Unit 350

Homestake Pass and Elk Park Pass serve as key corridor references along the ridge systems, with Homestake Lake offering a reliable landmark for north-south navigation. Bull Mountain, Clarke Ridge, and Doe Ridge form the prominent spine running through the unit, providing good glassing vantage points. Whitetail Basin anchors the southern section and connects several major drainages.

Springs are scattered throughout—Coyote Flat Spring, Tebay Spring, and Rosie Murphy Spring among the most established—making them valuable waypoints. Boulder provides cultural reference, while the North Fork Little Boulder River serves as the primary drainage corridor for navigation and water access.

Terrain rolls from mid-elevation valleys around 4,300 feet up to ridgetops approaching 8,800 feet, with the majority of country falling in the 6,000 to 7,500-foot band where transition forest takes over from sagebrush and grassland. Lower sections feature open prairie and sagebrush parks interspersed with scattered timber and small drainages—classic pronghorn habitat. As elevation increases, Douglas fir and lodgepole pine become increasingly dense, creating timbered ridges and side-hill slopes that break up the country considerably.

The rolling topography means steady elevation gain rather than steep climbs, allowing access throughout most seasons.

Nearly 600 miles of maintained roads create a well-connected network throughout the unit, meaning access is straightforward from Boulder and Butte. This connectivity has two sides: you can reach much of the country easily, but so can most hunters. Road density ensures pressure concentrates along main corridors and around populated areas like Homestake, Highview, and Boulder.

The rolling, less-extreme topography discourages deep penetration—most pressure stays within a few miles of road access. Early season sees the heaviest use; shoulder seasons offer solitude. Patience and willingness to walk away from road access pays dividends, particularly in the denser timbered sections.

Unit 350 occupies the rolling country east of Butte between Interstate 15 and the Boulder-Whitetail divide, bounded by I-90 to the south and Route 69 to the north. The unit spans portions of Silver Bow and Jefferson Counties in a moderate-sized block that's historically been a transition zone between the Butte mining district and the higher Madison Range country. Boulder sits just outside the northern boundary and serves as the logical staging point, with I-15 providing direct highway access from Butte.

The Boulder-Whitetail Road corridor forms the eastern boundary, creating a somewhat irregular shape tied to both county lines and natural divides.

Water exists but requires knowledge of reliable sources. Homestake Lake and several reservoirs (Whitetail, Delmoe, Taylor) provide perennial water, though some are on private property. Springs dot the unit—Coyote Flat, Tebay, Rocky, and Rosie Murphy springs are established sources, though seasonal reliability varies.

North Fork Little Boulder River and Moose Creek provide flowing water in their main channels but can diminish in late season. Jerry Smith Creek, O'Neil Creek, and several smaller draws add drainage corridors. Early-season and spring/fall hunting favor the ridge country where water is more reliable; late summer requires targeting perennial sources or planning water cache strategy.

Unit 350's primary draw is pronghorn, found in the lower, more open valley sections and sagebrush parks. Hunt the rolling grassland and sagebrush country below 6,000 feet early in the season when pronghorn are still concentrated in their summer range. Ridge systems offer glassing opportunities overlooking the valley floors.

As season progresses and pressure mounts, pronghorn shift toward rougher, more timbered edges where escape cover is available. Water sources become critical late season—post antelope around Homestake Lake, established springs, and creek drainages. Moderate terrain complexity means you can cover ground efficiently, but reading wind and using terrain breaks to approach become essential in this open country where pronghorn spot hunters quickly.