Big game plans may be put on hold for hunting enthusiasts in the Little Belt Mountains, as unusually heavy snow from Tuesday's storm has caused many forest roads to become impassable.

Snow depth totals from yesterday's storm ranged from 30 inches at Spur Park south of Showdown Ski Area to 42 inches at Onion Park, about six miles west of Neihart.

The forest service is urging caution for people anxious to hunt the area.

Dave Cunningham, spokesman for the Lewis & Clark National Forest, said, They need to be aware that, gosh, we got three feet of snow at the Belt Creek Ranger Station. Other parts of the mountains got up to 42 inches of measured snowfall at one site. That means we may not be able to drive on those roads that we were planning on going to to chase that elk or deer this coming weekend."

Cunningham says Meagher County Search and Rescue safely brought out a group of hunters this afternoon in the Spur park area.

Montana law allows snowmobiles to be used on roads that become impassable due to snow.

However, cross-country snowmobiling is prohibited in the forest until December 1st.

We can also tell you that a hunter who was stranded on Divide Road was rescued by Cascade County Search & Rescue at about 2:00 a.m. this morning.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Search & Rescue has been called out to locate hunters in both the Belt Park area, and near Logging Creek.