This district is found in southwestern Montana along the Idaho border. Historically home to some of the best elk hunting in Montana, this area also provides great opportunities for black bear. Plenty of opportunity and a wide array of terrain types will provide a great adventure for every type of hunter. This area is very conducive to glassing; high power optics can save a lot of driving and walking.

This area has been producing great bears for a number of years, and the odds of locating mature bears is high with enough effort.

This area is predominately comprised of rough and broken sage country, with several island mountain ranges consisting of heavily forested slopes and steep elevation gains. Traversing the lower lying country can be done fairly easy, but keep in mind that cross country travel can be much harder than initially anticipated. In the isolated island of the mountains, the terrain will change drastically as huge ridges covered in timber rise sharply off the valley floor and climb into jagged rock peaks. These timbered areas are heavily broken, with open parks of sage and native grasses which will provide hours of glassing opportunities.

The mountainous islands are primarily public land, with some of the southern end even being designated as roadless. Most of the open country found in the lower elevations will be private, though there are many small sections of public. Land ownership software and maps can be hugely beneficial here. With the abundance of terrain features, hunters of any physical ability can find hunting opportunities. There are quite a few areas for hunters looking for more of a backcountry experience and the opportunity to escape pressure.

As with the terrain, hunters will also find a wide variety among the vegetation. The river bottoms along the Jefferson and Madison Rivers will be filled with willow, cottonwood, and grasses. The open prairie lands will consist almost entirely of sage, rock, and juniper. These areas can be surprisingly broken in terrain, and cross country travel can be much harder than originally expected. The mountainous areas will contain large stands of ponderosa pine, white pine, red fir, lodgepole, and occasional patches of subalpine fir in the highest elevations. Ground cover is fairly light throughout the district and glassing opportunities are abundant.

There are lodging options in a few of the towns within the district, like Ennis and Twin Bridges, with the most options being found in Dillon. Primitive camping is permitted on public lands for up to 14 days. Basic sporting good and grocery needs can be met in most of the small towns around the district, but specialty needs will likely need to be met prior to the hunt