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Hunt District 517

Last Updated: Jun 16, 2020
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Quick Tips

  • You need to be in good physical condition
  • Bring good optics and good quality clothing that can withstand the elements
  • Always pack bear spray as you are in grizzly country

On The Ground

This district is adjacent to Wyoming and is located west of Red Lodge. This district is almost entirely in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. This is extremely steep mountainous country with high elevation plateaus littered with hundreds of alpine lakes and very spectacular scenery. There is no better place when the weather is good than the high country.

This district has the potential to produce a billy in the 9” range. Goats are widely scattered in different pockets in this district. This is a large district with a lot of high country. Billies typically range from 8-9”

Terrain

This area is extremely steep and remote until you reach the top, where huge plateaus with hundreds of lakes run for miles. There is very little timber even in the creek bottoms. Access from the north starts at 6,000 feet, but access from the south starts at 8,000 feet and most of the plateaus are above 10,000 feet. Elevation gains of 3,000 to 4,000 feet can be a daily experience.

  • Roughly 369 square miles

  • 81.3% public land

  • Elevations from 6,000-12,600 feet

The creek bottoms have spruce, fir and pine trees. There is very little timber in this subalpine and alpine habitat. The mountain faces are mostly covered in grasses, forbs and rock with moss and lichens. The tops of plateaus have alpine plants and a few scattered pockets of alpine trees.

Numberous access points into this district are provided by well-maintained Forest Service trailheads. Hunters can backpack or horseback to reach the wilderness area. East Rosebud on the north, Rock Creek on the east and Kersey Lake on the south are some of the best trailheads. Late season snow can make it difficult to access this district.

Bring your own camp with you and camp in the wilderness. There are excellent camping spots throughout the district with hundreds of lakes that have fish in them.

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