Sleeping Buffalo Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Sleeping Buffalo Wildlife Management Area is 1,315 acres of land managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Region 6, inside Hunting District 670. FWP lists mule deer and white-tailed deer among the animals that may be hunted here.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: FWP's page for Sleeping Buffalo WMA, read 2026-10-17. Boundary: FWP GIS.
BLMState trust landFWP landNational wildlife refugeBureau of ReclamationOther publicSleeping Buffalo WMAHunting district lineLake or riverHighway
| Size | 1,315 acres (FWP) |
|---|---|
| FWP region | Region 6, Northeast Montana |
| Hunting districts | HD 670 |
| Rules | Access by county road; mainly walk-in hunting. |
| Camping | Allowed (FWP) |
| Hunter access | Access by County Road. Primarily walk-in hunting only. |
| Elevation | 2192 ft |
| Nearest towns | Sleeping Buffalo (2 mi), Saco (7 mi) and Whitewater (17 mi) |
What is Sleeping Buffalo WMA for?
Sleeping Buffalo WMA is Bureau of Reclamation land about 20 miles northeast of Malta that FWP manages under an agreement. It has two parts: Area 7 to the north, with grass, sagebrush and Milk River cottonwoods, and the larger Area 8 to the south, with managed wetlands.
From FWP's Sleeping Buffalo WMA page.
What are the rules on Sleeping Buffalo WMA?
Access by county road; mainly walk-in hunting. Trapping needs the region's approval first.
Hunter access, as FWP puts it: Access by County Road. Primarily walk-in hunting only.
FWP prints a map of the area with its roads and rules: Sleeping Buffalo WMA map (PDF). Hunting follows the regulations of the district the ground is in.
What can you hunt on Sleeping Buffalo WMA?
FWP lists these big game animals for Sleeping Buffalo WMA: mule deer and white-tailed deer. Also listed: beaver, ducks, geese, mink, muskrat, ring-necked pheasant and sharp-tailed grouse.
Which hunting districts is Sleeping Buffalo WMA in?
All of Sleeping Buffalo WMA lies in Hunting District 670. Each district's FWP harvest estimate, for the whole district, not the WMA alone:
| District | WMA acres in it | Elk harvested (district) | Deer harvested (district) |
|---|---|---|---|
| HD 670 North Phillips-Valley | 1,315 | 8 (2025) | 1,168 (2025) |
Harvest: FWP Harvest Estimates (elk and deer, 2020 to 2025). WMA acres in each district measured by FilledTag from FWP's boundaries.
How do you get to Sleeping Buffalo WMA?
Turn north off of Highway 2 on County Road 343 at Sleeping Buffalo Rock. Follow county road along east side of Nelson Reservoir. Both units are located approximately 1.5 miles west of Nelson Reservoir off county road or access trail.
Highways within 8 miles: US 2. Nearest towns: Sleeping Buffalo (2 miles), Saco (7 miles), Whitewater (17 miles) and Hinsdale (19 miles).
Questions hunters ask
What can you hunt on Sleeping Buffalo WMA?
FWP lists beaver, ducks, geese, mink, mule deer, muskrat, ring-necked pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse and white-tailed deer for hunting or trapping on Sleeping Buffalo WMA. Each species follows the regulations of the hunting district the ground is in (HD 670).
Can you camp on Sleeping Buffalo WMA?
FWP lists camping as allowed on Sleeping Buffalo WMA, with pack in/pack out. Follow the area's posted rules.
Which hunting district is Sleeping Buffalo WMA in?
All of it is in Hunting District 670 (North Phillips-Valley).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, rules, species, facilities and directions: FWP, Sleeping Buffalo WMA.
- Boundary and acres: FWP wildlife management area boundaries. Surrounding public land: Montana Cadastral Public Lands, Montana State Library, published 2026.
- District harvest: FWP Harvest Estimates (elk and deer, 2020 to 2025).
FilledTag is not part of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.