Hunting District 314, Upper Yellowstone West: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 314 (Upper Yellowstone West) is 41.8% public land, most of it national forest (134,541 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 460 elk and 589 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 2,182 elk hunters spent 14,076 days here and took 692 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 314Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 3, Southwest Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 346,731 acres (542 square miles) |
| Public land | 41.8% (144,871 acres) |
| Block Management | 3 areas, 1,675 acres (2026) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 460 (175 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 589 (307 mule deer, 282 white-tailed) |
| General elk license, general season | Brow-tined bulls (south of Rock Creek) and brow-tined bulls or antlerless elk (north of Rock Creek) |
| Archery only, 2026 | September 5 to October 18 |
| General season, 2026 | October 24 to November 29 |
| Towns in and near it | Emigrant, Wineglass, Livingston, Bozeman and Clyde Park |
HD 314 is the west side of the Yellowstone River from Interstate 90 south to Yellowstone National Park. US 89 runs about 35 miles inside it, through the Paradise Valley. FWP warns that the Beattie Gulch area can be closed to all hunting on 24 hours' notice.
How much public land is in HD 314?
41.8% of HD 314 is public land: 144,871 of its 346,731 acres. The largest share is national forest, 134,541 acres or 38.8% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 314 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 134,541 | 38.8% |
| State trust land | 9,201 | 2.7% |
| BLM | 892 | 0.3% |
| FWP land | 237 | 0.1% |
| National park (no hunting) | 227 | 0.1% |
| Other public | 115 | 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.
Block Management in HD 314
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 3 areas in HD 314, 1,675 acres of private land open to hunters under the program. The largest: Bob Anderson Ranch (893 acres, Type 1), Durgan Ranch (419 acres, Type 1) and Paradise Valley Ranch (363 acres, Type 1). Each area has its own rules and map from FWP. FWP Block Management.
How many elk are harvested in HD 314?
FWP estimates 460 elk were harvested in HD 314 in 2025: 175 bulls, 281 cows and 4 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 2,182 hunters took 692 elk, about 32 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 | 460 | 175 | 281 | 4 | 95 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 692 | 215 | 457 | 20 | 130 | 2,182 | 14,076 | 32 |
| 2023 | 617 | 193 | 412 | 12 | 100 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 771 | 322 | 424 | 25 | 175 | 2,106 | 13,172 | 37 |
| 2021 | 669 | 261 | 389 | 19 | 173 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 658 | 271 | 367 | 20 | 139 | 1,916 | 11,304 | 34 |
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 314?
FWP estimates 589 deer were harvested in HD 314 in 2025: 307 mule deer and 282 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 1,401 deer hunters spent 8,661 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 589 | 307 | 282 | 434 | 152 | 304 | 1,401 | 8,661 |
| 2024 | 573 | 335 | 238 | 444 | 129 | 284 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 449 | 235 | 214 | 311 | 138 | 175 | 1,382 | 8,934 |
| 2022 | 443 | 236 | 207 | 326 | 118 | 188 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 456 | 233 | 224 | 329 | 127 | 212 | 1,456 | 9,056 |
| 2020 | 404 | 192 | 213 | 285 | 116 | 199 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 314 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 314:
| License or permit | What may be taken | Apply by | Quota | Archery only | General | Other seasons | FWP's restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Elk License | Brow-tined Bull or Antlerless Elk | Sep 5-Oct 18 | |||||
| General Elk License | Either-sex Elk | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only youth ages 12-15 and hunters with a PTHFV. Resident hunters 75 years old and older may harvest an antlerless elk on private land. | ||
| General Elk License | Brow-tined Bull Elk | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid south of Rock Creek. | |||
| General Elk License | Brow-tined Bull or Antlerless Elk | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid north of Rock Creek. | |||
| General Elk License | Antlerless Elk | Late: Nov 30-Feb 15 | Only valid north of Rock Creek. Not valid on National Forest lands. | ||||
| Elk B License: 397-00 | Antlerless Elk | OTC: Jun 15 | UNL | Early: Aug 15-Sep 4 | One per hunter. Multi-district license. In HD 314, only valid north of Rock Creek. Only valid on private land. | ||
| Elk B License: 397-00 | Antlerless Elk | OTC: Jun 15 | UNL | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Late: Nov 30-Feb 15 | One per hunter. Multi-district license. In HD 314, only valid north of Rock Creek. Not valid on National Forest Lands. |
When is deer season in HD 314 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 314 allows white-tailed deer of either sex (Oct 24-Nov 29) and mule deer bucks (Oct 24-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-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | |||
| General Deer License | Antlered Buck Mule Deer | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | |||
| General Deer License | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | Late: Nov 30-Jan 31 | |||||
| Deer B License: 003-00 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | OTC: Jun 15 | UNL | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 Late: Nov 30-Jan 31 | One per hunter. Valid in all Region 3 HDs. |
| Deer B License: 314-01 | Antlerless Mule Deer | Jun 1 | 100 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid on private land. |
| Deer B License: 397-00 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | OTC: Jun 15 | UNL | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 Late: Nov 30-Jan 31 | Up to two licenses per hunter. Valid in HDs 314 and 317 only. |
FWP's notes for HD 314: HD 314 Check Restricted Area Legal Description: Beattie Gulch: Subject to closure of all hunting within 24 hours notice.
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, pages 76 to 77, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 314 before you go.
How do you get to HD 314?
Highways through the district: US 89 (about 35 miles inside it), US 191 (about 12 miles inside it) and I-90 (about 12 miles inside it). Towns inside: Emigrant and Wineglass. Nearby: Livingston (on the line), Bozeman (9 miles), Clyde Park (15 miles) and Belgrade (17 miles).
Which districts border HD 314?
HD 314 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 310 | Upper Gallatin | 90.8% | 58 | 74 |
| HD 313 | Gardiner | 86.1% | 282 | 248 |
| HD 317 | Upper Yellowstone East | 66.3% | 379 | 537 |
| HD 393 | East Bridger | 12.6% | 507 | 598 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 314 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows brow-tined bulls (south of Rock Creek) and brow-tined bulls or antlerless elk (north of Rock Creek) in HD 314 during the general season, October 24 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 76). FWP also lists 1 elk B license or permit opportunity here.
What is the closest town to HD 314?
Emigrant and Wineglass are inside the district. Just outside: Livingston (on the line), Bozeman (9 miles) and Clyde Park (15 miles).
Does HD 314 have Block Management?
Yes. FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 3 areas covering 1,675 acres in HD 314: all 3 are Type 1, where hunters give themselves permission. The largest is Bob Anderson Ranch at 893 acres.
Where is FWP's map of HD 314?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 314 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, pages 76 to 77.
- 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.