Quick Tips
- Listening or calling into remote canyons can be a great way to locate packs
- Locating packs can be easier during periods of heavy snow
- Four wheelers and snowmobiles can excellent for late season use
- High quality optics can be extremely beneficial
On The Ground
This small district is found in southwestern Montana and encompasses the historic town of Gardiner. This area is found just north of Yellowstone National Park and can see heavy populations of wolves at times because of this. Much of the western half of the unit is private while the eastern half is almost entirely composed of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. In general, wolf hunting gets better here later in the year as wintering animals, such as deer and elk, move into the area.
Wolf populations fluctuate here due to the proximity of Yellowstone National Park but the hunting conditions generally improve as weather conditions get worse.
Terrain
A majority of this district is in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. The drainages are quite long, but gain over 4,000 feet in elevation. Most of the wilderness is heavily timbered until elevation puts you above timberline. All of the major peaks are over 10,000 feet. The National Forest lands above the Yellowstone River and around Gardiner are steep rolling open hillsides until you reach the timber.
Roughly 140 square miles
85% public land
Elevations range from 5,000 - 10,500 feet
Vegetation
Some of the higher elevations are subalpine meadows with limited timber. Lower in elevation there is more timber, mainly Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine and subalpine fir with some aspen pockets in the creek bottoms. Mid elevations to the valley floor mainly consist of juniper, Douglas fir and some open grass slopes mixed with pockets of sagebrush.
Access
When it comes to access, this area is excellent, with its thousands of acres of public land. Most of the lower country will be accessible thanks to Forest Service roads and great trail systems. Most of the higher elevation areas will only be accessible to those willing to hike or to those with livestock options. Here, it will be entirely possible to spend weeks on end in the backcountry without ever encountering so much as another boot track. This is truly wild country. Cross country travel can be difficult due to heavy vegetation on northern slopes, as well as the drastic change in elevation from one drainage to the next. Thankfully, much of the backcountry is accessible by moderately maintained foot trails.
Camping and Lodging
There are spectacular places to camp throughout this district. Hunting can be accomplished by day hiking from Highway 89 and adjacent trailheads. Motels, gas and restaurants are available in Gardiner.
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