HD 250
Elk
39.2%
Mule deer
4.0%
Whitetail
35.0%
Elk
Resident licenses
General Elk License
Availability: Draw
Not included Bull elk is not included in this general license — it requires a separate drawn permit or B-license. See the full regulation text below for details.
Residents buy the General Elk License over the counter; the resident license availability chart (p. 12) lists no application deadline for it, and residents may instead buy a Sportsman's License that includes one.
HD 250 (West Fork Bitterroot), 2026 regulations p. 63: the regulations list NO General Elk License opportunity at all for this HD.
Under the HD 250 ELK heading the only entries are Elk B License 250-00 (antlerless elk, apply by Jun 1) and Elk Permits 250-45 and 250-46 (brow-tined bull elk, apply by April 1), each of which must be used with a valid General Elk License.
Bull elk hunting in HD 250 therefore requires a drawn permit; availability is recorded as 'draw' for that reason, not because of how the General Elk License itself is sold.
Residents must hold a General Elk License before applying for an elk permit (p. 16).
Source: FWP regulations (2026)
Nonresident licenses
General Elk License
Availability: Draw
Not included Bull elk is not included in this general license — it requires a separate drawn permit or B-license. See the full regulation text below for details.
Most nonresidents cannot buy their General Elk License over the counter.
Per 'Elk Licenses & Permits - General Elk License' (p. 16), they must obtain one through the drawing for one of the 17,000 Big Game Combination Licenses, applying in the random lottery drawing by April 1.
The separate NONRESIDENT License and Permit Availability Chart (p. 13) states that the Elk Combination includes a General Elk License and lists 'Elk Combination - Drawing' at $1,112.00, apply by April 1.
HD 250 (West Fork Bitterroot), 2026 regulations p. 63: the regulations list NO General Elk License opportunity at all for this HD.
Under the HD 250 ELK heading the only entries are Elk B License 250-00 (antlerless elk, apply by Jun 1) and Elk Permits 250-45 and 250-46 (brow-tined bull elk, apply by April 1), each of which must be used with a valid General Elk License.
Bull elk hunting in HD 250 therefore requires a drawn permit; availability is recorded as 'draw' for that reason, not because of how the General Elk License itself is sold.
Nonresidents must hold or apply for an Elk or Big Game Combination License before applying for an elk permit, and by state law nonresidents are limited to, but not guaranteed, 10 percent of the license/permit quota (p. 16).
Source: FWP regulations (2026)
Other permits and B-licenses may be available for this district — not yet itemized in this dataset.
6+ point bulls: 15 of 17 total bulls harvested (2025)
Success rate history
| Year | Hunters | All | Spike | Bull | 6+ pt | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | ||
| 2025 | Not published | 38 | — | 0 | — | 17 | — | 15 | — |
| 2024 | 130 | 51 | 39.2% | 0 | 0.0% | 34 | 26.2% | 21 | 16.2% |
| 2023 | Not published | 18 | — | 0 | — | 15 | — | 7 | — |
| 2022 | 138 | 30 | 21.7% | 0 | 0.0% | 26 | 18.8% | 15 | 10.9% |
| 2021 | Not published | 36 | — | 0 | — | 29 | — | 18 | — |
Success by residency
| Year | Residents | Nonresidents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunters | Harvest | Rate | Hunters | Harvest | Rate | |
| 2025 | Not published | 35 | — | Not published | 3 | — |
| 2024 | 108 | 40 | 37.0% | 22 | 11 | 50.0% |
| 2023 | Not published | 17 | — | Not published | 1 | — |
| 2022 | 124 | 28 | 22.6% | 14 | 2 | 14.3% |
| 2021 | Not published | 36 | — | Not published | — | — |
Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2024.
Mule Deer
Resident licenses
General Deer License
Availability: Over the counter
Not included Antlered buck mule deer is not included in this general license — it requires a separate drawn permit. See the full regulation text below for details.
Residents buy the General Deer License over the counter; the resident license availability chart (p. 12) lists no application deadline for it, and residents may instead buy a Sportsman's License that includes one.
HD 250 (West Fork Bitterroot) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 63.
Antlered buck white-tailed deer: General Oct 24-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20.
Either-sex white-tailed deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18.
Either-sex white-tailed deer: General Oct 24-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20, 'Only youth ages 10-15'.
The General Deer License gives NO antlered buck mule deer opportunity in HD 250 - that requires drawn deer permit 250-50.
Deer permit 250-50 is also listed for this HD; not itemized here (general license only).
No deer B licenses are listed for HD 250.
Source: FWP regulations (2026)
Nonresident licenses
General Deer License
Availability: Draw
Not included Antlered buck mule deer is not included in this general license — it requires a separate drawn permit. See the full regulation text below for details.
Most nonresidents cannot buy their general deer license over the counter.
Per 'Deer Licenses & Permits - General Deer License' (p. 15), they must obtain a General Deer License through one of the following drawings: the Big Game (deer and elk) Combination License (17,000 issued), the Deer Combination License (4,600 issued), or a Landowner Sponsored License (2,000 issued); nonresidents can apply for only one of these combo licenses each year, and the random lottery drawing deadline is April 1.
The separate NONRESIDENT License and Permit Availability Chart (p. 13) states that the Deer Combination includes a General Deer License and lists 'Deer Combination - Drawing' at $760.00, apply by April 1.
HD 250 (West Fork Bitterroot) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 63.
Antlered buck white-tailed deer: General Oct 24-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20.
Either-sex white-tailed deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18.
Either-sex white-tailed deer: General Oct 24-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20, 'Only youth ages 10-15'.
The General Deer License gives NO antlered buck mule deer opportunity in HD 250 - that requires drawn deer permit 250-50.
Deer permit 250-50 is also listed for this HD; not itemized here (general license only).
No deer B licenses are listed for HD 250.
Source: FWP regulations (2026)
Other permits and B-licenses may be available for this district — not yet itemized in this dataset.
4+ point mule deer bucks: 18 of 18 mule deer bucks harvested (2025)
Deer rates divide each species' harvest by all deer hunters in the district — FWP doesn't count mule deer and whitetail hunters separately.
Success rate history
| Year | Hunters | All | Buck | 4+ pt | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | ||
| 2025 | 449 | 18 | 4.0% | 18 | 4.0% | 18 | 4.0% |
| 2024 | Not published | 17 | — | 17 | — | 14 | — |
| 2023 | 421 | 23 | 5.5% | 21 | 5.0% | 20 | 4.8% |
| 2022 | Not published | 22 | — | 22 | — | 18 | — |
| 2021 | 328 | 17 | 5.2% | 17 | 5.2% | 15 | 4.6% |
Success by residency
| Year | Residents | Nonresidents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunters | Harvest | Rate | Hunters | Harvest | Rate | |
| 2025 | 426 | 17 | 4.0% | 23 | 1 | 4.3% |
| 2024 | Not published | 16 | — | Not published | 1 | — |
| 2023 | 402 | 17 | 4.2% | 19 | 6 | 31.6% |
| 2022 | Not published | 19 | — | Not published | 3 | — |
| 2021 | 312 | 17 | 5.4% | Not published | — | — |
Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2025.
Whitetail
Resident licenses
General Deer License
Availability: Over the counter
Included Includes antlered buck whitetail
Residents buy the General Deer License over the counter; the resident license availability chart (p. 12) lists no application deadline for it, and residents may instead buy a Sportsman's License that includes one.
HD 250 (West Fork Bitterroot) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 63.
Antlered buck white-tailed deer: General Oct 24-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20.
Either-sex white-tailed deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18.
Either-sex white-tailed deer: General Oct 24-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20, 'Only youth ages 10-15'.
The General Deer License gives NO antlered buck mule deer opportunity in HD 250 - that requires drawn deer permit 250-50.
Deer permit 250-50 is also listed for this HD; not itemized here (general license only).
No deer B licenses are listed for HD 250.
Source: FWP regulations (2026)
Nonresident licenses
General Deer License
Availability: Draw
Included Includes antlered buck whitetail
Most nonresidents cannot buy their general deer license over the counter.
Per 'Deer Licenses & Permits - General Deer License' (p. 15), they must obtain a General Deer License through one of the following drawings: the Big Game (deer and elk) Combination License (17,000 issued), the Deer Combination License (4,600 issued), or a Landowner Sponsored License (2,000 issued); nonresidents can apply for only one of these combo licenses each year, and the random lottery drawing deadline is April 1.
The separate NONRESIDENT License and Permit Availability Chart (p. 13) states that the Deer Combination includes a General Deer License and lists 'Deer Combination - Drawing' at $760.00, apply by April 1.
HD 250 (West Fork Bitterroot) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 63.
Antlered buck white-tailed deer: General Oct 24-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20.
Either-sex white-tailed deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18.
Either-sex white-tailed deer: General Oct 24-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20, 'Only youth ages 10-15'.
The General Deer License gives NO antlered buck mule deer opportunity in HD 250 - that requires drawn deer permit 250-50.
Deer permit 250-50 is also listed for this HD; not itemized here (general license only).
No deer B licenses are listed for HD 250.
Source: FWP regulations (2026)
Other permits and B-licenses may be available for this district — not yet itemized in this dataset.
4+ point whitetail bucks: 98 of 147 whitetail bucks harvested (2025)
Deer rates divide each species' harvest by all deer hunters in the district — FWP doesn't count mule deer and whitetail hunters separately.
Success rate history
| Year | Hunters | All | Buck | 4+ pt | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | ||
| 2025 | 449 | 157 | 35.0% | 147 | 32.7% | 98 | 21.8% |
| 2024 | Not published | 155 | — | 136 | — | 90 | — |
| 2023 | 421 | 165 | 39.2% | 141 | 33.5% | 94 | 22.3% |
| 2022 | Not published | 158 | — | 148 | — | 106 | — |
| 2021 | 328 | 123 | 37.5% | 124 | 37.8% | 92 | 28.0% |
Success by residency
| Year | Residents | Nonresidents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunters | Harvest | Rate | Hunters | Harvest | Rate | |
| 2025 | 426 | 155 | 36.4% | 23 | 3 | 13.0% |
| 2024 | Not published | 155 | — | Not published | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 402 | 159 | 39.6% | 19 | 6 | 31.6% |
| 2022 | Not published | 150 | — | Not published | 9 | — |
| 2021 | 312 | 120 | 38.5% | 15 | 3 | 20.0% |
Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2025.