Hunting District 404, Lower Teton River: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 404 (Lower Teton River) is 7.5% public land, most of it state trust land (75,802 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 3 elk and 994 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 134 elk hunters spent 713 days here and took 17 elk.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: FWP estimates for 2020 to 2025. Seasons: FWP's 2026 regulations. Land: Montana State Library, 2026-10.
BLMState trust landFWP landNational wildlife refugeBureau of ReclamationOther publicHD 404Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 4, North-central Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,244,220 acres (1,944 square miles) |
| Public land | 7.5% (93,554 acres) |
| Block Management | 22 areas, 69,424 acres (2026) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 3 (0 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 994 (491 mule deer, 503 white-tailed) |
| General elk license, general season | Elk of either sex |
| Archery only, 2026 | September 5 to October 18 |
| General season, 2026 | October 24 to November 29 |
| Towns in and near it | Great Falls, Choteau, Dutton, Conrad, Fort Benton and Valier |
HD 404 is farm country from Great Falls north and west through Fairfield, Choteau, Power and Dutton to Pendroy and Conrad, 1,944 square miles. Freezout Lake WMA has 2,579 acres here. FWP notes elk numbers are low.
How much public land is in HD 404?
7.5% of HD 404 is public land: 93,554 of its 1,244,220 acres. The largest share is state trust land, 75,802 acres or 6.1% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 404 |
|---|---|---|
| State trust land | 75,802 | 6.1% |
| National wildlife refuge | 8,454 | 0.7% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 5,992 | 0.5% |
| Other public | 3,227 | 0.3% |
| FWP land | 2,321 | 0.2% |
| BLM | 985 | 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.
Block Management in HD 404
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 22 areas in HD 404, 69,424 acres of private land open to hunters under the program. The largest: New Rockport Colony (12,897 acres, Type 2), Bole Bench And Teton Ridge (11,466 acres, Type 1), Lake Creek (6,031 acres, Type 1), Hillcrest Colony Bma (Hq) (5,940 acres, Type 1) and Cl&A (3,684 acres, Type 2). Each area has its own rules and map from FWP. FWP Block Management.
Wildlife management area in HD 404: Freezout Lake WMA (2,579 acres here).
How many elk are harvested in HD 404?
FWP estimates 3 elk were harvested in HD 404 in 2025: 0 bulls, 3 cows and 0 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 134 hunters took 17 elk, about 13 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 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 17 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 134 | 713 | 13 |
| 2023 | 15 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 5 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 139 | 747 | 11 |
| 2021 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 168 | 909 | 14 |
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 404?
FWP estimates 994 deer were harvested in HD 404 in 2025: 491 mule deer and 503 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 1,850 deer hunters spent 9,575 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 994 | 491 | 503 | 658 | 332 | 467 | 1,850 | 9,575 |
| 2024 | 1,227 | 653 | 574 | 774 | 453 | 527 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 1,216 | 636 | 580 | 797 | 409 | 608 | 1,812 | 9,049 |
| 2022 | 1,205 | 496 | 710 | 710 | 496 | 515 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 1,258 | 651 | 608 | 842 | 400 | 626 | 1,844 | 8,999 |
| 2020 | 1,417 | 625 | 793 | 952 | 456 | 682 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 404 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 404:
| 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 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | |||
| Elk B License: 004-00 | Antlerless Elk | OTC: Jun 15 | Unlimited | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Not valid on National Forest lands, FWP WMAs, or CMR Refuge. Valid in all Region 4 HDs except HDs 410 and 455 as listed under each HD. |
When is deer season in HD 404 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 404 allows mule deer of either sex (Oct 24-Nov 29) and white-tailed deer of either sex (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 Mule Deer | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | |||
| General Deer License | Either-sex White-tailed Deer | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | |||
| Deer B License: 004-00 | 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 4 HDs except HD 455. |
| Deer B License: 004-01 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | Jun 1 | 2,000 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Valid in all Region 4 HDs except HD 455. |
| Deer B License: 404-00 | Antlerless Mule Deer | Jun 1 | 100 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 |
FWP's notes for HD 404: Elk numbers are low and will be difficult to find.
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 91, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 404 before you go.
How do you get to HD 404?
Highways through the district: I-15 (about 95 miles inside it), US 89 (about 31 miles inside it), US 87 (about 15 miles inside it), MT 200 (about 3 miles inside it) and MT 21 (about 3 miles inside it). Towns inside: Great Falls, Choteau, Dutton, Fairfield, Brady and Power. Nearby: Conrad (on the line), Fort Benton (2 miles), Valier (16 miles) and Belt (18 miles).
Which districts border HD 404?
HD 404 touches 8 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 400 | Lower Marias River | 12.8% | 27 | 1,091 |
| HD 405 | Carter | 7.1% | 18 | 794 |
| HD 406 | Upper Marias-Dupuyer | 9% | 7 | 445 |
| HD 413 | Northwest Little Belt Mountains | 34.3% | 374 | 1,263 |
| HD 421 | Birdtail Hills-South Dearborn | 11.4% | 184 | 800 |
| HD 441 | North Fork Birch Creek-Teton | 37.9% | 123 | 243 |
| HD 444 | Lower Sun River | 16% | 22 | 592 |
| HD 450 | Choteau | 23.5% | 53 | 227 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 404 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows elk of either sex in HD 404 during the general season, October 24 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 91). FWP also lists 1 elk B license or permit opportunity here.
What is the closest town to HD 404?
Great Falls, Choteau and Dutton are inside the district. Just outside: Conrad (on the line), Fort Benton (2 miles) and Valier (16 miles).
Does HD 404 have Block Management?
Yes. FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 22 areas covering 69,424 acres in HD 404: 18 where hunters give themselves permission (Type 1) and 4 where the landowner or FWP gives it (Type 2). The largest is New Rockport Colony at 12,897 acres.
Where is FWP's map of HD 404?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 404 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
FWP's legal description of HD 404
Those portions of Teton, Pondera, Chouteau, and Cascade Counties lying within the following described boundary: Beginning at the intersection of US Highway 89 and Route 219 at Pendroy, then northeasterly along said route to its intersection with Interstate 15 at Conrad, then southeasterly along said interstate to Route 365 at Brady, then easterly along said route to the junction of Route 564, then north and east along said route to the junction of Highway 223, then southerly along said route to US Highway 87 at Fort Benton, then southwesterly along said highway to Interstate 15 at Great Falls, then north and westerly along said interstate to Highway 200 at Vaughn, then westerly along said Highway to its junction with Highway 89, then westerly and northerly along said Highway through Fairfield and Choteau to Route 219 at Pendroy, 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 91.
- 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.
Montana hunting Region 4 HD 400 HD 405 HD 406 HD 413 HD 421 HD 441 HD 444 HD 450