Quick Tips
- You need to be in excellent physical condition
- Bring good optics and good quality clothing that can withstand the elements of the high country
- Pack bear spray as you are in grizzly country
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep | 140"-160" | 165"+ |
On The Ground
This hunt district is in the Absaroka- Beartooth Wilderness Area in the southern part Montana. It is a rugged mountainous area with many high peaks and numerous pristine subalpine and alpine basins. This area is located just north of Yellowstone National Park.
The wonderful thing about this hunt district is it is unlimited, which means anyone can buy a bighorn sheep tag and go hunting. It is a huge area and the sheep can be very difficult to locate. This area has spectacular scenery. The district has a respectable and stable sheep population. There are two different populations: the Boulder herd of about 30 and the Stillwater herd of about 70.
Terrain
The trailheads start out in the creek bottoms with a gradual start, but soon get steep. The mountains are very steep from the creek to the tops of the peaks. The valleys are quite long and the headwaters are above timberline. From here it is talus slopes and boulder fields leading you up to the rocky ridges and sheer rock peaks. There are numerous subalpine basins and many of them have lakes in them. The Absaroka-Beartooths Mountains are the largest land mass in the US above 10,000 feet in elevation.
Roughly 369 square miles
99.5% public land
Elevations from 6,000-11,000 feet
Vegetation
From the stream bottoms to mid slope it is timbered with spruce, fir and pine conifers. The next elevation is covered with subalpine grasses and scattered subalpine conifers. This area is mixed with boulder fields and rocky ridges. From here you are into the steep talus slopes leading up to the rocky peaks, only alpine forbs, moss and lichens are found in this zone.
Access
There are two primary access points into this unit. One is up the Boulder River and the other is up the Stillwater River. There are several Forest Service trailheads available in each drainage from here. There are good Forest Service trails throughout the district. Most of the actual hunting will be on foot.
ATVs are not allowed in any part
Hiking will be strenuous, it is all very steep terrain
Interstate 90 to Big Timber and up the Boulder River, or Interstate 90 to Columbus and up the Stillwater River
Camping and Lodging
This is a backpack or horseback hunt. There are spectacular places to camp throughout the area. Some are next to a subalpine lake full of trout.
Historical Temperatures
High
Low
Moon Phases
March 2025
23
24
25
26
27
28
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5