Hunting District 140, Lower South Fork: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 140 (Lower South Fork) is 93% public land, most of it national forest (522,088 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 33 elk and 157 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 438 elk hunters spent 4,043 days here and took 12 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 140Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 1, Northwest Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 561,813 acres (878 square miles) |
| Public land | 93% (522,638 acres) |
| Block Management | None mapped for 2026 |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 33 (29 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 157 (33 mule deer, 124 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 | West Glacier, Coram, Martin City, Columbia Falls, Kalispell and Whitefish |
HD 140 begins at the towns along US 2 between Columbia Falls and West Glacier (Hungry Horse, Martin City and Coram) and runs south up the lower South Fork of the Flathead River. National forest is 92.9% of it.
How much public land is in HD 140?
93% of HD 140 is public land: 522,638 of its 561,813 acres. The largest share is national forest, 522,088 acres or 92.9% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 140 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 522,088 | 92.9% |
| State trust land | 540 | 0.1% |
| Other public | 279 | under 0.1% |
| FWP land | 10 | under 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.
How many elk are harvested in HD 140?
FWP estimates 33 elk were harvested in HD 140 in 2025: 29 bulls, 4 cows and 0 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 438 hunters took 12 elk, about 3 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 | 33 | 29 | 4 | 0 | 15 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 438 | 4,043 | 3 |
| 2023 | 24 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 12 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 19 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 431 | 3,275 | 4 |
| 2021 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 38 | 27 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 522 | 3,746 | 7 |
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 140?
FWP estimates 157 deer were harvested in HD 140 in 2025: 33 mule deer and 124 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 750 deer hunters spent 4,851 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 157 | 33 | 124 | 153 | 4 | 106 | 750 | 4,851 |
| 2024 | 211 | 31 | 180 | 189 | 22 | 140 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 178 | 44 | 134 | 171 | 7 | 107 | 628 | 4,228 |
| 2022 | 142 | 36 | 105 | 138 | 3 | 85 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 180 | 28 | 152 | 164 | 16 | 108 | 638 | 4,400 |
| 2020 | 169 | 10 | 158 | 162 | 7 | 111 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 140 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 140:
| 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 |
When is deer season in HD 140 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 140 allows mule deer bucks (Oct 24-Nov 29), white-tailed deer of either sex (Oct 24-Oct 30) 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 | Antlered Buck Mule Deer | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | |||
| General Deer License | Either-sex White-tailed Deer | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Oct 30 | ||||
| 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. |
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 52, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 140 before you go.
How do you get to HD 140?
Highways through the district: US 2 (about 19 miles inside it) and MT 83 (about 4 miles inside it). Towns inside: West Glacier, Coram, Martin City and Hungry Horse. Nearby: Columbia Falls (3 miles), Kalispell (10 miles) and Whitefish (11 miles).
Which districts border HD 140?
HD 140 touches 5 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 110 | North Fork | 85.7% | 40 | 465 |
| HD 130 | Swan | 90% | 44 | 650 |
| HD 141 | Lower Middle Fork | 98% | 15 | 25 |
| HD 150 | Upper South Fork | 100% | 47 | 44 |
| HD 170 | Flathead River | 8% | 67 | 1,772 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 140 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows brow-tined bulls in HD 140 during the general season, October 24 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 52).
What is the closest town to HD 140?
West Glacier, Coram and Martin City are inside the district. Just outside: Columbia Falls (3 miles), Kalispell (10 miles) and Whitefish (11 miles).
Does HD 140 have Block Management?
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows no Block Management area in HD 140.
Where is FWP's map of HD 140?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 140 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 52.
- 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.