Hunting District 103, South Salish: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 103 (South Salish) is 51% public land, most of it national forest (412,872 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 154 elk and 1,715 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 3,153 elk hunters spent 25,444 days here and took 135 elk.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: FWP estimates for 2020 to 2025. Seasons: FWP's 2026 regulations. Land: Montana State Library, 2026-10.
National forestState trust landFWP landNational wildlife refugeOther publicHD 103Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 1, Northwest Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 927,024 acres (1,448 square miles) |
| Public land | 51% (472,856 acres) |
| Block Management | 7 areas, 278,736 acres (2026) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 154 (103 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 1,715 (212 mule deer, 1,503 white-tailed) |
| General elk license, general season | Brow-tined bulls |
| Archery only, 2026 | September 5 to October 18 |
| General season, 2026 | October 24 to November 29 |
| Towns in and near it | Marion, Little Bitterroot Lake, Kila, Libby, Kalispell and Whitefish |
HD 103 is the Salish Mountains country west of Kalispell, crossed by US 2 for about 80 miles between Kalispell and Libby, past Kila and Marion. A mule deer buck in the North Fisher Portion takes FWP permit 103-50; elsewhere in the district the General Deer License covers mule deer bucks. Seven Block Management areas cover 278,736 acres.
How much public land is in HD 103?
51% of HD 103 is public land: 472,856 of its 927,024 acres. The largest share is national forest, 412,872 acres or 44.5% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 103 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 412,872 | 44.5% |
| State trust land | 48,994 | 5.3% |
| National wildlife refuge | 9,915 | 1.1% |
| Other public | 1,502 | 0.2% |
| FWP land | 1,075 | 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside FWP's district boundary from Montana Cadastral Public Lands, Montana State Library, published 2026. State trust land is open to hunting with a Conservation License where it can be reached legally; many sections touch no public road.
Block Management in HD 103
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 7 areas in HD 103, 278,736 acres of private land open to hunters under the program. The largest: Green Diamond (127,090 acres, Type 1), Stimson Lumber (66,368 acres, Type 1), Spp Mt Ashley Lake (32,861 acres, Type 1), Spp Mt North (30,348 acres, Type 2) and Flathead Ridge Ranch (17,606 acres, Type 1). Each area has its own rules and map from FWP. FWP Block Management.
Wildlife management area in HD 103: Ray Kuhns WMA (431 acres here).
How many elk are harvested in HD 103?
FWP estimates 154 elk were harvested in HD 103 in 2025: 103 bulls, 47 cows and 4 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 3,153 hunters took 135 elk, about 4 elk for every 100 hunters.
| Year | Elk harvested | Bulls | Cows | Calves | Bulls 6 points or more | Elk hunters | Hunter days | Elk per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 154 | 103 | 47 | 4 | 29 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 135 | 93 | 42 | 0 | 27 | 3,153 | 25,444 | 4 |
| 2023 | 92 | 57 | 32 | 3 | 15 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 114 | 75 | 39 | 0 | 16 | 2,737 | 22,224 | 4 |
| 2021 | 88 | 71 | 18 | 0 | 11 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 57 | 44 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1,536 | 12,809 | 4 |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (elk, 2020 to 2025). FWP counts hunters and days by district every other year; "not counted" means FWP did not publish that year's count. Elk per 100 hunters is worked out from FWP's own two figures.
How many deer are harvested in HD 103?
FWP estimates 1,715 deer were harvested in HD 103 in 2025: 212 mule deer and 1,503 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 5,147 deer hunters spent 35,014 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,715 | 212 | 1,503 | 1,431 | 264 | 908 | 5,147 | 35,014 |
| 2024 | 1,992 | 233 | 1,760 | 1,619 | 373 | 1,010 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 1,977 | 207 | 1,771 | 1,614 | 354 | 1,062 | 5,391 | 39,826 |
| 2022 | 1,733 | 158 | 1,575 | 1,302 | 418 | 781 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 1,157 | 138 | 1,019 | 890 | 253 | 524 | 2,546 | 18,236 |
| 2020 | 1,038 | 159 | 879 | 759 | 279 | 463 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 103 in 2026?
Archery only: September 5 to October 18. General season: October 24 to November 29, 2026. Every elk license and permit FWP lists for HD 103:
| License or permit | What may be taken | Apply by | Quota | Archery only | General | Other seasons | FWP's restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Elk License | Brow-tined Bull Elk | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | |||
| Elk B License: 103-00 | Antlerless Elk | Jun 1 | 25 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid on private land. |
When is deer season in HD 103 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 103 allows white-tailed deer of either sex (Oct 24-Oct 30), mule deer bucks (Oct 24-Nov 29) and white-tailed deer bucks (Oct 31-Nov 29).
| License or permit | What may be taken | Apply by | Quota | Archery only | General | Other seasons | FWP's restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Deer License | Either-sex White-tailed Deer | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Oct 30 | ||||
| General Deer License | Antlered Buck Mule Deer | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid outside the North Fisher Portion, see legal description. | ||
| General Deer License | Antlered Buck White-tailed Deer | Oct 31-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | ||||
| General Deer License | Either-sex White-tailed Deer | Oct 31-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only youth ages 10-15 and hunters with a PTHFV. | |||
| Deer B License: 103-00 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | Jun 1 | 150 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | |
| Deer B License: 199-20 | Either-sex White-tailed Deer | Jun 1 | 2,000 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid in the Libby CWD Management Zone. 1 per hunter. Mandatory CWD sampling within 10 days of harvest. More information on CWD sample submission on page 4. |
| Deer Permit: 103-50 | Antlered Buck Mule Deer | April 1 | 13 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid in the North Fisher Portion, see legal description. Permit must be used with a valid General Deer License. Holders may not hunt Antlered Buck Mule Deer outside the North Fisher Portion of HD 103 or in any other HD. Mandatory CWD sampling within 10 days of harvest. More information on CWD sample submission on page 4. |
FWP's notes for HD 103: Check the restricted area legal descriptions (regulations pages 28 to 30): Libby Big Game Archery Only Hunting Area.
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 49, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 103 before you go.
How do you get to HD 103?
Highways through the district: US 2 (about 80 miles inside it), MT 424 (about 11 miles inside it), MT 37 (about 10 miles inside it) and US 93 (about 5 miles inside it). Towns inside: Marion, Little Bitterroot Lake, Kila, Pioneer Junction, Olney and Stryker. Nearby: Libby (on the line), Kalispell (2 miles), Whitefish (6 miles) and Columbia Falls (11 miles).
Which districts border HD 103?
HD 103 touches 7 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 100 | North Kootenai | 88.9% | 103 | 1,140 |
| HD 101 | Eureka | 78.9% | 195 | 1,158 |
| HD 104 | Cabinets | 77.2% | 91 | 533 |
| HD 110 | North Fork | 85.7% | 40 | 465 |
| HD 120 | Blacktail | 26.5% | 66 | 694 |
| HD 122 | Thompson River | 53.8% | 135 | 794 |
| HD 170 | Flathead River | 8% | 67 | 1,772 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 103 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows brow-tined bulls in HD 103 during the general season, October 24 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 49). FWP also lists 1 elk B license or permit opportunity here.
What is the closest town to HD 103?
Marion, Little Bitterroot Lake and Kila are inside the district. Just outside: Libby (on the line), Kalispell (2 miles) and Whitefish (6 miles).
Does HD 103 have Block Management?
Yes. FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 7 areas covering 278,736 acres in HD 103: 6 where hunters give themselves permission (Type 1) and 1 where the landowner or FWP gives it (Type 2). The largest is Green Diamond at 127,090 acres.
Where is FWP's map of HD 103?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 103 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, hunters and days: FWP Harvest Estimates (elk and deer, 2020 to 2025).
- Seasons, licenses, quotas and restrictions: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 49.
- Public land: Montana Cadastral Public Lands, Montana State Library, published 2026. Block Management: FWP Block Management area boundaries (2026). District boundary: FWP deer, elk and lion hunting districts.
- Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Numbers are copied from FWP and the State of Montana, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
Montana hunting Region 1 HD 100 HD 101 HD 104 HD 110 HD 120 HD 122 HD 170