Hunting District 335, Helena-South: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 335 (Helena-South) is 54.4% public land, most of it national forest (63,919 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 227 elk and 330 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 1,692 elk hunters spent 14,140 days here and took 186 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 landOther publicHD 335Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 3, Southwest Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 139,142 acres (217 square miles) |
| Public land | 54.4% (75,707 acres) |
| Block Management | 2 areas, 6,842 acres (2026) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 227 (126 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 330 (256 mule deer, 74 white-tailed) |
| General elk license, general season | Antlerless elk (not on national forest lands) and brow-tined bulls |
| Archery only, 2026 | September 5 to October 18 |
| General season, 2026 | October 24 to November 29 |
| Towns in and near it | Clancy, Jefferson City, Unionville, Helena, East Helena and Boulder |
HD 335 is the national forest and foothills south of Helena, from the Continental Divide east to I-15 at Montana City, around Clancy, Jefferson City, Unionville and Rimini. Off national forest land, the General Elk License covers antlerless elk in the general season.
How much public land is in HD 335?
54.4% of HD 335 is public land: 75,707 of its 139,142 acres. The largest share is national forest, 63,919 acres or 45.9% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 335 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 63,919 | 45.9% |
| BLM | 10,715 | 7.7% |
| Other public | 1,826 | 1.3% |
| State trust land | 1,073 | 0.8% |
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.
Block Management in HD 335
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 2 areas in HD 335, 6,842 acres of private land open to hunters under the program. The largest: Skytop Ranch (6,479 acres, Type 1) and Beavertown (363 acres, Type 1). Each area has its own rules and map from FWP. FWP Block Management.
How many elk are harvested in HD 335?
FWP estimates 227 elk were harvested in HD 335 in 2025: 126 bulls, 97 cows and 4 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 1,692 hunters took 186 elk, about 11 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 | 227 | 126 | 97 | 4 | 28 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 186 | 91 | 92 | 3 | 34 | 1,692 | 14,140 | 11 |
| 2023 | 217 | 116 | 98 | 2 | 21 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 226 | 168 | 52 | 7 | 35 | 1,415 | 11,263 | 16 |
| 2021 | 226 | 129 | 97 | 0 | 43 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 239 | 139 | 97 | 3 | 52 | 1,369 | 11,582 | 17 |
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 335?
FWP estimates 330 deer were harvested in HD 335 in 2025: 256 mule deer and 74 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 1,194 deer hunters spent 8,438 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 330 | 256 | 74 | 242 | 81 | 98 | 1,194 | 8,438 |
| 2024 | 318 | 244 | 74 | 277 | 41 | 100 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 285 | 245 | 40 | 241 | 44 | 88 | 1,100 | 9,091 |
| 2022 | 334 | 249 | 85 | 272 | 63 | 89 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 246 | 206 | 39 | 211 | 31 | 72 | 875 | 6,923 |
| 2020 | 199 | 162 | 37 | 153 | 46 | 48 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 335 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 335:
| 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. | ||
| General Elk License | Antlerless Elk | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Not valid on National Forest lands. | |||
| General Elk License | Brow-tined Bull Elk | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | ||||
| Elk B License: 394-00 | Antlerless Elk | Jun 1 | 400 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Valid in HDs 318 and 335. |
When is deer season in HD 335 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 335 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 | Either-sex Mule Deer | Sep 5-Oct 18 | |||||
| General Deer License | Antlered Buck Mule Deer | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | ||||
| 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: 335-00 | Antlerless Mule Deer | Jun 1 | 25 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid on private land. |
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 82, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 335 before you go.
How do you get to HD 335?
Highways through the district: US 12 (about 12 miles inside it). Towns inside: Clancy, Jefferson City, Unionville and Rimini. Nearby: Helena (2 miles), East Helena (3 miles), Boulder (5 miles) and Deer Lodge (20 miles).
Which districts border HD 335?
HD 335 touches 6 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 215 | East Deer Lodge | 49.4% | 346 | 286 |
| HD 293 | South Lincoln-Nevada Creek | 56.1% | 231 | 242 |
| HD 318 | Butte-Basin | 81.5% | 210 | 99 |
| HD 343 | Helena-North | 52.8% | 165 | 241 |
| HD 380 | Radersburg | 42.1% | 419 | 723 |
| HD 388 | Tenmile-Prickly Pear Valley | 8.8% | 31 | 233 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 335 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows antlerless elk (not on national forest lands) and brow-tined bulls in HD 335 during the general season, October 24 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 82). FWP also lists 1 elk B license or permit opportunity here.
What is the closest town to HD 335?
Clancy, Jefferson City and Unionville are inside the district. Just outside: Helena (2 miles), East Helena (3 miles) and Boulder (5 miles).
Does HD 335 have Block Management?
Yes. FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 2 areas covering 6,842 acres in HD 335: both are Type 1, where hunters give themselves permission. The largest is Skytop Ranch at 6,479 acres.
Where is FWP's map of HD 335?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 335 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
FWP's legal description of HD 335
Those portions of Lewis and Clark and Jefferson Counties lying within the following described boundary: Beginning at the junction of Interstate 15 and the Montana City exit, then south along said interstate to the Prickly Pear Creek-Boulder River Divide, then westerly along said divide to its junction with the Continental Divide, then northerly along said Divide to US Highway 12, then east along said highway to its junction with LeGrande Boulevard, then along said boulevard in a southerly direction to Section 26, then south along the west boundary of said section to the north boundary of Section 35, then east along said section to the west boundary of Section 36, then south along the west boundary of said section, then east along the south boundary of Section 36 along the national forest boundary, then south along the west boundary of Section 6 and 7 T9N R3W, then easterly along the Holmes Gulch Road to its junction with Hill Brothers Rd, then easterly to its junction with Jackson Creek Road, then easterly along said road to Montana City and Interstate 15, 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 82.
- 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.