HD 652

Elk

No rate published

Residents
Over the counter
Nonresidents
Draw

Mule deer

42.3% 2025 · 123 hunters

Residents
Over the counter
Nonresidents
Draw

Whitetail

6.5% 2025 · 123 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 652 (McCone-Garfield) General Elk License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 116.

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

District NOTE: HD 652 Check Restricted Area Legal Description (p 28-30) Charles M.

Russell (CMR) National Wildlife Refuge and U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers.

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

No Elk B licenses and no Elk Permits are listed for this HD; the General Elk License row above is the only elk opportunity the regulations print for HD 652.

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 652 (McCone-Garfield) General Elk License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 116.

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

District NOTE: HD 652 Check Restricted Area Legal Description (p 28-30) Charles M.

Russell (CMR) National Wildlife Refuge and U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers.

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

No Elk B licenses and no Elk Permits are listed for this HD; the General Elk License row above is the only elk opportunity the regulations print for HD 652.

Source: FWP regulations (2026)

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

6+ point bulls: 0 of 3 total bulls harvested (2023)

Success rate history

YearHuntersAllSpikeBull6+ pt
HarvestRateHarvestRateHarvestRateHarvestRate
2023Not published3—0—3—0—
2021Not published3—0—3—3—

Success by residency

YearResidentsNonresidents
HuntersHarvestRateHuntersHarvestRate
2023Not published3—Not published0—
2021Not published0—Not published3—

Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2023.

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 652 (McCone-Garfield) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 116.

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

The regulations list no General Deer License row for mule deer in this HD: antlered buck mule deer is a Deer Permit 652-50 opportunity (apply by April 1, quota 100) and antlerless mule deer is a Deer B License 652-01 opportunity.

District NOTE: HD 652 Check Restricted Area Legal Description (p 28-30) Charles M.

Russell (CMR) National Wildlife Refuge and U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers.

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

Deer B licenses 006-00 and 652-01 and Deer Permit 652-50 are also listed for this HD; not itemized here (general license only).

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 652 (McCone-Garfield) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 116.

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

The regulations list no General Deer License row for mule deer in this HD: antlered buck mule deer is a Deer Permit 652-50 opportunity (apply by April 1, quota 100) and antlerless mule deer is a Deer B License 652-01 opportunity.

District NOTE: HD 652 Check Restricted Area Legal Description (p 28-30) Charles M.

Russell (CMR) National Wildlife Refuge and U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers.

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

Deer B licenses 006-00 and 652-01 and Deer Permit 652-50 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: 33 of 49 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
20251235242.3%4939.8%3326.8%
2024Not published64—62—50—
20231738750.3%7442.8%5330.6%
2022Not published104—81—53—
202116915692.3%12372.8%10159.8%

Success by residency

YearResidentsNonresidents
HuntersHarvestRateHuntersHarvestRate
2025793443.0%441840.9%
2024Not published44—Not published21—
20231174941.9%563969.6%
2022Not published53—Not published51—
202113312191.0%373594.6%

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 652 (McCone-Garfield) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 116.

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

The regulations list no General Deer License row for mule deer in this HD: antlered buck mule deer is a Deer Permit 652-50 opportunity (apply by April 1, quota 100) and antlerless mule deer is a Deer B License 652-01 opportunity.

District NOTE: HD 652 Check Restricted Area Legal Description (p 28-30) Charles M.

Russell (CMR) National Wildlife Refuge and U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers.

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

Deer B licenses 006-00 and 652-01 and Deer Permit 652-50 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 652 (McCone-Garfield) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 116.

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

The regulations list no General Deer License row for mule deer in this HD: antlered buck mule deer is a Deer Permit 652-50 opportunity (apply by April 1, quota 100) and antlerless mule deer is a Deer B License 652-01 opportunity.

District NOTE: HD 652 Check Restricted Area Legal Description (p 28-30) Charles M.

Russell (CMR) National Wildlife Refuge and U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers.

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

Deer B licenses 006-00 and 652-01 and Deer Permit 652-50 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: 4 of 4 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
202512386.5%43.3%43.3%
2024Not published20—14—8—
20231731911.0%31.7%31.7%
2022Not published27—9—9—
202116942.4%00.0%00.0%

Success by residency

YearResidentsNonresidents
HuntersHarvestRateHuntersHarvestRate
20257945.1%4449.1%
2024Not published17—Not published3—
202311786.8%561119.6%
2022Not published27—Not published0—
202113343.0%3700.0%

Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2025.