Hunting District 426, Winifred: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 426 (Winifred) is 20.8% public land, most of it BLM (71,012 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 122 elk and 448 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 319 elk hunters spent 2,106 days here and took 89 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 landOther publicHD 426Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 4, North-central Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 540,768 acres (845 square miles) |
| Public land | 20.8% (112,344 acres) |
| Block Management | 10 areas, 26,923 acres (2026) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 122 (53 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 448 (335 mule deer, 113 white-tailed) |
| General elk license, general season | Antlerless elk |
| Archery only, 2026 | September 5 to October 18 |
| General season, 2026 | October 24 to November 29 |
| Towns in and near it | Denton, Winifred, Coffee Creek, Geraldine, Lewistown and Stanford |
HD 426 runs from Denton and Winifred north to the Missouri River at the mouth of Arrow Creek. Beckman WMA has 6,639 acres here. An either-sex elk takes permit 426-20, and from November 16 a mule deer buck takes permit 426-50.
How much public land is in HD 426?
20.8% of HD 426 is public land: 112,344 of its 540,768 acres. The largest share is BLM, 71,012 acres or 13.1% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 426 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 71,012 | 13.1% |
| State trust land | 34,719 | 6.4% |
| FWP land | 6,613 | 1.2% |
| Other public | 159 | 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 426
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 10 areas in HD 426, 26,923 acres of private land open to hunters under the program. The largest: Ap-Pn Ranch (10,446 acres, Type 2), Tureck (4,417 acres, Type 2), Bear Springs Bench (3,511 acres, Type 1), Taffy Creek (2,291 acres, Type 1) and 2 Calf (1,978 acres, Type 1). Each area has its own rules and map from FWP. FWP Block Management.
Wildlife management area in HD 426: Beckman WMA (6,639 acres here).
How many elk are harvested in HD 426?
FWP estimates 122 elk were harvested in HD 426 in 2025: 53 bulls, 69 cows and 0 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 319 hunters took 89 elk, about 28 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 | 122 | 53 | 69 | 0 | 46 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 89 | 57 | 29 | 3 | 47 | 319 | 2,106 | 28 |
| 2023 | 106 | 45 | 58 | 3 | 31 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 91 | 50 | 42 | 0 | 42 | 322 | 2,477 | 28 |
| 2021 | 67 | 49 | 18 | 0 | 35 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 90 | 39 | 48 | 4 | 35 | 377 | 2,737 | 24 |
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 426?
FWP estimates 448 deer were harvested in HD 426 in 2025: 335 mule deer and 113 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 835 deer hunters spent 4,337 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 448 | 335 | 113 | 368 | 74 | 259 | 835 | 4,337 |
| 2024 | 627 | 498 | 129 | 565 | 63 | 395 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 658 | 519 | 138 | 576 | 81 | 407 | 1,038 | 4,844 |
| 2022 | 715 | 556 | 159 | 563 | 151 | 392 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 852 | 725 | 127 | 718 | 134 | 521 | 1,419 | 6,958 |
| 2020 | 808 | 720 | 88 | 677 | 128 | 535 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 426 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 426:
| License or permit | What may be taken | Apply by | Quota | Archery only | General | Other seasons | FWP's restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Elk License | Antlerless 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. |
| Elk Permit: 417-21 | Either-sex Elk | April 1 | 300 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | 1st and only choice. Only valid in HDs 417 and 426. Permit must be used with a valid General Elk License. Holders may not hunt Antlered Elk in any other HD during these described season dates. | ||
| Elk Permit: 426-20 | Either-sex Elk | April 1 | 60 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | 1st and only choice. Permit must be used with a valid General Elk License. Holders may not hunt Antlered Elk in any other HD during these described season dates. |
When is deer season in HD 426 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 426 allows white-tailed deer of either sex (Oct 24-Nov 29) and mule deer bucks (Oct 24-Nov 15).
| 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 15 | ||||
| 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: 426-00 | Antlerless Mule Deer | Jun 1 | 50 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid on private land. |
| Deer Permit: 426-50 | Antlered Buck Mule Deer | April 1 | 75 | Nov 16-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Permit must be used with a valid General Deer License. Holders may not hunt Antlered Buck Mule Deer in any other HD. |
FWP's notes for HD 426: Beckman WMA Area Map and Rules available at FWP-R4 HQ 406-454-5840.
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 100, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 426 before you go.
How do you get to HD 426?
Highways through the district: MT 81 (about 15 miles inside it) and MT 80 (about 3 miles inside it). Towns inside: Denton, Winifred and Coffee Creek. Nearby: Geraldine (13 miles), Lewistown (14 miles), Stanford (15 miles) and Moore (19 miles).
Which districts border HD 426?
HD 426 touches 6 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 412 | Judith and Moccasin Mountains | 15.6% | 253 | 732 |
| HD 417 | Armells Creek | 37.5% | 302 | 124 |
| HD 419 | Stanford | 10.4% | 58 | 505 |
| HD 447 | Belt-Square Butte | 21.2% | 277 | 807 |
| HD 471 | Geraldine | 19.2% | 15 | 329 |
| HD 690 | South Hill-Blaine-Chouteau | 18.5% | 349 | 1,544 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 426 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows antlerless elk in HD 426 during the general season, October 24 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 100). FWP also lists 3 elk B license or permit opportunities here.
What is the closest town to HD 426?
Denton, Winifred and Coffee Creek are inside the district. Just outside: Geraldine (13 miles), Lewistown (14 miles) and Stanford (15 miles).
Does HD 426 have Block Management?
Yes. FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 10 areas covering 26,923 acres in HD 426: 8 where hunters give themselves permission (Type 1) and 2 where the landowner or FWP gives it (Type 2). The largest is Ap-Pn Ranch at 10,446 acres.
Where is FWP's map of HD 426?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 426 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
FWP's legal description of HD 426
Those portions of Choteau, Fergus, and Judith Basin Counties lying within the following described boundary: Beginning at Suffolk, then north following Route 236 to Winifred, then northeasterly on the DY Trail to the Stafford Ferry Road, then northerly along said road to the Missouri River, then up said river in a westerly direction to the mouth of Arrow Creek, then up said creek to State Route 80, then south on said route to State Route 81, then easterly along said route near Denton to the Plum Creek County Road, then northerly and easterly along said road to the Salt Creek Road, then southeasterly along the Salt Creek Road to its junction with Route 236 approximately three miles north of Hilger, then north on the Winifred Road to Suffolk, 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 100.
- 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 412 HD 417 HD 419 HD 447 HD 471 HD 690