Unit 652

Fort Peck Reservoir itself anchors the western boundary and provides the primary landmark for orientation. Sand Arroyo and its badlands offer distinctive terrain for locating yourself in otherwise subtle country. Jacks Point and Stubby Point serve as reservoir-shore reference features.

Higher ground includes Goat Mountain, Hook Rock, and several named hills (Lucky Hill, Coal Hill, Indian Hill, Westland Hill) that provide glassing platforms across the rolling terrain. The numerous coulees—Deer Coulee, Costello Coulee, Steer Coulee, Coal Bank Coulee—form natural travel corridors and drainage features to navigate by. Wild Horse Pass and Snuff Gap mark breaks in the terrain worth noting for route planning.

The entire unit sits in low-elevation prairie country, ranging from reservoir bottom near 2,200 feet to rolling bench and plateau terrain around 2,800 feet. Vegetation is predominantly sagebrush and grassland with scattered ponderosa pine on north-facing slopes and in scattered coulees. The sparse timber badge reflects this mix—open country dominates, but enough scattered trees provide shade and cover in drainages.

Ridgelines like Jacks Ridge and Racetrack Ridge offer slight elevation and vantage, but nothing dramatic. This low-elevation terrain means early and late season hunting can be productive, but summer heat and lack of elevation creates pressure for animals to move into adjacent higher country.

State Routes 200 and 24 bracket the unit with fair access overall, but the road network beyond highways thins quickly. At roughly 163 miles of total road with fair-range connectivity, most hunters concentrate near highway junctions and obvious access points. The low terrain complexity means navigating off-road is manageable, but also that pressure spreads evenly rather than concentrating in obvious bottlenecks.

Private land patches exist—always confirm ownership before hunting. The simplicity of the terrain and relative ease of access means opening weekend pressure is real. Hunting success often improves by moving away from immediate road access and working the coulee systems thoroughly.

Unit 652 encompasses the country between Fort Peck Dam and State Route 200 to the south, bounded by the reservoir's east shore to the west and State Route 24 to the east. The unit occupies portions of McCone and Garfield Counties in northeastern Montana, defined by the Fort Peck Reservoir shoreline, Big Dry Creek drainage, and Little Dry Creek valleys. It's a moderate-sized unit positioned at the transition between reservoir bottom and the high prairie plateau.

The area sits at the intersection of two major highway corridors (Routes 200 and 24), offering reasonable access despite the remote feel. This location puts it in transitional country between wetter western drainages and drier eastern plains.

Fort Peck Reservoir dominates water availability but is useless for hunting access across most of the unit. Away from reservoir shores, reliable water is genuinely limited—the water source badge reflects this honestly. Scattered springs including Reaves Spring and Carney Springs provide intermittent options, but spring-dependent hunting requires advance scouting.

Ten Deer Creek, Bad Creek, Woody Creek, and Cedar Creek are the named drainages but run seasonal in this semi-arid country. Spring Creek and Coal Creek may hold water longer into fall. The lack of perennial water shapes hunting strategy significantly—establishing reliable water sources before committing to a location is essential.

Dry camps are common in this unit.

Unit 652 holds elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and mountain lions. Early fall is prime—animals haven't yet migrated to higher country, and the sparse timber provides cover for stalking. Mule deer use the ridgelines and coulees, particularly where ponderosa provides shade on north-facing slopes.

Elk move through on migration routes following drainages; focus Ten Deer Creek, Bad Creek, and Woody Creek corridors during early season. White-tailed deer favor the coulee bottoms and timbered draws. Mountain lions follow deer concentrations.

Glassing from higher benches and named hills pays dividends in this relatively open country. Water reliability becomes critical as season progresses—scout springs thoroughly before committing to a camp. The low elevation means early and late season hunting can work when higher units are snow-bound.