HD 403

Elk

11.1% 2024 · 54 hunters

Residents
Over the counter
Nonresidents
Draw

Mule deer

43.8% 2025 · 418 hunters

Residents
Over the counter
Nonresidents
Draw

Whitetail

10.0% 2025 · 418 hunters

Residents
Over the counter
Nonresidents
Draw

Elk

Resident licenses

General Elk License

Availability: Over the counter

Included Includes bull elk

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 403 (Cut Bank) General Elk License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 90.

Either-sex Elk: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18, General Oct 24-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20.

District NOTE: Elk numbers are low and elk will be difficult to find.

Elk B license 004-00 are also listed for this HD; not itemized here (general license only).

Source: FWP regulations (2026)

Nonresident licenses

General Elk License

Availability: Draw

Included Includes bull elk

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 403 (Cut Bank) General Elk License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 90.

Either-sex Elk: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18, General Oct 24-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20.

District NOTE: Elk numbers are low and elk will be difficult to find.

Elk B license 004-00 are also listed for this HD; not itemized here (general license only).

Source: FWP regulations (2026)

Other permits and B-licenses may be available for this district — not yet itemized in this dataset.

6+ point bulls: 3 of 10 total bulls harvested (2025)

Success rate history

YearHuntersAllSpikeBull6+ pt
HarvestRateHarvestRateHarvestRateHarvestRate
2025Not published10—0—10—3—
202454611.1%00.0%00.0%00.0%
2023Not published3—0—3—0—
202246613.0%00.0%36.5%36.5%
2021Not published3—0—0—0—

Success by residency

YearResidentsNonresidents
HuntersHarvestRateHuntersHarvestRate
2025Not published4—Not published6—
20244436.8%10330.0%
2023Not published0—Not published3—
20224337.0%33100.0%
2021Not published0—Not published3—

Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2024.

Mule Deer

Resident licenses

General Deer License

Availability: Over the counter

Included Includes antlered buck mule deer

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 403 (Cut Bank) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 90.

Either-sex White-tailed Deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18, General Oct 24-Nov 15, '3 week general season.'.

Either-sex Mule Deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18, General Oct 24-Nov 15, '3 week general season.'.

District NOTE: Elk numbers are low and elk will be difficult to find.

Deer B licenses 004-00, 004-01 and 403-00 and Deer Permits 403-50 and 403-51 are also listed for this HD; not itemized here (general license only).

Source: FWP regulations (2026)

Nonresident licenses

General Deer License

Availability: Draw

Included Includes antlered buck mule deer

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 403 (Cut Bank) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 90.

Either-sex White-tailed Deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18, General Oct 24-Nov 15, '3 week general season.'.

Either-sex Mule Deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18, General Oct 24-Nov 15, '3 week general season.'.

District NOTE: Elk numbers are low and elk will be difficult to find.

Deer B licenses 004-00, 004-01 and 403-00 and Deer Permits 403-50 and 403-51 are also listed for this HD; not itemized here (general license only).

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: 60 of 133 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

YearHuntersAllBuck4+ pt
HarvestRateHarvestRateHarvestRate
202541818343.8%13331.8%6014.4%
2024Not published243—145—53—
202346120644.7%13128.4%7015.2%
2022Not published198—115—61—
202141616740.1%11026.4%8720.9%

Success by residency

YearResidentsNonresidents
HuntersHarvestRateHuntersHarvestRate
202539516642.0%241770.8%
2024Not published235—Not published8—
202342419145.0%371540.5%
2022Not published171—Not published27—
202138214738.5%342058.8%

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 403 (Cut Bank) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 90.

Either-sex White-tailed Deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18, General Oct 24-Nov 15, '3 week general season.'.

District NOTE: Elk numbers are low and elk will be difficult to find.

Deer B licenses 004-00, 004-01 and 403-00 and Deer Permits 403-50 and 403-51 are also listed for this HD; not itemized here (general license only).

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 403 (Cut Bank) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 90.

Either-sex White-tailed Deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18, General Oct 24-Nov 15, '3 week general season.'.

District NOTE: Elk numbers are low and elk will be difficult to find.

Deer B licenses 004-00, 004-01 and 403-00 and Deer Permits 403-50 and 403-51 are also listed for this HD; not itemized here (general license only).

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: 17 of 22 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

YearHuntersAllBuck4+ pt
HarvestRateHarvestRateHarvestRate
20254184210.0%225.3%174.1%
2024Not published99—62—53—
20234616413.9%388.2%357.6%
2022Not published68—44—37—
20214165513.2%4310.3%399.4%

Success by residency

YearResidentsNonresidents
HuntersHarvestRateHuntersHarvestRate
2025395399.9%24312.5%
2024Not published94—Not published5—
20234246014.2%37513.5%
2022Not published60—Not published9—
20213825113.4%3438.8%

Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2025.