HD 213 covers the southern Elkhorns and the country around Whitehall—where the Elkhorn range tips off to the south into the Boulder Batholith granite country and the Jefferson River. Elevations span 4,500 feet on the Jefferson up to 9,000-plus feet on the southern Elkhorn peaks. The land is a mosaic—open Douglas fir parkland and grassy benches in the foothills, lodgepole and mixed conifer on the higher slopes, sage and juniper on the dry south aspects, and irrigated hay along the Jefferson and Boulder bottoms. Rocky granite outcrops are everywhere, the kind of scattered boulder country that holds mule deer beds you'd never see from a road. Elk are the headliner—213 has a real reputation as one of the more consistently productive elk units in the southern Boulder Batholith, with mature bulls available on limited tags. Mule deer are excellent on the foothills and breaks; whitetail concentrate along the Jefferson and Boulder rivers. Helena-Lewis and Clark NF and Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF cover the higher ground, BLM covers a lot of the dry foothill country, and private ranch ground (some of it old, some of it new conservation easements) covers most of the valley floor. I-15 and MT-69 are the paved arteries; the dirt grid out of Whitehall pushes north into the Elkhorn flank and south toward the Tobacco Roots-feeder country. Whitehall has gas, a grocery, motels; Boulder is north; Butte is twenty minutes west on the interstate. Cell service is decent on the highways and along the BLM grids. Block Management is critical for the private ground. The Elkhorn travel restrictions extend partway into 213, so confirm where the wildlife management unit boundary falls before you plan your access. This unit can produce very good animals—it just makes you work and it makes you draw. HD 213 (Boulder River / Absaroka Range) is a dead-end valley that produces quality elk in one of south-central Montana's most scenic settings. General elk tags are available OTC for residents. The upper drainage enters the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, where the country turns wild and vertical. Custer-Gallatin National Forest covers the upper drainage with private ranches controlling much of the lower valley floor. The dead-end road means zero through-traffic, keeping the upper drainage relatively quiet compared to highway-accessible units. Access through the lower valley requires passing through private land — some landowners allow through-traffic to reach national forest, but do not assume. Verify access status before your trip. Bull-to-cow ratios are moderate to good in the wilderness headwaters. Block Management on lower-valley ranches provides additional deer and elk access. Natural Bridge Falls is a landmark halfway up the valley. Pack-in hunts into the wilderness headwaters offer the best shot at undisturbed bulls. Late-season cold drives elk down-valley, creating opportunities for patient hunters positioned along the migration routes.