Montpelier WMA provides critical winter habitat to big game in severe winters. Recent winter aerial surveys show an estimated 1000 deer and 350 elk within five miles of the WMA, with 500 of those animals on the property. The south facing slopes are especially vital for deer.

The WMA began as a gift of 558 acres from the Stauffer Chemical Company in 1971. It was a small piece of a larger winter range once heavily used by mule deer. The gifted location was a phosphate mine and had also been heavily grazed by livestock. The condition of the bitterbrush and sagebrush forage at the time could not support deer in the winter.

Much of the existing forage habitat today is the result of intensive and ongoing plantings and seedlings. Shortly after receiving the property, habitat managers planted 10,000 bitterbrush seedlings. This has been followed by more seedlings and more plantings. The most recent planting of 15,000 bitterbrush seedlings was done in 2011.

Montpelier WMA is open for recreational uses year-round, though facilities are limited to informational signage, primitive trails and one parking area. Motorized vehicles are limited restricted to the parking area.

Former mining claims on the WMA include two adits into the south facing slope of Montpelier Canyon. Idaho Department of Lands gated the entrances in recent years in the interest of public safety and to preserve bat habitat.

Big game winter range is being lost to development and growth in the Bear Lake County area. As this trend continues, intact big game winter range, such as the Montpelier WMA, is increasingly important.