Hunting District 444, Lower Sun River: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 444 (Lower Sun River) is 16% public land, most of it state trust land (32,976 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 22 elk and 592 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 175 elk hunters spent 1,159 days here and took 18 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 landBureau of ReclamationOther publicHD 444Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 4, North-central Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 310,559 acres (485 square miles) |
| Public land | 16% (49,739 acres) |
| Block Management | 3 areas, 18,004 acres (2026) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 22 (14 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 592 (101 mule deer, 491 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 | Simms, Gilman, Fairfield, Choteau and Cascade |
HD 444 is the country between Simms, Fairfield, Choteau and Augusta, inside MT 200, US 89 and US 287. Freezout Lake WMA has 8,715 acres here. Of the 592 deer FWP estimated were taken in 2025, 491 were white-tailed deer.
How much public land is in HD 444?
16% of HD 444 is public land: 49,739 of its 310,559 acres. The largest share is state trust land, 32,976 acres or 10.6% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 444 |
|---|---|---|
| State trust land | 32,976 | 10.6% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 13,614 | 4.4% |
| FWP land | 2,374 | 0.8% |
| BLM | 775 | 0.2% |
| Other public | 176 | 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 444
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 3 areas in HD 444, 18,004 acres of private land open to hunters under the program. The largest: Freezeout Lake (7,911 acres, Type 1), Milford Colony (6,455 acres, Type 1) and Elk Creek Colony (3,638 acres, Type 1). Each area has its own rules and map from FWP. FWP Block Management.
Wildlife management area in HD 444: Freezout Lake WMA (8,715 acres here).
How many elk are harvested in HD 444?
FWP estimates 22 elk were harvested in HD 444 in 2025: 14 bulls, 8 cows and 0 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 175 hunters took 18 elk, about 10 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 | 22 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 10 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 18 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 175 | 1,159 | 10 |
| 2023 | 18 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 6 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 143 | 675 | 11 |
| 2021 | 15 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 190 | 1,033 | 12 |
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 444?
FWP estimates 592 deer were harvested in HD 444 in 2025: 101 mule deer and 491 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 840 deer hunters spent 5,719 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 592 | 101 | 491 | 343 | 242 | 267 | 840 | 5,719 |
| 2024 | 736 | 159 | 577 | 456 | 281 | 351 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 565 | 139 | 426 | 349 | 209 | 268 | 750 | 4,082 |
| 2022 | 526 | 147 | 379 | 293 | 232 | 229 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 684 | 121 | 563 | 341 | 332 | 215 | 845 | 4,457 |
| 2020 | 682 | 171 | 511 | 376 | 300 | 263 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 444 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 444:
| 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 444 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 444 allows white-tailed deer of either sex (Oct 24-Nov 29) and mule 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 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 | 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: 444-00 | 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 444: Check the restricted area legal descriptions (regulations pages 28 to 30): Freezout Lake WMA, Teton County.
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 102, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 444 before you go.
How do you get to HD 444?
Highways through the district: US 287 (about 35 miles inside it), MT 21 (about 15 miles inside it) and US 89 (about 15 miles inside it). Towns inside: Simms and Gilman. Nearby: Fairfield (on the line), Choteau (on the line), Cascade (16 miles) and Dutton (18 miles).
Which districts border HD 444?
HD 444 touches 5 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 404 | Lower Teton River | 7.5% | 3 | 994 |
| HD 421 | Birdtail Hills-South Dearborn | 11.4% | 184 | 800 |
| HD 422 | North Dearborn | 45.1% | 136 | 306 |
| HD 425 | Sun River WMA | 42% | 98 | 203 |
| HD 450 | Choteau | 23.5% | 53 | 227 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 444 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows elk of either sex in HD 444 during the general season, October 24 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 102). FWP also lists 1 elk B license or permit opportunity here.
What is the closest town to HD 444?
Simms and Gilman are inside the district. Just outside: Fairfield (on the line), Choteau (on the line) and Cascade (16 miles).
Does HD 444 have Block Management?
Yes. FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 3 areas covering 18,004 acres in HD 444: all 3 are Type 1, where hunters give themselves permission. The largest is Freezeout Lake at 7,911 acres.
Where is FWP's map of HD 444?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 444 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
FWP's legal description of HD 444
Those portions of Cascade, Lewis and Clark and Teton Counties lying within the following described boundary: Beginning at Simms, then easterly along Highway 200 to its junction with Highway 89, then westerly and northerly along said highway to Choteau and Highway 287, then southerly along said highway to Augusta, then continuing southerly along Highway 287 to Highway 200 (Bowmans Corner), then easterly along said Highway to Simms, 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 102.
- 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.