Montana Unit 111 Moose Hunting Guide

Montana Unit 111 is a limited-entry moose destination that draws serious attention from both resident and nonresident hunters chasing a Shiras moose tag in big, varied country. Spanning 435,756 acres with elevations ranging from 2,907 to 6,629 feet, this unit offers the kind of terrain diversity — river bottoms, foothills, and mixed timber — that supports a huntable moose population without the extreme high-country demands of some Rocky Mountain units. For hunters researching Montana Unit 111 moose hunting, the unit represents a classic once-in-a-lifetime opportunity tag, and understanding the harvest trends, access picture, and application system is essential before investing points and money into the draw.

Moose tags in Montana are never easy to come by, and Unit 111 is no exception. But for hunters who do draw, recent harvest data suggests this unit consistently produces results in the field. Below, HuntPilot's data on harvest trends, trophy history, and application logistics is broken down to help hunters decide whether Unit 111 deserves a spot on their application strategy.

Harvest Success Rates

Harvest statistics for Unit 111 over the past four seasons show a moose hunt that, once drawn, tends to deliver for hunters willing to put in the effort. In 2024, 9 hunters harvested 5 moose for a 56% success rate. The 2023 season was stronger, with 9 hunters taking 6 moose for a 67% success rate. In 2022, 10 hunters harvested 5 moose (50% success), and in 2021 the unit posted a perfect season — 10 hunters, 10 harvested, 100% success.

Averaged across these four years, success rates have run in the 50-100% range, which is notably high compared to many western big game hunts. This tells hunters two important things: first, the number of tags issued in this unit is small (9-10 hunters per year in the data provided), consistent with Montana's conservative, limited-quota approach to moose management. Second, hunters who draw a tag here and put in the time in the field have a strong track record of connecting. A dip to 50% in 2022 is still a solid outcome relative to many limited-entry big game hunts elsewhere in the West, and the 100% success year in 2021 underscores that this is not a unit where tag holders are commonly going home empty-handed.

For hunters who invest years of points into finally drawing a Unit 111 moose tag, this harvest history should provide real confidence that the opportunity, once earned, is very likely to convert into a harvested animal.

Trophy Quality

The counties overlapping Unit 111 carry a strong history of trophy record production, which places this unit among the more notable moose destinations in Montana. While specific scores and entry counts are not detailed here, the qualitative record is clear: this is an area that has consistently produced trophy-class Shiras moose over the years, not a unit where trophy bulls are rare anomalies.

Hunters should keep in mind that trophy records are logged at the county level, not the exact hunt unit, meaning any record-book entries associated with Unit 111's overlapping counties may have been taken in neighboring units as well as Unit 111 itself. Still, a strong trophy history across the surrounding county footprint is a meaningful positive signal for hunters evaluating where to spend hard-earned points — it indicates the habitat and moose genetics in this broader area are capable of producing mature, well-developed bulls, not just a huntable population of younger animals.

Combined with the high harvest success rates noted above, Unit 111 stands out as a unit where hunters have a real chance at both connecting on a moose and connecting on a quality bull.

Access & Terrain

Unit 111 covers 435,756 acres with 56% public land, meaning the majority of the unit is accessible to hunters without needing private landowner permission, though a substantial 44% remains in private hands. Hunters should plan routes carefully using public land boundaries, since checkerboard ownership patterns are common in Montana river-bottom and foothill units like this one.

Elevation in the unit ranges from a low of 2,907 feet up to 6,629 feet, a spread that supports a genuine mix of terrain types — from lower-elevation river and creek bottoms favored by moose for willow and riparian browse, up into higher timbered benches and foothill country. This elevation range is relatively moderate compared to alpine-dominated units elsewhere in Montana, which generally makes the terrain more approachable for hunters without requiring extreme backcountry conditioning, though moose hunting in any drainage bottom or willow flat still demands careful, methodical hunting.

Notably, this unit carries 0% wilderness designation, meaning there are no Wilderness Area access restrictions to navigate and no outfitter requirements tied to wilderness boundaries. Hunters can access public land in Unit 111 using standard road and trail systems without the added logistical layer that wilderness-designated units impose. This makes Unit 111 a more DIY-friendly moose unit relative to units with heavy wilderness footprints, though hunters should still expect to do serious legwork glassing willow bottoms and riparian corridors where moose concentrate.

Forum discussion around Montana moose units in general echoes a common theme: this is rough, demanding country regardless of specific unit, and predator presence (including wolves) is a factor hunters should be prepared for when scouting and hunting moose in Montana's backcountry-adjacent units.

HuntPilot Analysis

Is Montana Unit 111 worth applying for? Based on the data, the answer leans clearly positive for hunters who value a real chance at harvest success combined with legitimate trophy potential. Few Montana moose units can point to a four-year success rate that never dropped below 50% and touched 100% in 2021. Combined with a county-level trophy history that supports genuine confidence in bull quality, and a public land base of 56% with zero wilderness complications for access, Unit 111 checks several important boxes for hunters building a long-term points strategy.

The trade-off, as with virtually every moose unit in Montana, is the draw itself. Moose tags in this state are notoriously difficult regardless of unit, and forum accounts from longtime Montana applicants back this up — hunters routinely describe decades-long waits for a single moose tag, and some give up on the species altogether after many years of unsuccessful application. This is not a unit where hunters should expect to draw quickly; it's a long-term investment. But for hunters committed to eventually hunting Shiras moose in Montana, Unit 111's combination of consistent post-draw success and solid trophy potential makes it a strong unit to have in the application mix. Hunters should check HuntPilot's Montana unit pages for current draw odds data specific to their residency and point status before finalizing an application strategy, since draw difficulty shifts from year to year with quota and applicant changes.

How to Apply

Given the required license fee that must be purchased before applying, hunters should budget for that cost in addition to the application fee well ahead of the March 1 opening date.

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 111? Unit 111 spans elevations from 2,907 to 6,629 feet across 435,756 acres, offering a mix of lower-elevation river and creek bottoms favored by moose alongside higher foothill and timbered terrain. The unit carries 0% wilderness designation, meaning access is generally more straightforward than in heavily wilderness-restricted units, without the added logistical requirements those areas impose.

What is harvest success like in Unit 111 for moose hunters? Recent harvest data shows strong outcomes for hunters who draw a tag. Success rates were 56% in 2024, 67% in 2023, 50% in 2022, and a perfect 100% in 2021, with hunter numbers in the unit running around 9 to 10 per year. This indicates that while tags are scarce, hunters who draw them have a good track record of successfully harvesting a moose.

How big are the moose in Unit 111? The counties overlapping Unit 111 carry a strong history of trophy record production for Shiras moose, indicating this broader area has consistently produced quality, mature bulls over time. Specific scores aren't published here, but the qualitative trophy history supports real confidence in bull quality for hunters who draw in this unit.

Is Unit 111 worth applying for as a moose hunter? Yes, based on the available data. The combination of consistently high post-draw harvest success (50-100% over the last four seasons), a strong regional trophy history, majority public land access (56%), and no wilderness-related access restrictions make Unit 111 a strong long-term application target for hunters pursuing Shiras moose in Montana. As with all Montana moose hunts, patience is required, since draw odds remain difficult across the board — hunters should check HuntPilot's Montana unit pages for current odds data specific to their point status.

How much public land is available in Unit 111 for moose hunting? Unit 111 is 56% public land, meaning the majority of the unit's 435,756 acres is accessible without needing private landowner permission. The remaining 44% is private, so hunters should plan access routes around public land boundaries, particularly in river bottom and lower-elevation areas where private ownership tends to concentrate in Montana.