Hunting District 104, Cabinets: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 104 (Cabinets) is 77.2% public land, most of it national forest (361,510 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 91 elk and 533 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 1,092 elk hunters spent 9,884 days here and took 78 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 landOther publicHD 104Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 1, Northwest Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 483,714 acres (756 square miles) |
| Public land | 77.2% (373,426 acres) |
| Block Management | 4 areas, 51,189 acres (2026) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 91 (74 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 533 (64 mule deer, 469 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 | Libby, Troy and Happys Inn |
HD 104 takes in the Cabinet Mountains south of the Kootenai River, from Libby and Troy to the Idaho line and the Lincoln-Sanders county line. US 2 and MT 56 run through it. Bull River WMA has 542 acres inside, and FWP closes it December 2 to May 15.
How much public land is in HD 104?
77.2% of HD 104 is public land: 373,426 of its 483,714 acres. The largest share is national forest, 361,510 acres or 74.7% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 104 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 361,510 | 74.7% |
| State trust land | 9,617 | 2% |
| FWP land | 2,299 | 0.5% |
| Other public | 1,201 | 0.2% |
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 104
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 4 areas in HD 104, 51,189 acres of private land open to hunters under the program. The largest: Spp Mt Mcginnis (24,690 acres, Type 1), Stimson Lumber (22,689 acres, Type 1), Green Diamond (3,712 acres, Type 1) and Davis Creek (98 acres, Type 1). Each area has its own rules and map from FWP. FWP Block Management.
Wildlife management area in HD 104: Bull River WMA (542 acres here).
How many elk are harvested in HD 104?
FWP estimates 91 elk were harvested in HD 104 in 2025: 74 bulls, 17 cows and 0 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 1,092 hunters took 78 elk, about 7 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 | 91 | 74 | 17 | 0 | 30 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 78 | 61 | 18 | 0 | 30 | 1,092 | 9,884 | 7 |
| 2023 | 31 | 24 | 8 | 0 | 12 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 61 | 39 | 22 | 0 | 10 | 816 | 6,767 | 7 |
| 2021 | 73 | 63 | 10 | 0 | 16 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 83 | 69 | 15 | 0 | 20 | 957 | 8,908 | 9 |
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 104?
FWP estimates 533 deer were harvested in HD 104 in 2025: 64 mule deer and 469 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 1,575 deer hunters spent 12,880 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 533 | 64 | 469 | 395 | 127 | 265 | 1,575 | 12,880 |
| 2024 | 617 | 66 | 551 | 455 | 162 | 324 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 509 | 59 | 450 | 343 | 162 | 224 | 1,264 | 9,592 |
| 2022 | 519 | 39 | 480 | 325 | 190 | 153 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 521 | 57 | 464 | 405 | 112 | 261 | 1,283 | 10,730 |
| 2020 | 759 | 81 | 678 | 541 | 214 | 323 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 104 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 104:
| 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: 104-00 | 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 104 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 104 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 | |||
| 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: 104-00 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | Jun 1 | 100 | 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. |
FWP's notes for HD 104: Bull River WMA closed Dec 02-May 15.
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 50, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 104 before you go.
How do you get to HD 104?
Highways through the district: US 2 (about 25 miles inside it) and MT 56 (about 18 miles inside it). Towns inside: Libby, Troy, Happys Inn and Bull Lake.
Which districts border HD 104?
HD 104 touches 4 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 103 | South Salish | 51% | 154 | 1,715 |
| HD 121 | West Clark Fork | 82.2% | 237 | 1,155 |
| HD 122 | Thompson River | 53.8% | 135 | 794 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 104 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows brow-tined bulls in HD 104 during the general season, October 24 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 50). FWP also lists 1 elk B license or permit opportunity here.
What is the closest town to HD 104?
Libby, Troy and Happys Inn are inside the district.
Does HD 104 have Block Management?
Yes. FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 4 areas covering 51,189 acres in HD 104: all 4 are Type 1, where hunters give themselves permission. The largest is Spp Mt Mcginnis at 24,690 acres.
Where is FWP's map of HD 104?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 104 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
FWP's legal description of HD 104
That portion of Lincoln County lying within the following described boundary: Beginning where the Kootenai River meets the Montana-Idaho border, then south along said border to the Lincoln-Sanders County Line, then easterly along said county through Silver Butte Pass and Willow Creek Pass and continuing easterly, then northerly along said county line (Hydrologic Divide) through Davis Peak, then northerly along said Hydrologic Divide, T26N, R27W, S30, to USFS Road 6769, T26N, R28W, S12, then northeasterly along said road to USFS Road 9991, (the road running on the south side of Middle and Lower Thompson Lakes, also known as the South ACM Road), then northerly along said road to US Highway 2, then westerly and northerly along said highway to State Route 37 in Libby, then north on said route to the south shore of the Kootenai River in Libby, then westerly along said shoreline to the Montana-Idaho Border, the point of beginning.
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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 50.
- 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.