This hunting district is found in central Montana, just south of Helena. Situated along Canyon Ferry Reservoir, this area is known for good black bear hunting and presents good opportunity for any type of hunter. For those looking to escape the crowds, the Gates of the Mountain Wilderness Area along the northern end of the unit can provide some great remote hunting opportunities.

This area has a unique terrain makeup with open prairie type land surrounding a large mountainous area through the center of the area. Most of the open prairie ground is broken up fairly well, with small draws located throughout the unit, leaving for some great glassing and stalking opportunities. A good deal of agriculture land will be found along the eastern edge near White Sulphur Springs. From the valley floor, large timbered ridges will climb several thousand feet. The northern end of this timbered region will provide great glassing opportunities through natural clearings and old wildfire burns. Conversely, the southern end offers more old growth timber and far less glassing options.

Hunters will be happy to find a multitude of access options throughout most of this unit. Most of the open land down along the valley floors will be private, however, there are little pockets of public land scattered through the area. Pay attention to these areas and consult land ownership maps, as some bears will be killed while crossing through these locations. In the higher elevation and more timbered areas, the public land will open greatly giving hunters almost free roam of this area. Many old logging and mining roads can be found here, giving great opportunity to anyone. Additionally, many roadless areas can be found for those wishing for more of a backcountry experience. Hiking into some of the backcountry areas can require a bit of physical exertion.

Throughout much of the low lying country will be the typical array of sage, native grasses, patches of juniper, and rock. This area can be very deceiving when glassing due to the many deep cut drainages that break up the landscape. Here, you can glass for miles but animals can very easily hide out of view within a few hundred yards. Once the elevation begins to climb, the tree cover will increase immensely. Here, ponderosa will first appear and be dominant throughout the entire range of elevation. In the higher elevations, a string mixture of red fir, white fir, and lodgepole will intersperse within the ponderosa. In the highest elevations you can also expect to encounter subalpine fir.

A few small modern lodging options can be found in White Sulphur Springs and Townsend, but more options will be found just outside of the unit in Helena. Primitive camping is permitted on public land for up to 14 days. Nearly all of your gear and grocery needs can be met in Helena, while some of the smaller towns can provide smaller, simpler items.