Unit 361

Hebgen Lake and Earthquake Lake define the western boundary and provide prominent navigation references. Horse Butte and Sheep Mountain serve as recognizable summits for orienting within the unit. The Narrows channel of Hebgen Lake marks a landscape pinch point.

Moose Creek Plateau offers elevated terrain for spotting and understanding animal movement patterns. Key drainages—the South Fork Madison River, Grayling Creek, and Watkins Creek—run as natural corridors through the unit and aid both navigation and moose location. Madison Valley provides open glassing country for scanning valley bottoms.

Terrain spans from mid-elevation river valleys near 6,100 feet to alpine slopes above 10,500 feet, with most hunting country in the 6,500 to 9,000-foot range. Dense conifer forests dominate the ridges and upper drainages, transitioning to sagebrush meadows and aspen groves in the valleys. Moose habitat concentrates in willow-lined creek bottoms and lakeside margins where willows and aquatic vegetation provide browse.

The rolling topography creates sheltered valleys and draws that collect animals seasonally, with higher ridges offering transition routes between drainage systems.

Connected road access via US 191 and 287 provides easy entry from West Yellowstone and surrounding communities. Over 500 miles of roads traverse the unit, creating fair connectivity to hunting country, though terrain and elevation limit vehicle travel to established routes. The proximity to Yellowstone and West Yellowstone brings predictable hunting pressure, especially early season.

Valley bottoms and accessible ridge systems see consistent use. Complexity lies in elevation—much productive moose habitat sits well above road access, requiring steep climbs into forested slopes and creek drainages where pressure diminishes.

Unit 361 occupies the Madison and Gallatin County terrain immediately northwest of Yellowstone National Park, bounded by the park's boundary to the east, US Highway 191 to the north, and the Montana-Idaho border to the west and south. Hebgen Lake and Earthquake Lake form major landscape features along the unit's western flank. West Yellowstone serves as the primary access hub, roughly 15 miles southeast.

The unit sits in transition country where forested slopes meet high-elevation valleys, with Targhee Pass marking a significant geographic reference point.

Water abundance defines this unit. Hebgen Lake and Earthquake Lake offer perennial water year-round, while the Madison River system flows through the western valleys. Grayling Creek, Watkins Creek, Rock Creek, and multiple forks drain the higher country into these major water bodies.

Numerous springs including Basin Cabin, Black Sand, Mountain Springs, and Howard Springs provide reliable sources across elevation bands. The combination of lakes, streams, and springs means water scarcity is not a limiting factor—instead, the network of drainages concentrates moose activity and offers predictable travel corridors.

Unit 361 is moose-only country, and the landscape heavily favors stalking willows near water. Concentrate early season efforts on Hebgen Lake margins, Earthquake Lake shores, and the lower Madison River valley where moose feed on aquatic vegetation and willow browse. Mid-season, animals migrate to higher drainages as temperatures drop—focus on creek bottoms like Grayling, Watkins, and South Fork Madison drainages where willows line the water.

The rolling terrain allows for ridge-top glassing into valleys to spot bedded animals, then steep drops into drainages for approach. Springs throughout the unit offer reliable water to glass during dry periods. Expect deep snow and difficult travel above 8,500 feet in fall.