Hunting District 309, Gallatin Valley Weapons Restriction Area: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 309 (Gallatin Valley Weapons Restriction Area) is 2.4% public land, most of it state trust land (2,263 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 37 elk and 414 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 377 elk hunters spent 2,265 days here and took 117 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 309Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 3, Southwest Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 110,484 acres (173 square miles) |
| Public land | 2.4% (2,631 acres) |
| Block Management | None mapped for 2026 |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 37 (23 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 414 (68 mule deer, 346 white-tailed) |
| General elk license, general season | Elk of either sex |
| General season, 2026 | September 5 to November 29 |
| Towns in and near it | Bozeman, Belgrade, Four Corners, Manhattan, Three Forks and Livingston |
HD 309 is the Gallatin Valley around Bozeman, Belgrade and Four Corners. FWP restricts deer and elk hunting to archery equipment, shotgun, traditional handgun, muzzleloader or crossbow, except on some private lands it excludes, and the season runs September 5 to November 29.
How much public land is in HD 309?
2.4% of HD 309 is public land: 2,631 of its 110,484 acres. The largest share is state trust land, 2,263 acres or 2% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 309 |
|---|---|---|
| Other public | 6,426 | 5.8% |
| State trust land | 2,263 | 2% |
| FWP land | 358 | 0.3% |
| National forest | 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 309?
FWP estimates 37 elk were harvested in HD 309 in 2025: 23 bulls, 14 cows and 0 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 377 hunters took 117 elk, about 31 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 | 37 | 23 | 14 | 0 | 14 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 117 | 42 | 72 | 3 | 34 | 377 | 2,265 | 31 |
| 2023 | 58 | 26 | 29 | 3 | 14 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 91 | 51 | 40 | 0 | 35 | 283 | 1,647 | 32 |
| 2021 | 74 | 47 | 27 | 0 | 19 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 57 | 13 | 44 | 0 | 7 | 278 | 1,588 | 21 |
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 309?
FWP estimates 414 deer were harvested in HD 309 in 2025: 68 mule deer and 346 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 802 deer hunters spent 5,389 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 414 | 68 | 346 | 242 | 173 | 180 | 802 | 5,389 |
| 2024 | 445 | 40 | 405 | 276 | 169 | 226 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 421 | 23 | 398 | 219 | 202 | 185 | 627 | 4,167 |
| 2022 | 521 | 33 | 488 | 250 | 272 | 210 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 519 | 21 | 498 | 279 | 241 | 221 | 764 | 4,932 |
| 2020 | 524 | 48 | 476 | 271 | 253 | 224 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 309 in 2026?
General season: September 5 to November 29, 2026. Every elk license and permit FWP lists for HD 309:
| License or permit | What may be taken | Apply by | Quota | Archery only | General | Other seasons | FWP's restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Elk License | Either-sex Elk | Sep 5-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | ||||
| General Elk License | Antlerless Elk | Late: Nov 30-Feb 15 | |||||
| Elk B License: 397-00 | Antlerless Elk | OTC: Jun 15 | Unlimited | Early: Aug 15-Sep 4 | One per hunter. Multi-district license. Only valid on private land. | ||
| Elk B License: 397-00 | Antlerless Elk | OTC: Jun 15 | Unlimited | Sep 5-Nov 29 | Late: Nov 30-Feb 15 | One per hunter. Multi-district license. Not valid on National Forest Lands. |
When is deer season in HD 309 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 309 allows mule deer of either sex (Sep 5-Nov 29) and white-tailed deer of either sex (Sep 5-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 Mule Deer | Sep 5-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | ||||
| General Deer License | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | Late: Nov 30-Jan 31 | |||||
| General Deer License | Either-sex White-tailed Deer | Sep 5-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | ||||
| Deer B License: 003-00 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | OTC: Jun 15 | Unlimited | Sep 5-Nov 29 | Late: Nov 30-Jan 31 | One per hunter. Valid in all Region 3 HDs. | |
| Deer B License: 398-00 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | OTC: Jun 15 | Unlimited | Sep 5-Nov 29 | Late: Nov 30-Jan 31 | One to three B licenses per hunter may be offered for purchase. Multi-district license. |
FWP's notes for HD 309: Check the restricted area legal descriptions (regulations pages 28 to 30): Sourdough Exclusion Zone from within HD 309; Blackwood Exclusion Zone from within HD 309. Deer and Elk hunting is restricted to ArchEquip, shotgun, traditional handgun, muzzleloader or crossbow only, EXCEPT on some private lands which are excluded from the weapons restrictions-Map available at FWP-R3 HQ 406-577- 7900, in Bozeman.
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 74, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 309 before you go.
How do you get to HD 309?
Highways through the district: I-90 (about 43 miles inside it), US 191 (about 22 miles inside it), US 10 (about 14 miles inside it), MT 84 (about 10 miles inside it) and MT 85 (about 7 miles inside it). Towns inside: Bozeman, Belgrade, Four Corners, Gallatin Gateway and King Arthur Park. Nearby: Manhattan (3 miles), Three Forks (14 miles) and Livingston (18 miles).
Which districts border HD 309?
HD 309 touches 5 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 301 | Hyalite-Portal | 85% | 153 | 315 |
| HD 304 | Spanish Peaks | 42.3% | 83 | 185 |
| HD 311 | Lower Madison | 13.4% | 198 | 948 |
| HD 312 | West Bridger | 23% | 281 | 595 |
| HD 393 | East Bridger | 12.6% | 507 | 598 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 309 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows elk of either sex in HD 309 during the general season, September 5 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 74). FWP also lists 1 elk B license or permit opportunity here.
What is the closest town to HD 309?
Bozeman, Belgrade and Four Corners are inside the district. Just outside: Manhattan (3 miles), Three Forks (14 miles) and Livingston (18 miles).
Does HD 309 have Block Management?
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows no Block Management area in HD 309.
Where is FWP's map of HD 309?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 309 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 74.
- 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.