Hunting District 316, Absaroka: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 316 (Absaroka) is 98.3% public land, most of it national forest (293,442 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 28 elk and 76 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 247 elk hunters spent 1,931 days here and took 39 elk.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: FWP estimates for 2020 to 2025. Seasons: FWP's 2026 regulations. Land: Montana State Library, 2026-10.
National forestFWP landNational park (no hunting)Other publicHD 316Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 3, Southwest Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 298,510 acres (466 square miles) |
| Public land | 98.3% (293,444 acres) |
| Block Management | None mapped for 2026 |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 28 (20 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 76 (72 mule deer, 3 white-tailed) |
| General elk license, general season | Elk of either sex and antlered bulls |
| General season, 2026 | September 15 to November 29 |
| Towns in and near it | Cooke City, Silver Gate and Red Lodge |
HD 316 is the high country north of Yellowstone National Park around Cooke City and Silver Gate, west to the Boulder River divide. It is 98.3% national forest. Its general season opens September 15 for elk of either sex; from October 24 the General Elk License covers antlered bulls.
How much public land is in HD 316?
98.3% of HD 316 is public land: 293,444 of its 298,510 acres. The largest share is national forest, 293,442 acres or 98.3% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 316 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 293,442 | 98.3% |
| National park (no hunting) | 184 | 0.1% |
| Other public | 44 | under 0.1% |
| FWP land | 2 | under 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside FWP's district boundary from Montana Cadastral Public Lands, Montana State Library, published 2026. National park land is closed to hunting.
How many elk are harvested in HD 316?
FWP estimates 28 elk were harvested in HD 316 in 2025: 20 bulls, 7 cows and 0 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 247 hunters took 39 elk, about 16 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 | 28 | 20 | 7 | 0 | 14 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 39 | 30 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 247 | 1,931 | 16 |
| 2023 | 37 | 28 | 9 | 0 | 17 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 71 | 46 | 25 | 0 | 40 | 241 | 1,362 | 29 |
| 2021 | 42 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 23 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 61 | 54 | 7 | 0 | 27 | 233 | 1,588 | 26 |
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 316?
FWP estimates 76 deer were harvested in HD 316 in 2025: 72 mule deer and 3 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 185 deer hunters spent 1,102 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 76 | 72 | 3 | 69 | 7 | 27 | 185 | 1,102 |
| 2024 | 48 | 42 | 6 | 42 | 6 | 18 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 29 | 23 | 6 | 29 | 0 | 23 | 143 | 857 |
| 2022 | 29 | 17 | 12 | 26 | 3 | 20 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 79 | 640 |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 316 in 2026?
General season: September 15 to November 29, 2026. Every elk license and permit FWP lists for HD 316:
| 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 15-Oct 23 | |||||
| General Elk License | Antlered Bull Elk | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | ||||
| General Elk License | Either-sex Elk | 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. |
When is deer season in HD 316 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 316 allows white-tailed deer bucks (Sep 15-Nov 29) and mule deer bucks (Sep 15-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 White-tailed Deer | Sep 15-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | ||||
| General Deer License | Antlered Buck Mule Deer | Sep 15-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | ||||
| Deer B License: 003-00 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | OTC: Jun 15 | Unlimited | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | One per hunter. Valid in all Region 3 HDs. |
FWP's notes for HD 316: Backcountry - Remote location, access difficult.
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 78, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 316 before you go.
How do you get to HD 316?
Highways through the district: US 212 (about 8 miles inside it). Towns inside: Cooke City and Silver Gate. Nearby: Red Lodge (18 miles).
Which districts border HD 316?
HD 316 touches 4 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 313 | Gardiner | 86.1% | 282 | 248 |
| HD 317 | Upper Yellowstone East | 66.3% | 379 | 537 |
| HD 525 | Beartooth-Absaroka | 63.8% | 421 | 1,198 |
| HD 565 | Upper Boulder | 98.6% | 18 | 40 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 316 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows elk of either sex and antlered bulls in HD 316 during the general season, September 15 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 78).
What is the closest town to HD 316?
Cooke City and Silver Gate are inside the district. Just outside: Red Lodge (18 miles).
Does HD 316 have Block Management?
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows no Block Management area in HD 316.
Where is FWP's map of HD 316?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 316 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
FWP's legal description of HD 316
Those portions of Carbon, Sweet Grass and Park Counties lying within the following described boundary: Beginning at the junction of the Montana-Wyoming border and the Custer-Gallatin National Forest boundary southeast of Albino Lake, then northerly and westerly along said boundary to Granite Mountain, then north one-half mile to the Stillwater County Line, then west along said county line to the Custer-Gallatin National Forest Boundary near Timberline Mountain, then northerly along said boundary to the Slough Creek-Boulder River Divide near Columbine Pass, then southwesterly along the Boulder River-Slough Creek Divide and northwesterly along the Boulder River-Buffalo Fork Divide and the Hellroaring Creek-Boulder River Divide to the Hellroaring-Mill Creeks Divide near Crow Mountain, then southwesterly along the Mill-Hellroaring Creeks Divide to the Bear-Hellroaring Creeks Divide to Ash Mountain, then southerly along the Crevice-Hellroaring Creeks Divide to the Crevice-Cottonwood Creeks Divide, then southerly along the Crevice-Cottonwood Creeks Divide to the Yellowstone National Park Boundary, then easterly and southerly along said boundary to the Montana-Wyoming border, then easterly along said border to the Custer-Gallatin National Forest boundary southeast of Albino Lake, the point of beginning.
Get a Montana hunt plan
Montana plans can be ordered now: general elk and deer seasons, one hunting district per plan. Check your hunt first; the check is free and shows whether your hunt is covered before you pay. A person looks over every Montana plan before it is sent.
Check my Montana hunt See a real plan
The free map works in Montana too, on your phone with no signal.
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 78.
- 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.