HD 280
Elk
Resident licenses
General Elk License
Availability: Over the counter
✅ 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 280 (North Blackfoot) General Elk License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 67.
Brow-tined bull or antlerless elk: Archery Only Sep 05-Sep 14, General Sep 26-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20.
Brow-tined bull elk: General Sep 15-Sep 25.
Brow-tined bull or antlerless elk, youth ages 12-15 only: General Sep 15-Sep 25.
No elk B licenses or elk permits are listed for HD 280.
Source: FWP regulations (2026)
Nonresident licenses
General Elk License
Availability: Draw
✅ Includes bull elk
Most nonresidents cannot buy their General Elk License over the counter.
Per 'Elk Licenses & Permits - General Elk License' (p. 16), it must be obtained through the April 1 drawing for one of the 17,000 Big Game Combination Licenses (the Elk Combination License also includes a General Elk License).
HD 280 (North Blackfoot) General Elk License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 67.
Brow-tined bull or antlerless elk: Archery Only Sep 05-Sep 14, General Sep 26-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20.
Brow-tined bull elk: General Sep 15-Sep 25.
Brow-tined bull or antlerless elk, youth ages 12-15 only: General Sep 15-Sep 25.
No elk B licenses or elk permits are listed for HD 280.
Source: FWP regulations (2026)
Other permits and B-licenses may be available for this district — not yet itemized in this dataset.
6+ point bulls: 7 of 14 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 | 17 | — | 0 | — | 14 | — | 7 | — |
| 2024 | 212 | 44 | 20.8% | 0 | 0% | 44 | 20.8% | 32 | 15.1% |
| 2023 | Not published | 21 | — | 0 | — | 21 | — | 6 | — |
| 2022 | 196 | 32 | 16.3% | 3 | 1.5% | 23 | 11.7% | 16 | 8.2% |
| 2021 | Not published | 22 | — | 0 | — | 22 | — | 15 | — |
Success by residency
| Year | Residents | Nonresidents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunters | Harvest | Rate | Hunters | Harvest | Rate | |
| 2025 | Not published | 11 | — | Not published | 6 | — |
| 2024 | 181 | 33 | 18.2% | 31 | 10 | 32.3% |
| 2023 | Not published | 18 | — | Not published | 3 | — |
| 2022 | 156 | 27 | 17.3% | 40 | 6 | 15% |
| 2021 | Not published | 12 | — | Not published | 10 | — |
Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2024.
Mule Deer
Resident licenses
General Deer License
Availability: Over the counter
✅ 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 280 (North Blackfoot) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 67.
District NOTE: 'Backcountry-Remote location, access difficult.' Antlered buck white-tailed deer and antlered buck mule deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Sep 14, General Sep 15-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20.
Either-sex white-tailed deer, youth ages 10-15 only: General Sep 15-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20.
HD 280 is one of the backcountry districts (HDs 150, 280, 316) listed under 2026 Season Dates (p. 11) with archery Sep 5-Sep 14 and general Sep 15-Nov 29.
No deer B licenses or deer permits are listed for HD 280.
Source: FWP regulations (2026)
Nonresident licenses
General Deer License
Availability: Draw
✅ 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), it must be obtained through one of the April 1 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 may apply for only one of these combination licenses per year.
HD 280 (North Blackfoot) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 67.
District NOTE: 'Backcountry-Remote location, access difficult.' Antlered buck white-tailed deer and antlered buck mule deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Sep 14, General Sep 15-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20.
Either-sex white-tailed deer, youth ages 10-15 only: General Sep 15-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20.
HD 280 is one of the backcountry districts (HDs 150, 280, 316) listed under 2026 Season Dates (p. 11) with archery Sep 5-Sep 14 and general Sep 15-Nov 29.
No deer B licenses or deer permits are listed for HD 280.
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: 7 of 7 mule deer bucks harvested (2025)
Success rate history
| Year | Hunters | All | Buck | 4+ pt | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | ||
| 2025 | 191 | 7 | 3.7% | 7 | 3.7% | 7 | 3.7% |
| 2024 | Not published | 12 | — | 12 | — | 6 | — |
| 2023 | 149 | 3 | 2% | 3 | 2% | 3 | 2% |
| 2022 | Not published | 7 | — | 7 | — | 7 | — |
| 2021 | 99 | 3 | 3% | 3 | 3% | 0 | 0% |
Success by residency
| Year | Residents | Nonresidents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunters | Harvest | Rate | Hunters | Harvest | Rate | |
| 2025 | 174 | 7 | 4% | 17 | 0 | 0% |
| 2024 | Not published | 12 | — | Not published | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 135 | 0 | 0% | 14 | 3 | 21.4% |
| 2022 | Not published | 7 | — | Not published | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 97 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 3 | 150% |
Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2025.