Montana Unit 106 Moose Hunting Guide

Montana Unit 106 sits among the state's most storied moose country, drawing hunters who understand that a moose tag here may well be the only one they ever hold in their lifetime. With 546,883 total acres, an elevation range spanning 2,052 to 6,692 feet, and 52% public land ownership, Unit 106 offers a genuine backcountry moose hunting experience for the handful of hunters lucky enough to draw a tag each year.

Moose hunting in Montana is fundamentally different from chasing elk or deer. Tags are scarce, seasons are long, and the odds of drawing can stretch across decades for some applicants. Unit 106 is no exception to that reality, but the payoff for patient hunters — both in terms of the hunt experience and trophy potential — makes it a unit worth serious consideration for anyone building points toward a Shiras moose tag in Montana.

Harvest Success Rates

Recent harvest data for Unit 106 shows consistently strong success rates for hunters who do draw tags, though the sample sizes are small by nature — this is typical of limited-entry moose hunts anywhere in the West. In 2024, 12 hunters harvested 9 moose for a 75% success rate. That followed a 2023 season in which 12 hunters harvested 8 animals for 67% success, and a standout 2022 season where 12 hunters brought home 10 moose for an 83% success rate. In 2021, 13 hunters harvested 7 moose for 54% success.

Averaged across these four years, success rates have consistently landed in the 50-85% range, which is characteristic of a well-managed, limited-quota moose hunt. Unlike over-the-counter elk or deer tags where hunters compete against heavy pressure, moose tag holders in Unit 106 are hunting with very low hunter density — typically only a dozen or so hunters afield in a given year across the entire unit. That combination of low competition and a healthy harvest rate is a strong indicator that hunters who draw here can expect a legitimate opportunity to fill their tag, provided they put in the scouting and effort the terrain demands.

Trophy Quality

The counties overlapping Unit 106 carry an extensive history of producing trophy-class moose, and that record-book pedigree is one of the primary reasons this unit draws sustained interest from hunters who have spent years — sometimes decades — accumulating points for a shot at a Shiras bull. It's worth noting that trophy records are logged by county rather than by specific hunting unit, meaning entries attributed to the counties overlapping Unit 106 are shared with neighboring units in the same county boundaries. The bull that produced a record entry may have been taken anywhere within that broader geography, not necessarily within Unit 106's exact boundaries.

That caveat aside, the depth of trophy history in this area points to exceptional trophy potential for hunters willing to be selective. Moose country of this caliber tends to reward hunters who pass on the first bull they see and instead put in the time glassing drainages and riparian corridors where mature bulls tend to hole up, particularly later in the season as bulls approach the rut. Given that most hunters will only ever draw one moose tag in their lifetime, the trophy pedigree of this region makes patience — both in the draw and in the field — worthwhile.

Herd Health & Population Trends

While detailed population survey data (bull:cow ratios, calf recruitment) isn't available in the current dataset for Unit 106, the harvest trends over the past four years suggest a stable, huntable population. Success rates bouncing between 54% and 83% year to year, without a clear downward trend, indicate that the moose population is neither collapsing nor being over-harvested under the current tag allocation. Montana's wildlife managers keep moose quotas conservative by design — the consistency in hunter numbers (12-13 per year across the sampled seasons) reflects a quota that has remained stable rather than one being cut due to herd concerns.

Hunters concerned about predator pressure or habitat conditions specific to this unit should reach out to the regional Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologist for the most current herd health assessment, as that level of survey detail isn't reflected in the harvest numbers alone.

Access & Terrain

Unit 106 spans a considerable elevation gradient, from 2,052 feet at its lowest point to 6,692 feet at its highest, giving hunters a mix of lower-elevation river bottoms and willow-choked drainages up into higher timbered country. Moose in this part of Montana are creatures of riparian habitat — willow flats, beaver ponds, and slow-moving drainages — and the elevation range here supports that kind of habitat diversity across the unit's nearly 547,000 acres.

Public land accounts for 52% of the unit, meaning hunters have legitimate access to over half the available acreage without needing to negotiate private land access. That said, with just over half the unit in public ownership, scouting is essential — moose don't distribute evenly across a landscape, and knowing exactly where public boundaries fall relative to prime moose habitat will save serious time once a tag is in hand. There is no designated wilderness within Unit 106 (0% wilderness), which means hunters can access public ground with vehicles and standard trail systems rather than needing pack-in logistics reserved for wilderness zones. This makes Unit 106 considerably more approachable from a logistics standpoint than some of Montana's more remote wilderness-designated moose units.

Country in this part of Montana tends to be rugged, and hunters researching the unit on forums have noted that moose hunting here is not an easy walk — the terrain and thick riparian cover that moose favor can make for physically demanding hunts even when the animal density is good. Hunters should plan for a real backcountry experience, not a drive-and-glass proposition.

HuntPilot Analysis — Is Unit 106 Worth Applying For?

For hunters serious about pursuing a Shiras moose in Montana, Unit 106 deserves a spot on the short list, but it needs to be evaluated with realistic expectations about the draw. Moose tags in Montana are notoriously difficult to draw regardless of unit, often requiring many years of point accumulation, and hunters chasing this species should mentally prepare for a long game rather than expecting a quick draw.

What makes Unit 106 stand out is the combination of factors that actually matter once a hunter does draw: a harvest success rate that has ranged from 54% to 83% over the past four seasons, an extensive trophy history in the surrounding counties, over half the unit in public ownership, and zero wilderness acreage complicating access logistics. This is a unit where, if a hunter is fortunate enough to draw, the odds of actually filling the tag and encountering a quality bull are genuinely good — not every moose unit in the West can say the same.

The caveat is access-related: with 52% public land, roughly half the unit sits in private hands, and hunters need to do their homework on exactly where huntable public ground intersects with prime moose habitat before showing up to hunt. This isn't a unit where a hunter can show up blind and expect to stumble into success — the terrain is demanding, and moose habitat within the unit is not spread evenly across the public/private checkerboard.

Bottom line: Unit 106 is worth applying for if a hunter is committed to the long-term Montana moose draw process. It is not a unit to chase opportunistically — it's a unit to build toward, and one that rewards the patience once a tag finally comes through. Hunters can track their odds and monitor point creep trends over time using HuntPilot's Montana unit data to decide whether Unit 106 fits their long-term application strategy.

How to Apply

Montana's moose draw operates on an annual application cycle with identical deadlines for residents and nonresidents, though the fee structure differs significantly between the two.

Given the extensive point-building history associated with Montana moose tags — some applicants report applying for well over a decade before drawing — hunters should factor in the cumulative cost of the license fee, application fee, and point fee every year they apply, not just the tag fee in the year they eventually draw. Alternatively, check HuntPilot's Montana state page (/states/mt) for the latest application calendar.

Application dates and fees change every draw cycle. For the current deadlines, fees, and draw odds, see HuntPilot's Montana page at /states/mt.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Montana Unit 106? Unit 106 covers 546,883 acres with elevations ranging from 2,052 to 6,692 feet, offering a mix of lower-elevation riparian corridors — the willow flats and drainage bottoms that Shiras moose favor — up into higher timbered terrain. There is no designated wilderness in the unit, so access is generally via standard road and trail systems rather than requiring pack-in wilderness logistics. Hunters should still expect rugged, physically demanding country, particularly in the thick cover moose tend to hole up in.

What is harvest success like in Unit 106? Success rates over the past four reported seasons have ranged from 54% to 83%, with 2024 posting 75% success (9 of 12 hunters), 2023 at 67% (8 of 12), 2022 at 83% (10 of 12), and 2021 at 54% (7 of 13). These figures reflect a small, tightly managed hunter pool typical of limited-entry moose tags, and suggest that hunters who draw here have a strong likelihood of filling their tag.

How big are the moose in Unit 106? The counties overlapping Unit 106 have an extensive history of producing trophy-class moose, pointing to exceptional trophy potential in the area. Because trophy records are attributed at the county level rather than to specific units, some of that history reflects animals taken in neighboring units within the same counties. Hunters targeting a trophy bull should be prepared to pass on younger animals and glass thoroughly, especially in riparian habitat where mature bulls concentrate later in the season.

Is Unit 106 worth applying for? Yes, for hunters willing to commit to Montana's long-term moose point system. The unit combines solid harvest success, a strong trophy history in the surrounding counties, over half its acreage in public ownership, and no wilderness-related access complications. It's not a unit for opportunistic, last-minute applicants — it's one to build toward over multiple years.

What should nonresidents know before applying for Unit 106 moose? For current draw odds specific to residency class, hunters should check HuntPilot's Montana unit page rather than relying on anecdotal draw-history estimates from other applicants.