Unit 106

Key navigational features include the Kootenai River corridor to the north and the prominent ridge systems of Elk Divide and Hornet Ridge, which form natural terrain breaks. Cripple Horse Mountain, McGregor Peak, and Lightning Peak serve as recognizable summits for orientation. Notable water features include Myron Lake, Little Bitterroot Lake, Pearson Reservoir, and Lynch Lake—important reference points in a unit where water can be limited.

Multiple named creeks (Coyote, Libby, Fisher River, and Smoke Creek) drain the unit and provide both navigation corridors and water sources.

Elevation ranges from the Kootenai River valley near 2,000 feet up to over 6,600 feet on the higher ridges, creating a transition from riparian lowlands to dense montane forest. The unit is heavily timbered throughout, with dense conifer stands covering most slopes. Scattered meadows and prairie pockets—including Lost Prairie, Wolf Prairie, and Dunn Creek Flats—break the timber canopy at mid-elevations.

These open areas transition upward to increasingly dense forest as you climb toward Elk Divide and the ridgeline country near Tepee Mountain and Sanders Mountain.

Over 1,277 miles of forest roads network through the unit, providing reasonable vehicle access and staging opportunities. The road system fans out from Highway 2 near Libby and follows creek drainages and ridge systems northward. Primary access points include Route 37, Wolf Creek Road, Cripple Horse Creek Road, and Elbow Creek Road.

The moderate road density and established access network suggest moderate hunting pressure, with accessible areas near Highway 2 and major drainages drawing more hunters. Remote creek drainages in the upper country may see less pressure.

Unit 106 encompasses the country between Libby and the Kootenai River in Lincoln and Flathead Counties, bounded by U.S. Highway 2 to the south and the Kootenai-Flathead National Forest boundary to the northeast. The unit spans from Route 37 near Libby northeastward to the Kootenai River, then follows forest roads and natural features back to Highway 2. The area includes portions of both Lincoln and Flathead Counties, with numerous small communities and historical settlements scattered throughout. The Kootenai River forms the northern boundary and serves as a major geographic and access reference point.

The Kootenai River dominates the northern boundary but sits outside most practical hunting areas. Throughout the unit, water is limited and requires knowledge of reliable sources. Coyote Creek, Libby Creek, and Smoke Creek drain major portions of the unit and flow year-round in upper reaches.

Summit Spring and scattered other springs provide important water access in the ridgeline country. Little Bitterroot Lake and the smaller natural lakes offer reliable water, though they may be miles from productive hunting areas. Spring and early summer water sources may dry considerably by late season.

Unit 106 is moose country, and success depends on understanding the scattered lowland meadow and riparian habitat where moose concentrate. The dense timber that dominates the unit is secondary habitat, but it provides travel corridors between meadows and water. Early season hunting focuses on the prairie pockets and creek bottoms where moose feed.

Water scarcity makes reliable springs and creek confluences critical—moose must visit water regularly in this forested terrain. The rolling topography and dense timber make glassing limited; hunters often work drainages and listen for rutting activity during fall. Road access to high points provides initial orientation, but foot traffic into brushy creek bottoms and willow thickets is where the hunting happens.