Hunting District 343, Helena-North: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 343 (Helena-North) is 52.8% public land, most of it national forest (60,776 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 165 elk and 241 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 1,318 elk hunters spent 11,212 days here and took 153 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 landOther publicHD 343Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 3, Southwest Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 157,138 acres (246 square miles) |
| Public land | 52.8% (82,914 acres) |
| Block Management | 7 areas, 19,689 acres (2026) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 165 (66 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 241 (190 mule deer, 52 white-tailed) |
| General elk license, general season | Brow-tined bulls or antlerless elk 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 | Helena West Side, Canyon Creek, Marysville, Helena and East Helena |
HD 343 is the Continental Divide country north and west of Helena, from MacDonald Pass north to Flesher Pass, around Marysville and Canyon Creek. Canyon Creek WMA has 929 acres here. Through November 15 the General Elk License covers brow-tined bulls; from November 16 it covers antlerless elk too.
How much public land is in HD 343?
52.8% of HD 343 is public land: 82,914 of its 157,138 acres. The largest share is national forest, 60,776 acres or 38.7% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 343 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 60,776 | 38.7% |
| BLM | 17,411 | 11.1% |
| State trust land | 3,798 | 2.4% |
| Other public | 1,905 | 1.2% |
| FWP land | 929 | 0.6% |
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 343
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 7 areas in HD 343, 19,689 acres of private land open to hunters under the program. The largest: Grady Ranch (11,398 acres, Type 1), Grady Ranch (2,794 acres, Type 1), Prickly Pear (2,393 acres, Type 1), Birdseye Ranch (1,578 acres, Type 1) and Vincent Ranch (643 acres, Type 1). Each area has its own rules and map from FWP. FWP Block Management.
Wildlife management area in HD 343: Canyon Creek WMA (929 acres here).
How many elk are harvested in HD 343?
FWP estimates 165 elk were harvested in HD 343 in 2025: 66 bulls, 95 cows and 4 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 1,318 hunters took 153 elk, about 12 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 | 165 | 66 | 95 | 4 | 33 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 153 | 66 | 84 | 3 | 32 | 1,318 | 11,212 | 12 |
| 2023 | 111 | 53 | 52 | 6 | 18 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 168 | 87 | 81 | 0 | 26 | 1,041 | 8,439 | 16 |
| 2021 | 63 | 38 | 21 | 4 | 24 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 151 | 62 | 89 | 0 | 24 | 1,167 | 9,443 | 13 |
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 343?
FWP estimates 241 deer were harvested in HD 343 in 2025: 190 mule deer and 52 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 1,112 deer hunters spent 7,733 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 241 | 190 | 52 | 212 | 29 | 72 | 1,112 | 7,733 |
| 2024 | 258 | 201 | 57 | 220 | 38 | 91 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 238 | 172 | 66 | 210 | 28 | 94 | 949 | 6,944 |
| 2022 | 159 | 104 | 54 | 136 | 22 | 58 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 157 | 107 | 50 | 137 | 19 | 79 | 826 | 5,774 |
| 2020 | 195 | 128 | 67 | 155 | 37 | 48 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 343 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 343:
| 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 | Nov 16-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | |||
| 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 15 | |||||
| Elk B License: 396-00 | Antlerless Elk | Jun 1 | 600 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Valid in HDs 339 and 343. |
When is deer season in HD 343 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 343 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: 396-01 | Antlerless Mule Deer | Jun 1 | 25 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid on private land. Also valid in HD 339. |
FWP's notes for HD 343: Canyon Creek WMA closed Dec 02 - May 15.
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, pages 83 to 84, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 343 before you go.
How do you get to HD 343?
No numbered highway crosses the district. Towns inside: Helena West Side, Canyon Creek and Marysville. Nearby: Helena (3 miles) and East Helena (8 miles).
Which districts border HD 343?
HD 343 touches 5 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 335 | Helena-South | 54.4% | 227 | 330 |
| HD 339 | Sieben-Sleeping Giant | 28.6% | 176 | 202 |
| HD 388 | Tenmile-Prickly Pear Valley | 8.8% | 31 | 233 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 343 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows brow-tined bulls or antlerless elk and brow-tined bulls in HD 343 during the general season, October 24 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 83). FWP also lists 1 elk B license or permit opportunity here.
What is the closest town to HD 343?
Helena West Side, Canyon Creek and Marysville are inside the district. Just outside: Helena (3 miles) and East Helena (8 miles).
Does HD 343 have Block Management?
Yes. FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 7 areas covering 19,689 acres in HD 343: all 7 are Type 1, where hunters give themselves permission. The largest is Grady Ranch at 11,398 acres.
Where is FWP's map of HD 343?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 343 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
FWP's legal description of HD 343
That portion of Lewis and Clark County lying within the following described boundary: Beginning at Flesher Pass, then southerly along State Route 279 to its intersection with County Route 602 (the Birdseye Road, also known as Williams Street), then southerly along said route to the north boundary of Section 15, T10N, R4W, and the intersection with the property owned and administered by the Department of Defense and known as Fort Harrison in Section 15, T10N, R4W, then along the boundary of all property owned and administered by the Department of Defense known as Fort Harrison in Sections 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22, T10N, R4W, to the intersection with County Route 602 (the Birdseye Road, also known as Williams Street) in Section 22, T10N, R4W, then southerly along said route to its intersection with US Highway 12, then westerly along said route to MacDonald Pass and the Continental Divide, then along said divide in a northerly direction to Flesher Pass, 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, pages 83 to 84.
- 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.