Unit 702

The Little Wolf Mountains define the eastern portion of the unit, serving as a major visual and navigational reference. Notable buttes scattered throughout—Haystack Butte, Trembling Butte, Rattlesnake Butte, Twin Buttes, and Red Butte—break the skyline and offer elevated glassing positions. Ninemile Point provides a western landmark near the Bighorn River.

The coulee systems (Hoshow, West Fork Brant, Jasper, Cedar, Bar) form natural travel corridors and drainage systems. Castle Rock Lake and Haines Reservoir mark reliable water sources, while Colstrip and Miles City serve as reference towns for orientation.

The terrain sits at moderate elevation with nearly all country below 5,000 feet, creating a consistently high-plains character. Grassland dominates the landscape with minimal forest cover—what timber exists is scattered cottonwoods in drainages and occasional ponderosa patches on northfacing slopes. Low buttes and ridges (Haystack, Trembling, Bulldog, Whiskey, and others) rise above the plains as navigation landmarks and glassing points.

This is open country suited for mule deer and elk moving through grassland and coulee systems, though the sparse vegetation cover means animals are exposed and visible from distance.

Road density is sparse across the unit, with 1,200+ miles of total roads but limited highway connections and few major routes penetrating the interior. This isolation means access pressure stays minimal compared to more connected units. Most hunters approach from Colstrip, Hardin, or the I-90 corridor, creating predictable pressure patterns near main roads.

The limited road network forces hunters into foot travel for remote areas—a barrier that protects interior country from casual hunters. State Routes 47 and 59 provide the main access arteries; secondary ranch roads require permission and may not be reliable.

Unit 702 encompasses the high plains country between the Bighorn River on the west and the Miles City-Colstrip corridor on the east, spanning portions of Treasure, Big Horn, Rosebud, and Custer Counties. The northern boundary runs along Interstate 94 near Miles City, while the southern edge follows State Route 59 and the Northern Cheyenne Reservation boundary. Interstate 90 and Interstate 94 form major geographic anchors, with State Routes 47 and 59 providing access corridors.

The unit sits in the transition zone between the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Reservations, creating a distinct geographic pocket.

Water is the limiting factor in this unit—scattered springs and small creeks provide the primary sources. Reliable springs include Dudley, Kendrick, and Sandrock Springs, plus numerous unnamed springs that appear only on detailed maps. Seasonal creeks like Little Ninemile, South Cottonwood, Plum, Pleasant, Rough, and Nell Creeks flow primarily during spring runoff and after heavy rains.

Castle Rock Lake and Haines Reservoir offer static water sources. Hunters must locate and remember spring locations to successfully hunt the unit's remote areas. The Bighorn River forms the western boundary but is inaccessible within most of the hunting area.

This unit supports elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, and mountain lions across its grassland and coulee terrain. Elk utilize the cooler draws and occasional timbered patches, migrating seasonally between badland breaks and open plains. Mule deer favor the open grassland with access to water and the ability to see approaching threats from distance.

White-tailed deer concentrate in riparian cottonwood corridors and thicketed drainages. Early season hunting focuses on high-elevation (by unit standards) ridges and buttes for glassing; rut hunting pushes into coulee systems where deer congregate. Late season finds animals dropping into lower drainages seeking water and remaining vegetation.

Success requires locating water sources early and hunting the corridors and edges between grassland and cover.