Montana Unit 516 Moose Hunting Guide

Montana Unit 516 offers one of the most sought-after big game opportunities in the state: a limited-quota moose draw covering 546,276 acres of mountain and foothill country in the heart of Montana's moose range. There is no general season here — every moose tag in Unit 516 comes through the draw, and the tags that do exist are extremely scarce. For hunters who dream of pursuing Shiras moose in big, rugged country, this unit deserves a serious look, but going in with realistic expectations about tag scarcity is essential.

Spanning elevations from 3,843 feet up to 11,284 feet, Unit 516 packs an enormous range of habitat into its boundaries — from lower valley riparian corridors up through subalpine timber and into high alpine basins. With 62% of the unit in public ownership and 33% falling within designated wilderness, hunters drawing a tag here have substantial room to roam, along with the physical and logistical challenges that come with wilderness-heavy terrain.

This article breaks down what the data shows about Unit 516's moose hunting: harvest trends, trophy potential, terrain and access considerations, and how the application process works for both residents and nonresidents.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 516 Worth Applying For?

The honest answer is layered. Unit 516 is a genuinely good moose unit — but "good" and "easy to hunt" are not the same thing, and neither is "easy to draw."

Harvest data compiled by HuntPilot shows remarkable consistency here. In 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021, harvest reports show 2 hunters afield with 2 animals harvested each year — a 100% success rate across all four seasons. That kind of consistency at the hunter level tells us two important things. First, moose tags in this unit are managed extremely conservatively, with only a handful of tags issued in any given season. Second, hunters who do draw a tag and put in the effort are converting at an exceptionally high rate. A 100% success rate sustained across four consecutive years is not luck — it reflects a healthy, huntable moose population combined with hunters who tend to be well-prepared (often having drawn after a long wait and scouted accordingly).

Trophy history in the counties overlapping Unit 516 shows a moderate track record of producing trophy-class bulls. This isn't a unit with a deep, decades-long reputation for exceptional record-book bulls, but it has produced quality animals with some regularity. Hunters should view this as a unit capable of producing a very good, mature Shiras bull — a legitimate trophy by any reasonable standard — without expecting it to be a perennial name on trophy lists. Given that record-book entries are attributed at the county level and shared across neighboring units, hunters should treat this as a regional indicator rather than a unit-exclusive guarantee.

So, is it worth applying for? For hunters who have the patience for a long-term point strategy and want a genuine wilderness moose hunt with strong odds of success once drawn, yes — this unit belongs on the short list. For hunters looking for a quick, low-investment tag, the reality of moose draws in Montana (and in this unit specifically) means this will be a multi-year, possibly decade-plus commitment.

Harvest Success Rates

The harvest numbers for Unit 516 are about as clean as data gets in big game management. Across the four most recent years with data — 2021 through 2024 — the unit recorded 2 hunters and 2 harvested animals every single year, for a 100% success rate in each season.

This consistency matters for two reasons. First, it confirms that Unit 516's moose population is stable enough to support the same conservative harvest structure year after year without wildlife managers needing to cut tags further. Second, it tells hunters that once a tag is in hand, the odds of connecting on a bull are very high — assuming reasonable effort and scouting. A 100% success rate over multiple years suggests this is not a unit where hunters spend their entire season searching in vain; moose are being located and harvested reliably by the small number of tag holders each year.

That said, hunters should not mistake a small, consistent harvest number for an easy hunt. Two hunters and two harvests per year reflects an extremely limited number of tags available, not necessarily an easy walk-in-the-park hunt. The terrain and wilderness component of this unit (detailed below) mean that success still requires real physical effort and preparation.

Trophy Quality

Trophy records from the counties overlapping Unit 516 point to moderate trophy potential. This unit has produced trophy-class bulls historically, but not with the frequency or scale that would place it among the state's elite trophy destinations. Hunters should interpret this as a realistic middle ground: Unit 516 is capable of producing a mature bull with real trophy characteristics, but it is not a unit where hunters should expect record-shattering headline bulls on a regular basis.

It's worth remembering that trophy data of this kind is logged at the county level, meaning the records associated with Unit 516's overlapping counties are shared with neighboring units as well — the specific animals scored could have come from anywhere within those county boundaries, not necessarily from within Unit 516's exact borders. Still, as a regional signal, the data supports the idea that a patient, well-scouted hunter has a reasonable shot at a quality, mature Shiras bull here.

Given the sustained 100% harvest success rate discussed above, hunters who draw this tag and put in solid scouting time have both the population density and the trophy potential to walk away with a bull worth the wait.

Herd Health & Population Trends

While detailed bull-to-cow ratio survey data was not provided for this unit, the harvest consistency itself is a useful proxy for herd stability. A moose population that supports the same modest tag allocation and produces a 100% harvest success rate across four consecutive years (2021–2024) is a population that wildlife managers have confidence in — conservative tag numbers combined with reliable success suggest a stable, sustainable herd rather than one in decline or in a rebuilding phase.

Hunters should still check the current population and harvest survey information on the state wildlife agency's site or HuntPilot's Unit 516 page before finalizing plans, since moose populations across the West have faced pressure in various regions from habitat change, parasite loads, and predation. But nothing in the available harvest data for this specific unit signals a population in trouble.

Access & Terrain

Unit 516 covers 546,276 acres with an elevation range stretching from 3,843 feet at its lowest points to 11,284 feet at its highest — a spread of more than 7,400 vertical feet. That range alone tells hunters this unit offers everything from lower-elevation riparian moose habitat (willow bottoms, beaver ponds, and slow-moving drainages that classic Shiras moose habitat depends on) up through dense subalpine timber and into high alpine basins near treeline.

Public land accounts for 62% of the unit, which means the majority of Unit 516 is open to public access — a meaningful advantage for DIY hunters who don't have private land connections or leases lined up. That said, with 33% of the unit falling inside designated wilderness, a significant portion of that public land requires foot or horseback access rather than vehicle access. Wilderness travel adds real logistical weight to a moose hunt here: pack strings, backpacking gear, and multi-day camps become the norm rather than the exception for hunters targeting the more remote basins.

Forum accounts from hunters who have drawn tags in this unit echo this reality — describing a steep learning curve even for experienced big game hunters, with the unit "always holding a few secrets." Moose in this kind of terrain tend to concentrate in specific drainage bottoms, wet meadows, and willow-choked creek systems, and locating them requires genuine scouting time rather than relying on general knowledge of the area. Hunters serious about this unit should plan on spending time on the ground — or using satellite imagery and mapping tools — well before their season to identify likely moose habitat within the public and wilderness portions of the unit.

Montana does not impose Wyoming-style outfitter requirements for nonresidents hunting wilderness areas, so nonresident hunters are free to pursue a DIY wilderness moose hunt in Unit 516 without being legally required to hire a guide. That said, given the remoteness and physical demands of the wilderness terrain, many hunters — resident and nonresident alike — choose to hire local guide services or at minimum secure horse/pack support, particularly for the more remote basins near the unit's upper elevation range.

How to Apply

Montana moose tags are allocated entirely through a limited-quota draw system — there is no over-the-counter or general season option for moose anywhere in the state, including Unit 516. Both resident and nonresident hunters must apply through Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' license drawing system to be considered for a tag in this unit.

Montana's moose draw uses a bonus point system, meaning hunters who apply but do not draw accumulate points that improve their odds in future years' drawings. Residents and nonresidents apply through separate pools, and nonresident tag allocations are capped at a smaller percentage of the total available tags compared to resident allocations — a structural reality that makes nonresident moose tags in Montana especially competitive.

Given the scarcity of tags reflected in the harvest data for Unit 516 (only a small handful of hunters afield each year), hunters should expect this to be a long-term point-building endeavor rather than something to plan around drawing in the near term. Because moose tags of this nature are so heavily contested, building points steadily and applying every year — even when the odds feel discouraging — is the only real path forward.

Application dates, fees, and current point requirements change every cycle. For the most current deadlines, fees, and application structure, see HuntPilot's Montana state page and Unit 516's dedicated unit page, where draw statistics are kept up to date each season.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Montana Unit 516? Unit 516 spans a dramatic elevation range from 3,843 feet to 11,284 feet across 546,276 total acres. This includes low-elevation riparian and willow-bottom habitat favored by moose, mid-elevation timbered slopes, and high alpine basins near treeline. With 33% of the unit designated wilderness, a substantial portion of the terrain is accessible only by foot or horseback, making this a physically demanding unit for hunters willing to go deep into the backcountry.

What is harvest success like in Unit 516 for moose? Harvest data from 2021 through 2024 shows a 100% success rate every single year, with 2 hunters and 2 harvested animals reported in each of those four seasons. This consistency indicates that hunters who draw a tag here and put in solid effort have historically had excellent odds of tagging out.

How big are the moose in Unit 516? Trophy records from the counties overlapping this unit show a moderate history of producing trophy-class bulls. While not among the state's top-tier trophy destinations, the data supports the idea that a mature, quality Shiras bull is a realistic outcome for a well-scouted hunter, even if headline-caliber bulls are less common here than in a handful of other Montana units.

Is Unit 516 worth applying for? Based on the available data, yes — with the understanding that this is a long-term commitment. The unit combines a stable, well-managed moose population (evidenced by consistent 100% harvest success across four years), moderate trophy potential, and a majority-public land base (62%) with substantial wilderness access (33%). The primary drawback is tag scarcity — this is an extremely limited-quota hunt, and hunters should expect to build points over many years before drawing.

Do nonresidents need a guide to hunt moose in Unit 516's wilderness areas? No. Montana does not require nonresident hunters to hire a licensed outfitter or guide to hunt in wilderness areas, unlike some neighboring states. Nonresidents are free to pursue a DIY moose hunt in Unit 516's wilderness portions, though the remote, physically demanding terrain leads many hunters to hire local support or pack services regardless of the legal requirement.