Hunting District 419, Stanford: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 419 (Stanford) is 10.4% public land, most of it state trust land (43,329 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 58 elk and 505 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 247 elk hunters spent 1,542 days here and took 42 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 419Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 4, North-central Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 438,660 acres (685 square miles) |
| Public land | 10.4% (45,486 acres) |
| Block Management | 11 areas, 18,095 acres (2026) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 58 (17 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 505 (278 mule deer, 228 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 | Stanford, Lewistown Heights, Geyser, Denton, Lewistown and Hobson |
HD 419 is the north side of the Judith Basin around Stanford, Geyser, Denton and Windham. State trust land is almost all of its public land, 9.9% of the 10.4%. FWP notes elk will be hard to find.
How much public land is in HD 419?
10.4% of HD 419 is public land: 45,486 of its 438,660 acres. The largest share is state trust land, 43,329 acres or 9.9% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 419 |
|---|---|---|
| State trust land | 43,329 | 9.9% |
| BLM | 1,984 | 0.5% |
| Other public | 793 | 0.2% |
| FWP land | 166 | under 0.1% |
| National forest | 7 | 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.
Block Management in HD 419
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 11 areas in HD 419, 18,095 acres of private land open to hunters under the program. The largest: Coyote Bench (3,844 acres, Type 1), B. Neumann Main Ranch (3,255 acres, Type 1), T. Hill (3,149 acres, Type 1), Rtm (2,051 acres, Type 1) and Mccarthy Creek (1,675 acres, Type 1). Each area has its own rules and map from FWP. FWP Block Management.
How many elk are harvested in HD 419?
FWP estimates 58 elk were harvested in HD 419 in 2025: 17 bulls, 40 cows and 0 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 247 hunters took 42 elk, about 17 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 | 58 | 17 | 40 | 0 | 10 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 42 | 18 | 21 | 3 | 12 | 247 | 1,542 | 17 |
| 2023 | 59 | 30 | 26 | 3 | 18 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 61 | 29 | 32 | 0 | 21 | 144 | 764 | 42 |
| 2021 | 22 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 0 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 29 | 10 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 152 | 830 | 19 |
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 419?
FWP estimates 505 deer were harvested in HD 419 in 2025: 278 mule deer and 228 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 861 deer hunters spent 4,469 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 505 | 278 | 228 | 388 | 115 | 303 | 861 | 4,469 |
| 2024 | 588 | 316 | 271 | 465 | 122 | 373 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 473 | 255 | 218 | 369 | 104 | 265 | 648 | 3,354 |
| 2022 | 467 | 242 | 225 | 341 | 126 | 252 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 361 | 234 | 127 | 293 | 68 | 212 | 561 | 2,567 |
| 2020 | 442 | 322 | 120 | 327 | 107 | 247 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 419 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 419:
| 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 | |||
| General Elk License | Antlerless Elk | Late: Nov 30-Feb 15 | |||||
| Elk B License: 004-00 | Antlerless Elk | OTC: Jun 15 | Unlimited | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Late: Nov 30-Feb 15 | 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 419 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 419 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 | |||
| 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: 419-00 | Antlerless Mule Deer | Jun 1 | 50 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid on private land. |
FWP's notes for HD 419: Elk numbers are low and elk will be difficult to find.
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 97, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 419 before you go.
How do you get to HD 419?
Highways through the district: MT 80 (about 18 miles inside it), US 87 (about 17 miles inside it), MT 200 (about 17 miles inside it), MT 3 (about 16 miles inside it) and MT 81 (about 12 miles inside it). Towns inside: Stanford, Lewistown Heights, Geyser, Windham and Danvers. Nearby: Denton (on the line), Lewistown (on the line), Hobson (on the line) and Moore (on the line).
Which districts border HD 419?
HD 419 touches 8 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 411 | Snowy Mountains | 20.7% | 845 | 1,225 |
| HD 412 | Judith and Moccasin Mountains | 15.6% | 253 | 732 |
| HD 418 | South Judith Basin | 21% | 186 | 278 |
| HD 426 | Winifred | 20.8% | 122 | 448 |
| HD 432 | Otter Creek | 46.8% | 115 | 282 |
| HD 447 | Belt-Square Butte | 21.2% | 277 | 807 |
| HD 448 | North Judith Basin-Central Little Belts | 73.8% | 124 | 304 |
| HD 471 | Geraldine | 19.2% | 15 | 329 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 419 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows elk of either sex in HD 419 during the general season, October 24 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 97). FWP also lists 1 elk B license or permit opportunity here.
What is the closest town to HD 419?
Stanford, Lewistown Heights and Geyser are inside the district. Just outside: Denton (on the line), Lewistown (on the line) and Hobson (on the line).
Does HD 419 have Block Management?
Yes. FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 11 areas covering 18,095 acres in HD 419: 9 where hunters give themselves permission (Type 1) and 2 where the landowner or FWP gives it (Type 2). The largest is Coyote Bench at 3,844 acres.
Where is FWP's map of HD 419?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 419 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
FWP's legal description of HD 419
Those portions of Judith Basin and Fergus Counties lying within the following described boundary: Beginning at Geyser, then north on the Geyser-Geraldine Road to Arrow Creek, then down said creek to Route 80, then south along said route to Route 81, then easterly along said route through Denton to the Judith River, then southwesterly up said river to the Hanover Road (FAS426), then easterly along said route to US Highway 191, then southerly along said highway to its junction with US Highway 87 at Lewistown, then westerly along said highway to Geyser, 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 97.
- 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 411 HD 412 HD 418 HD 426 HD 447 HD 448 HD 471