Hunting District 313, Gardiner: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 313 (Gardiner) is 86.1% public land, most of it national forest (99,702 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 282 elk and 248 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 1,326 elk hunters spent 9,905 days here and took 346 elk.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: FWP estimates for 2020 to 2025. Seasons: FWP's 2026 regulations. Land: Montana State Library, 2026-10.
National forestBLMState trust landFWP landNational park (no hunting)Other publicHD 313Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 3, Southwest Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 124,625 acres (195 square miles) |
| Public land | 86.1% (107,254 acres) |
| Block Management | None mapped for 2026 |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 282 (188 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 248 (198 mule deer, 50 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 15 |
| Towns in and near it | South Glastonbury, Jardine and Gardiner |
HD 313 is the Yellowstone River valley north of Gardiner along the park boundary, with Dome Mountain WMA (5,017 acres here). The general bull season ends November 15; from November 16 a brow-tined bull takes permit 313-45. FWP says the Deckard Flats to Trail Creek area can be closed to elk hunting on 24 hours' notice.
How much public land is in HD 313?
86.1% of HD 313 is public land: 107,254 of its 124,625 acres. The largest share is national forest, 99,702 acres or 80% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 313 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 99,702 | 80% |
| FWP land | 5,277 | 4.2% |
| BLM | 1,197 | 1% |
| State trust land | 1,078 | 0.9% |
| Other public | 89 | 0.1% |
| National park (no hunting) | 36 | 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. National park land is closed to hunting.
Wildlife management area in HD 313: Dome Mountain WMA (5,017 acres here).
How many elk are harvested in HD 313?
FWP estimates 282 elk were harvested in HD 313 in 2025: 188 bulls, 91 cows and 2 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 1,326 hunters took 346 elk, about 26 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 | 282 | 188 | 91 | 2 | 81 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 346 | 238 | 108 | 0 | 94 | 1,326 | 9,905 | 26 |
| 2023 | 289 | 238 | 48 | 3 | 71 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 335 | 298 | 37 | 0 | 128 | 1,307 | 8,921 | 26 |
| 2021 | 318 | 237 | 81 | 0 | 81 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 367 | 288 | 79 | 0 | 113 | 1,262 | 9,557 | 29 |
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 313?
FWP estimates 248 deer were harvested in HD 313 in 2025: 198 mule deer and 50 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 810 deer hunters spent 5,205 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 248 | 198 | 50 | 214 | 34 | 107 | 810 | 5,205 |
| 2024 | 257 | 233 | 24 | 240 | 17 | 138 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 192 | 156 | 35 | 160 | 32 | 91 | 633 | 4,776 |
| 2022 | 226 | 189 | 37 | 176 | 50 | 124 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 191 | 164 | 27 | 148 | 43 | 98 | 733 | 4,594 |
| 2020 | 213 | 174 | 40 | 152 | 61 | 92 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 313 in 2026?
Archery only: September 5 to October 18. General season: October 24 to November 15, 2026. Every elk license and permit FWP lists for HD 313:
| 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 15 | ||||
| Elk B License: 313-00 | Antlerless Elk | Jun 1 | 50 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only youth ages 12-15. |
| Elk B License: 313-01 | Antlerless Elk | Jun 1 | 50 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | |
| Elk B License: 317-00 | Antlerless Elk | Jun 1 | 500 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Late: Nov 30-Feb 15 | Only valid on private lands in HD 317 and private lands in the portion of HD 313 North of Dome Mountain WMA. |
| Elk Permit: 313-45 | Brow-tined Bull Elk | April 1 | 50 | Nov 16-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Permit must be used with a valid General Elk License. Holders may not hunt Antlered Elk in any other HD during these described season dates. |
When is deer season in HD 313 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 313 allows white-tailed deer of either sex (Oct 24-Nov 29) and mule deer bucks (Oct 24-Nov 15).
| 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-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | |||
| General Deer License | Antlered Buck Mule Deer | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 15 | ||||
| Deer B License: 003-00 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | OTC: Jun 15 | Unlimited | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | One per hunter. Valid in all Region 3 HDs. |
| Deer B License: 313-01 | Antlerless Mule Deer | Jun 1 | 20 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid on private land. |
FWP's notes for HD 313: Check the restricted area legal descriptions (regulations pages 28 to 30): Deckard Flats to Trail Creek: subject to closure of elk hunting on 24 hours notice; Gardiner closed area. Dome Mountain WMA closed Dec 02 - May 15.
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 76, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 313 before you go.
How do you get to HD 313?
Highways through the district: US 89 (about 20 miles inside it) and MT 540 (about 8 miles inside it). Towns inside: South Glastonbury, Jardine, Gardiner and Corwin Springs.
Which districts border HD 313?
HD 313 touches 3 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 314 | Upper Yellowstone West | 41.8% | 460 | 589 |
| HD 316 | Absaroka | 98.3% | 28 | 76 |
| HD 317 | Upper Yellowstone East | 66.3% | 379 | 537 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 313 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows brow-tined bulls in HD 313 during the general season, October 24 to November 15, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 76). FWP also lists 4 elk B license or permit opportunities here.
What is the closest town to HD 313?
South Glastonbury, Jardine and Gardiner are inside the district.
Does HD 313 have Block Management?
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows no Block Management area in HD 313.
Where is FWP's map of HD 313?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 313 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
FWP's legal description of HD 313
That portion of Park County lying within the following described boundary: Beginning at the intersection of the Yellowstone River and the north boundary of Yellowstone National Park near Gardiner, then north along said boundary to the Yellowstone River near its junction with Reese creek, then north along said river to its junction with Sixmile Creek, then up said creek to the intersection with State Highway 540 (East River Road), then northeasterly on said highway to the intersection of Sixmile Creek Road, then southerly on said road to the intersection with the westerly branch of Sixmile Creek in the NE1/4 Section 29, T6S, R8E, then southerly up said creek to the North Fork of Sixmile Creek, then easterly up the North Fork of Sixmile Creek to Monitor Peak, then southeasterly along the Mill Hellroaring-Bear Creek divide to Ash Mountain, then southerly along the divide between Crevice and Cottonwood Creek and Hellroaring Creek to the Yellowstone National Park boundary, then westerly along said boundary to its intersection with the Yellowstone River, 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 76.
- 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.