HD 652
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 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
✅ 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
| Year | Hunters | All | Spike | Bull | 6+ pt | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | ||
| 2023 | Not published | 3 | — | 0 | — | 3 | — | 0 | — |
| 2021 | Not published | 3 | — | 0 | — | 3 | — | 3 | — |
Success by residency
| Year | Residents | Nonresidents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunters | Harvest | Rate | Hunters | Harvest | Rate | |
| 2023 | Not published | 3 | — | Not published | 0 | — |
| 2021 | Not published | 0 | — | Not published | 3 | — |
Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2023.
Mule Deer
Resident licenses
General Deer License
Availability: Over the counter
⚠️ 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
⚠️ 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)
Success rate history
| Year | Hunters | All | Buck | 4+ pt | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | Harvest | Rate | ||
| 2025 | 123 | 52 | 42.3% | 49 | 39.8% | 33 | 26.8% |
| 2024 | Not published | 64 | — | 62 | — | 50 | — |
| 2023 | 173 | 87 | 50.3% | 74 | 42.8% | 53 | 30.6% |
| 2022 | Not published | 104 | — | 81 | — | 53 | — |
| 2021 | 169 | 156 | 92.3% | 123 | 72.8% | 101 | 59.8% |
Success by residency
| Year | Residents | Nonresidents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunters | Harvest | Rate | Hunters | Harvest | Rate | |
| 2025 | 79 | 34 | 43% | 44 | 18 | 40.9% |
| 2024 | Not published | 44 | — | Not published | 21 | — |
| 2023 | 117 | 49 | 41.9% | 56 | 39 | 69.6% |
| 2022 | Not published | 53 | — | Not published | 51 | — |
| 2021 | 133 | 121 | 91% | 37 | 35 | 94.6% |
Source: Montana FWP harvest reports, 2025.