HD 284

Elk

Resident licenses

General Elk License

Availability: Over the counter

✅ Includes bull elk

Weapon restrictions: archery

Season: 2026-09-05 to 2026-11-29

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 284 (Lincoln Archery District) General Elk License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 68.

Brow-tined bull or antlerless elk: General Season Sep 05-Nov 29, 'ArchEquip only'.

District NOTE: 'HD 284 Check Restricted Area Legal Description (p 28-30) Lincoln Closed Area; Deer and Elk hunting is restricted to ArchEquip Only.' No elk B licenses or elk permits are listed for HD 284.

A Bow and Arrow License is required during the Archery Only Season and to hunt in an ArchEquip-only area or hunting district (p. 12).

Source: FWP regulations (2026)

Nonresident licenses

General Elk License

Availability: Draw

✅ Includes bull elk

Weapon restrictions: archery

Season: 2026-09-05 to 2026-11-29

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 284 (Lincoln Archery District) General Elk License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 68.

Brow-tined bull or antlerless elk: General Season Sep 05-Nov 29, 'ArchEquip only'.

District NOTE: 'HD 284 Check Restricted Area Legal Description (p 28-30) Lincoln Closed Area; Deer and Elk hunting is restricted to ArchEquip Only.' No elk B licenses or elk permits are listed for HD 284.

A Bow and Arrow License is required during the Archery Only Season and to hunt in an ArchEquip-only area or hunting district (p. 12).

Source: FWP regulations (2026)

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

6+ point bulls: 4 of 8 total bulls harvested (2025)

Success rate history

YearHuntersAllSpikeBull6+ pt
HarvestRateHarvestRateHarvestRateHarvestRate
2025Not published15084
20242213214.5%00%94.1%31.4%
2023Not published260186
2022167127.2%00%74.2%74.2%
2021Not published430314

Success by residency

YearResidentsNonresidents
HuntersHarvestRateHuntersHarvestRate
2025Not published15Not published0
20241693017.8%5235.8%
2023Not published20Not published5
2022139128.6%2800%
2021Not published36Not published7

Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2024.

Mule Deer

Resident licenses

General Deer License

Availability: Over the counter

✅ Includes antlered buck mule deer

Weapon restrictions: archery

Season: 2026-09-05 to 2026-11-29

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 284 (Lincoln Archery District) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 68.

Antlered buck mule deer and antlered buck white-tailed deer: General Season Sep 05-Nov 29, 'ArchEquip only'.

District NOTE: 'HD 284 Check Restricted Area Legal Description (p 28-30) Lincoln Closed Area; Deer and Elk hunting is restricted to ArchEquip Only.' No deer B licenses or deer permits are listed for HD 284.

A Bow and Arrow License is required during the Archery Only Season and to hunt in an ArchEquip-only area or hunting district (p. 12).

Source: FWP regulations (2026)

Nonresident licenses

General Deer License

Availability: Draw

✅ Includes antlered buck mule deer

Weapon restrictions: archery

Season: 2026-09-05 to 2026-11-29

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 284 (Lincoln Archery District) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 68.

Antlered buck mule deer and antlered buck white-tailed deer: General Season Sep 05-Nov 29, 'ArchEquip only'.

District NOTE: 'HD 284 Check Restricted Area Legal Description (p 28-30) Lincoln Closed Area; Deer and Elk hunting is restricted to ArchEquip Only.' No deer B licenses or deer permits are listed for HD 284.

A Bow and Arrow License is required during the Archery Only Season and to hunt in an ArchEquip-only area or hunting district (p. 12).

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: 11 of 14 mule deer bucks harvested (2025)

Success rate history

YearHuntersAllBuck4+ pt
HarvestRateHarvestRateHarvestRate
2025174137.5%148%116.3%
2024Not published330
202312075.8%65%32.5%
2022Not published10103
202120031.5%31.5%31.5%

Success by residency

YearResidentsNonresidents
HuntersHarvestRateHuntersHarvestRate
2025153117.2%21314.3%
2024Not published3Not published0
202311176.3%900%
2022Not published10Not published0
202117000%30310%

Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2025.