Montana Unit 704 Mule Deer Hunting Guide

Montana Unit 704 sits in a sprawling landscape of mixed public and private ground, offering deer hunters a genuine DIY opportunity in a state known for its accessible big game hunting. Covering terrain that ranges from 2,169 to 4,783 feet in elevation across a massive 3,477,092-acre unit footprint, this area draws attention from both resident hunters looking for a reliable annual hunt and nonresidents plotting a Western deer trip.

What makes Unit 704 worth a closer look is the balance between opportunity and challenge. With 32% public land, hunters have real access to huntable ground, but the majority of the unit remains in private ownership — meaning success depends heavily on scouting public parcels carefully, building relationships with landowners, or using Montana's block management-style access programs where available. This is not a unit where hunters can expect to walk out any random gate and find deer waiting. It rewards preparation.

Below, we break down what the data says about harvest trends, trophy potential, and how to navigate the application process for Unit 704, using figures sourced through HuntPilot's unit database.

Harvest Success Rates

Recent harvest data for Unit 704 shows a unit that produces solid, if not spectacular, success rates for deer hunters. In 2023, 8,516 hunters pursued deer in the unit and 2,460 harvested animals, a 29% success rate. That's down slightly from 2021, when 10,008 hunters recorded 3,189 harvests for a 32% success rate.

The decline in both hunter numbers and success rate between 2021 and 2023 is worth noting. Fewer hunters were in the field in 2023 (8,516 vs. 10,008), yet the success rate also dropped, which suggests conditions — whether weather, deer distribution, or herd dynamics — made for a tougher season rather than simply reflecting reduced pressure. Hunters planning a trip to 704 should treat the high-20s to low-30s percentage range as the realistic expectation rather than an outlier year.

These are unit-wide totals across all deer hunters, not broken out by mule deer versus whitetail or by weapon type, so hunters should view them as a general benchmark for overall hunting pressure and outcome rather than a precise predictor for any specific hunt strategy.

Trophy Quality

Trophy records tied to the counties overlapping Unit 704 point to a moderate history of trophy-class deer coming out of this part of Montana. This isn't a unit with a heavy, decades-deep trophy pedigree, but it also isn't a blank slate — deer with real trophy potential have come from this general area over time.

Given the unit's mix of public and private land and its lower-elevation terrain, hunters should expect the bulk of the deer population to be solid, mature animals rather than a high concentration of exceptional trophy-class bucks. Hunters chasing a genuine trophy buck in 704 will need to put in scouting time, focus on less-pressured pockets of public ground, and be selective — the moderate trophy history here means big bucks exist, but they aren't common enough to expect on a short trip without groundwork.

Access & Terrain

Unit 704 covers an enormous footprint — 3,477,092 acres — with elevations ranging from 2,169 feet up to 4,783 feet. This is lower-elevation country compared to Montana's mountain units, which typically means more open terrain: rolling prairie, river breaks, agricultural edges, and scattered timber pockets rather than steep alpine basins. That kind of terrain tends to favor spot-and-stalk tactics and long-range glassing over pack-in wilderness hunting.

Public land makes up 32% of the unit, meaning roughly two-thirds of Unit 704 is privately held. This is an important number for anyone planning a DIY trip. With less than half the unit open to walk-in public access, hunters need to be strategic — public parcels will see more pressure, and much of the best deer habitat may sit behind private gates. Hunters serious about hunting 704 should invest time before the season identifying which public blocks are huntable, whether any landowner access programs apply, and how those pieces connect to travel corridors deer use between feeding and bedding areas.

There is no wilderness designation within Unit 704 (0% wilderness), so there are no special access restrictions tied to wilderness area regulations here. This also means the unit is generally road-accessible in character rather than requiring extended pack-in trips, consistent with its lower-elevation, prairie-and-breaks type terrain.

Given the private land majority, hunters should not assume this is a wide-open public-land unit. It requires the kind of pre-season legwork — mapping ownership boundaries, checking access programs, and possibly reaching out to landowners — that separates a productive trip from a frustrating one.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 704 Worth Applying For?

Unit 704 is a reasonable option for hunters who want a realistic shot at a deer tag with a fair chance of success, rather than a unit built around chasing a wall-hanger. The 29-32% success rates recorded in 2023 and 2021 put this unit in a workable range — not a slam dunk, but far from a lost cause, especially for hunters willing to scout hard and use the available public ground effectively.

The trade-off is access. With only 32% public land, DIY hunters need to go in with a plan. This isn't a unit where a hunter can show up, drive forest roads, and stumble into deer on public ground at every turn. The upside is that the sheer size of the unit — nearly 3.5 million acres — means there's a lot of ground to work with even at a 32% public share, provided hunters do their homework on where that public land actually sits relative to deer habitat and travel routes.

Trophy-seekers should temper expectations. The moderate trophy history tied to the surrounding counties suggests genuine trophy bucks are present but not abundant. Hunters primarily after meat and a solid Western hunting experience — particularly residents with easy access to apply — will likely find more satisfaction here than hardcore trophy hunters targeting a specific class of buck.

How to Apply

Montana's application system for Unit 704 deer tags runs through a clearly defined window for the 2026 season.

Nonresidents in particular should account for the full stack of costs: application fee, license fee, point fee, and eventual tag fee if drawn.

For current draw odds specific to Unit 704, hunters should check HuntPilot's Montana state page at /states/mt, which tracks year-to-year application data as it's released.

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 704? Unit 704 sits at relatively low elevation for Montana, ranging from 2,169 to 4,783 feet, which typically translates to open prairie, river breaks, and mixed agricultural terrain rather than steep mountain country. There's no wilderness designation in the unit, so the landscape tends to be more road-accessible in character than pack-in alpine terrain found in Montana's mountain units. Hunters should expect a mix of open ground for glassing and pockets of cover along drainages.

What is harvest success like in Unit 704? Based on the most recent data, hunters saw a 29% success rate in 2023 (2,460 harvests among 8,516 hunters) and a 32% success rate in 2021 (3,189 harvests among 10,008 hunters). This places Unit 704 in a solid, workable range for deer hunters, though success clearly isn't guaranteed and varies year to year.

How big are the deer in Unit 704? Trophy records tied to the counties overlapping Unit 704 reflect a moderate history of trophy-class deer. This means genuine trophy bucks have come from the area, but they aren't common enough that hunters should expect one without dedicated scouting and a willingness to pass on younger deer. Hunters focused purely on meat and a solid Western hunting experience will likely find the unit more consistently satisfying than those chasing a specific trophy class.

Is Unit 704 worth applying for? For hunters who prioritize reasonable success odds and don't mind putting in scouting work on a unit that's roughly two-thirds private land, Unit 704 is a reasonable choice. Trophy hunters should keep expectations tempered given the moderate trophy history, but hunters looking for solid odds and a genuine DIY experience have real reason to consider this unit.

What percentage of Unit 704 is public land? Unit 704 is 32% public land, meaning the majority of the unit — roughly two-thirds — is privately held. Hunters planning a DIY trip should scout carefully to identify exactly where public parcels sit and how they connect to deer habitat, since public access alone will not cover most of the unit's ground.