Montana Unit 701 Elk Hunting Guide

Montana Unit 701 covers a sprawling 4,625,155-acre footprint, making it one of the larger hunting districts hunters will encounter when researching elk opportunity in the state. With only 19% of that acreage classified as public land, this unit presents a different set of challenges than the classic public-land, backcountry elk hunt many nonresidents picture when they think of Montana. Elevations here run from 2,160 to 3,706 feet — noticeably lower and less rugged than the alpine units that dominate Montana's western reputation.

For hunters running unit-by-unit research through HuntPilot, Unit 701 is worth understanding on its own terms: a low-elevation, private-land-dominant elk unit where access strategy matters as much as, or more than, draw strategy. This article breaks down what the available data says about applying, trophy potential, and what to expect on the ground.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 701 Worth Applying For?

The honest answer depends entirely on what kind of hunter is asking. Unit 701's defining characteristic is its land ownership breakdown — with 19% public land, the overwhelming majority of this unit's 4.6 million acres sits in private hands. That single data point should shape every decision a hunter makes about this unit. DIY hunters expecting to walk out of a truck onto open public ground and start still-hunting elk will find their options narrowed considerably. Public parcels exist, but they represent a small fraction of the total landscape, and hunters need to identify exactly where those parcels sit before investing time or travel into this unit.

The elevation profile — 2,160 to 3,706 feet — also tells a story. This is not high-country, alpine elk habitat. It's lower-elevation terrain, which typically means a mix of agricultural ground, river bottoms, and rolling benches rather than steep timber and rock. That terrain type tends to hold elk differently than mountain units: animals often concentrate on private land where feed and security cover overlap, which reinforces the access challenge tied to the low public-land percentage.

There is no wilderness acreage in Unit 701 (0%), so hunters won't face the guide requirements that apply in Wyoming's wilderness areas — that's a Montana-specific non-issue here, but it's also a signal that this unit lacks the remote, roadless character that draws some elk hunters to a state in the first place.

Trophy history for the counties overlapping this unit shows a moderate track record of trophy-class production. That's a meaningful data point — it means bulls capable of making record-book consideration have come from this area, but the history isn't deep or dominant. Hunters chasing a genuine trophy-caliber bull should treat Unit 701 as a unit with some upside, not a unit with a demonstrated pattern of consistently producing elite animals. Given the private-land concentration, much of that trophy potential likely rides on access to well-managed private ground rather than public-land opportunity alone.

Bottom line: Unit 701 is worth applying for if a hunter already has, or is willing to pursue, access to private land — whether through landowner relationships, leases, or a sponsored-tag arrangement. For a hunter relying purely on public access with no private-land connections, the 19% public-land figure should be a serious yellow flag before committing application fees and travel plans to this unit.

Access & Terrain

The numbers here are stark and worth repeating: 19% public land against 4,625,155 total acres means roughly four out of every five acres in Unit 701 belong to private landowners. This is the single most important planning fact for any hunter targeting this unit. Public parcels do exist, and Montana's Block Management Program in some regions opens additional private ground to public hunting access, but hunters need to verify current enrollment and boundaries before assuming access — those programs change year to year and parcel by parcel.

The elevation band of 2,160 to 3,706 feet is a relatively tight, low range compared to many Montana elk units that climb into the 8,000-to-10,000-foot range. This suggests gentler terrain overall — likely a mix of open range, riparian corridors, and low benches rather than steep mountainside. Hunters should not expect the physically demanding, high-altitude hikes common in units like those found in southwest Montana's mountain ranges. Instead, the challenge in Unit 701 is almost entirely about land access rather than physical terrain difficulty.

With 0% wilderness designation, there are no backcountry roadless areas to factor into a hunt plan, and no special access restrictions tied to wilderness status. This is a unit where success or failure will be determined by scouting private-land boundaries, identifying legal public access points, and understanding exactly where the public 19% actually sits on a map — work that's far more about landownership research than physical conditioning.

Trophy Quality

Trophy records tied to the counties overlapping Unit 701 point to a moderate history of trophy-class elk production. This means the area has produced record-book-caliber bulls over time, but it is not among the handful of units in Montana with a deep or consistently elite trophy pedigree. Hunters should keep in mind that record-book entries are logged at the county level, so any trophy history associated with Unit 701 is shared with neighboring units whose boundaries overlap the same counties — the presence of trophy-class bulls in the record books doesn't mean those specific animals came from within Unit 701's exact lines.

Given the low public-land percentage, it's reasonable to infer that much of whatever trophy potential exists in this unit is tied to well-managed private ground, where limited hunting pressure and habitat management can allow bulls to reach maturity. Public-land hunters chasing a genuine trophy bull in Unit 701 should treat that goal as a longer-odds proposition than hunters who can access managed private parcels.

How to Apply

Montana's draw system for Unit 701 elk tags follows the state's standard application calendar, and the dates below apply specifically to the 2026 draw cycle.

Note the license fee listed for each category is a separate, required purchase on top of the application fee — hunters must hold that qualifying license before the application itself can be submitted.

For current draw odds specific to Unit 701, hunters should consult HuntPilot's Montana unit pages at /states/mt, since draw percentages and applicant volumes shift from year to year and aren't part of this evergreen breakdown.

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 701? Unit 701 sits at a relatively low elevation range of 2,160 to 3,706 feet, which is modest compared to many Montana elk units. This suggests gentler topography overall rather than steep alpine terrain. The unit carries no wilderness designation (0%), meaning there's no roadless backcountry component to factor into planning — access and terrain difficulty here are shaped far more by land ownership patterns than by elevation or ruggedness.

What is harvest success in Unit 701? Harvest statistics are not available for this unit in the current data set. Hunters should check HuntPilot's Unit 701 page or Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks harvest reports for historical success-rate figures before finalizing a hunt plan.

How big are the elk in Unit 701? Trophy records from the counties overlapping this unit show a moderate history of trophy-class elk production, meaning bulls capable of record-book consideration have come from the broader area historically, though it isn't among the top-tier trophy units in the state. Because record-book data is logged by county rather than by unit, this history is shared with adjacent units and isn't a precise measure of what's inside Unit 701's exact boundaries.

Is Unit 701 worth applying for? It depends heavily on access. With only 19% public land across the unit's 4.6-million-acre footprint, hunters without private-land access or a landowner relationship will face significant limitations. Hunters who can secure access to private ground — through leases, relationships, or enrolled access programs — have a much stronger case for applying, especially given the unit's moderate trophy history. Public-land-only hunters should weigh this unit carefully against alternatives with higher public-access percentages.

Do nonresidents need a guide to hunt Unit 701? No. Unit 701 has 0% wilderness designation, and Wyoming's outfitter-requirement law for wilderness hunting doesn't apply in Montana at all. Nonresidents are free to hunt Unit 701 without a licensed guide, though given the low percentage of public land, arranging access to private ground — whether independently or through a guide service — will likely be necessary regardless of legal requirements.