HD 311 covers the Madison Valley and the surrounding mountains between Ennis and West Yellowstone—a broad, high-altitude valley flanked by the Madison Range on the east and the Gravelly Range on the west. Elevations range from about 4,800 feet on the Madison River near Ennis to over 11,000 feet on the peaks of the Madison and Gravelly ranges. The valley floor is irrigated hay meadows, native grass, and sage flats—wide-open country with the Madison River winding through it. The mountains rise steeply from the valley, climbing through Douglas fir, lodgepole, and spruce-fir into alpine terrain. The Madison Valley is one of Montana's premier wildlife corridors, hosting large elk herds that migrate between summer range in the mountains and winter range on the valley floor. The valley also supports mule deer, whitetail, pronghorn, and moose. Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF and Gallatin NF (now Custer-Gallatin NF) cover the mountains, with the Lee Metcalf Wilderness protecting portions of the Madison Range. The valley floor is predominantly private ranch land, and access to the valley-floor elk concentration requires landowner permission or enrollment in block management. US-287 runs the length of the valley, and forest roads access the mountain drainages from both sides. Ennis has full services and a strong hunting culture. West Yellowstone serves the upper valley. Cell service is good in the valley and dies in the mountains. The Madison Valley's elk hunting reputation is built on numbers—when the migration kicks in and elk pour out of the mountains onto the hay meadows, the concentration of animals is remarkable. But the valley floor is private, and public-land hunters need to focus on the mountain drainages or find block management access. The Gravelly Range on the west side offers more accessible public land than the Madison Range and is worth the drive around. HD 311 (Madison Valley / Ennis) has a reputation built on elk numbers — when the fall migration kicks in and elk pour out of the mountains onto the hay meadows, the concentration of animals is remarkable. General elk tags are available OTC for residents. However, the valley floor is predominantly private ranch land, and public-land hunters must focus on the mountain drainages or find Block Management access. The Lee Metcalf Wilderness protects portions of the Madison Range on the east. Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF and Custer-Gallatin NF cover the mountains on both sides. Block Management on valley ranches is the critical access tool — the ranches that enroll provide the only realistic valley-floor hunting. Bull-to-cow ratios are moderate. The Gravelly Range on the west side offers more accessible public land than the Madison Range. B-licenses (cow tags) are typically available to manage the large valley elk population. Ennis has full services and a strong hunting culture. The Madison Valley mule deer and pronghorn are secondary draws. Late-season hunts coincide with peak migration from the mountains to the valley floor.