaters have some lush wet meadows in the subalpine basins. The divide has alpine grasses and forbs above timberline.
Access
The district is basically all national forest lands. There is a main road up Taylor Fork for several miles, and there are good Forest Service trails into this district and up the main drainage, and they all are connecting. It is foot or horseback on all the trails. The trailhead up Taylor Fork can be difficult with deep snows.
ATVs may have some limited use, check with the Forest Service office in Bozeman for the latest regulations
Most of this district can be hunted on foot but horses would save a lot of hiking
Highway 191 will get you access to all the trailheads in this district
Camping and Lodging
There are numerous places to camp throughout the district on the national forest and there is camping at the trailheads. There are Forest Service campgrounds nearby. Big Sky has gas, food and lodging. The Corral Bar has food and a motel as well as the Cinnamon Creek Lodge. There are two gas convenience stores available just north of the district. West Yellowstone is just a few miles south and has numerous motels, gas and restaurants.
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