HD 650

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 650 (McCone-Richland) 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 650 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 650.

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), 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 650 (McCone-Richland) 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 650 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 650.

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 4 total bulls harvested (2025)

Success rate history

YearHuntersAllSpikeBull6+ pt
HarvestRateHarvestRateHarvestRateHarvestRate
2025Not published4044
2024981414.3%00%33.1%33.1%
2023Not published6033
202282911%33.7%67.3%00%
2021Not published4000

Success by residency

YearResidentsNonresidents
HuntersHarvestRateHuntersHarvestRate
2025Not published4Not published0
2024831416.9%1600%
2023Not published6Not published0
202279911.4%300%
2021Not published4Not published0

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 650 (McCone-Richland) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 116.

Antlerless Mule Deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18, General Oct 24-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20, 'Only valid on private land.'.

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 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20.

District NOTE: HD 650 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 650-00 are also listed for this HD; not itemized here (general license only).

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), 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 650 (McCone-Richland) General Deer License opportunities, 2026 regulations p. 116.

Antlerless Mule Deer: Archery Only Sep 05-Oct 18, General Oct 24-Nov 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20, 'Only valid on private land.'.

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 29, Heritage Muzzleloader Dec 12-Dec 20.

District NOTE: HD 650 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 650-00 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.

4+ point mule deer bucks: 519 of 797 mule deer bucks harvested (2025)

Success rate history

YearHuntersAllBuck4+ pt
HarvestRateHarvestRateHarvestRate
2025201084341.9%79739.7%51925.8%
2024Not published981843635
20232538133452.6%90835.8%70227.7%
2022Not published14431002731
20212635200276%115143.7%88333.5%

Success by residency

YearResidentsNonresidents
HuntersHarvestRateHuntersHarvestRate
2025128140031.2%72844461%
2024Not published609Not published372
2023158870444.3%94963066.4%
2022Not published893Not published550
20211779120767.8%85579593%

Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2025.