HD 471

Elk

9.1% 2024 · 99 hunters

Residents
Over the counter
Nonresidents
Draw

Mule deer

44.4% 2025 · 640 hunters

Residents
Over the counter
Nonresidents
Draw

Whitetail

7.0% 2025 · 640 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 471 (Geraldine) General Elk License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 107.

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 471 (Geraldine) General Elk License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 107.

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: 7 of 11 total bulls harvested (2025)

Success rate history

YearHuntersAllSpikeBull6+ pt
HarvestRateHarvestRateHarvestRateHarvestRate
2025Not published150117
20249999.1%00.0%99.1%66.1%
2023Not published263179
2022633657.1%00.0%2031.7%1320.6%
2021Not published2302319

Success by residency

YearResidentsNonresidents
HuntersHarvestRateHuntersHarvestRate
2025Not published15Not published0
20249499.6%500.0%
2023Not published21Not published6
2022583662.1%600.0%
2021Not published20Not 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 471 (Geraldine) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 107.

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

Antlered Buck Mule Deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18, General Oct 24-Nov 15.

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

Deer B licenses 004-00, 004-01 and 471-00 and Deer Permit 471-50 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 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 471 (Geraldine) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 107.

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

Antlered Buck Mule Deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18, General Oct 24-Nov 15.

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

Deer B licenses 004-00, 004-01 and 471-00 and Deer Permit 471-50 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: 167 of 263 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
202564028444.4%26341.1%16726.1%
2024Not published422388233
202381343653.6%39448.5%30137.0%
2022Not published408338241
202177142354.9%36647.5%26634.5%

Success by residency

YearResidentsNonresidents
HuntersHarvestRateHuntersHarvestRate
202555122240.3%896269.7%
2024Not published354Not published67
202367332848.7%14010776.4%
2022Not published348Not published59
202166834651.8%1037774.8%

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 471 (Geraldine) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 107.

Either-sex White-tailed Deer: 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.

Deer B licenses 004-00, 004-01 and 471-00 and Deer Permit 471-50 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 471 (Geraldine) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 107.

Either-sex White-tailed Deer: 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.

Deer B licenses 004-00, 004-01 and 471-00 and Deer Permit 471-50 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: 24 of 30 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
2025640457.0%304.7%243.8%
2024Not published896455
2023813749.1%496.0%334.1%
2022Not published574239
2021771597.7%263.4%263.4%

Success by residency

YearResidentsNonresidents
HuntersHarvestRateHuntersHarvestRate
2025551386.9%8977.9%
2024Not published81Not published8
2023673659.7%14096.4%
2022Not published54Not published3
2021668456.7%1031413.6%

Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2025.