Quick Tips
- Spend the time and locate a good bull, this is a good unit with good quality
- Bring good optics, good camping gear, clothing for different weather conditions and good backpacks for getting your trophy out. A GPS will come in handy
- You will be in known grizzly bear habitat, so hunt with a buddy and pack bear spray
On The Ground
This unit is located in southwest Montana with the south border being the Idaho, Montana state line, and also encompassing the Red Rocks National Wildlife Refuge. There are two distinct habitat types in this unit; the Centennial Valley with the refuge, and to the south the Centennial mountains.
This unit has a good moose population and has good quality bulls, capable of producing bulls to the mid 40” class and occasionally one pushing 50”. Moose numbers are stable with good recruitment. The refuge is open to hunting after October 15.
Terrain
The lower elevations along the Red Rock Refuge on the north is a broad valley with the two Red Rock Lakes in it. The Centennial Mountains to the south rise abruptly from the valley floor to almost 10,000 feet along the Idaho border. There is remote, rugged, timbered country in the Centennial Mountains.
Roughly 131 square miles
79.6% public land
Elevations from 6,600-9,900 feet
Vegetation
The Centennial valley is grass and sagebrush. The area surrounding the two lakes is dense willows and brush. To the south the lower slopes are open grass and sage. This migrates up and into steep timbered covered mountains. The timber is spruce, fir and pine and the creeks have some willows adjacent to them.
Access
Highway 20 on the east takes you to Red Rock Pass road and into the Centennial Valley. Interstate 15 on the west takes you to Lima and to the Centennial Valley. Both take you to the refuge and Centennial road encircles the refuge. Rain and snow can cause difficulties getting into and around. A majority of the unit is BLM, Forest Service or refuge. There are Forest service trails into the Centennial Mountains. The refuge is foot hunting only, after it opens.
ATVs may be useful
Be in good physical condition, the mountains are steep and the only way to access most of it is on foot or horseback
Interstate 15 to Centennial Valley road, Highway 20 to Red Rock Pass road
Camping and Lodging
There are numerous places to camp in the unit on public ground. Lima is the only close town on the west and it has gas but no lodging. The nearest town with all the facilities is West Yellowstone to the east.
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