Hunting District 448, North Judith Basin-Central Little Belts: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 448 (North Judith Basin-Central Little Belts) is 73.8% public land, most of it national forest (178,327 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 124 elk and 304 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 1,072 elk hunters spent 7,397 days here and took 122 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 landOther publicHD 448Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 4, North-central Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 245,580 acres (384 square miles) |
| Public land | 73.8% (181,289 acres) |
| Block Management | 2 areas, 1,816 acres (2026) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 124 (75 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 304 (213 mule deer, 91 white-tailed) |
| General elk license, general season | Brow-tined bulls or antlerless elk |
| Archery only, 2026 | September 5 to October 18 |
| General season, 2026 | October 24 to November 29 |
| Towns in and near it | Stanford, Neihart and Hobson |
HD 448 is the central Little Belt Mountains, from Kings Hill Pass east to the Judith River forks and Dry Wolf Creek near Stanford. National forest is 72.6%. The General Elk License allows a brow-tined bull or an antlerless elk.
How much public land is in HD 448?
73.8% of HD 448 is public land: 181,289 of its 245,580 acres. The largest share is national forest, 178,327 acres or 72.6% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 448 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 178,327 | 72.6% |
| State trust land | 2,369 | 1% |
| BLM | 593 | 0.2% |
| Other public | 9 | 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 448
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 2 areas in HD 448, 1,816 acres of private land open to hunters under the program. The largest: 2 Wolf Creeks (1,639 acres, Type 1) and B. Neumann Kimble Place (177 acres, Type 1). Each area has its own rules and map from FWP. FWP Block Management.
How many elk are harvested in HD 448?
FWP estimates 124 elk were harvested in HD 448 in 2025: 75 bulls, 49 cows and 0 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 1,072 hunters took 122 elk, about 11 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 | 124 | 75 | 49 | 0 | 38 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 122 | 73 | 40 | 9 | 16 | 1,072 | 7,397 | 11 |
| 2023 | 143 | 79 | 59 | 6 | 46 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 191 | 88 | 95 | 9 | 48 | 941 | 6,637 | 20 |
| 2021 | 116 | 78 | 38 | 0 | 40 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 142 | 83 | 57 | 3 | 24 | 794 | 4,998 | 18 |
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 448?
FWP estimates 304 deer were harvested in HD 448 in 2025: 213 mule deer and 91 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 788 deer hunters spent 5,434 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 304 | 213 | 91 | 234 | 70 | 159 | 788 | 5,434 |
| 2024 | 267 | 174 | 93 | 152 | 115 | 105 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 256 | 172 | 84 | 193 | 60 | 130 | 677 | 3,952 |
| 2022 | 212 | 144 | 68 | 174 | 37 | 98 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 195 | 126 | 68 | 161 | 33 | 105 | 574 | 3,981 |
| 2020 | 175 | 133 | 42 | 109 | 66 | 68 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 448 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 448:
| 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 | 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 B License: 448-00 | Antlerless Elk | Jun 1 | 150 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid in HDs 420 and 448. |
When is deer season in HD 448 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 448 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: 448-00 | Antlerless Mule Deer | Jun 1 | 100 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid on private land. |
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 105, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 448 before you go.
How do you get to HD 448?
Highways through the district: US 89 (about 2 miles inside it). Nearby: Stanford (on the line), Neihart (6 miles), Hobson (14 miles) and Denton (18 miles).
Which districts border HD 448?
HD 448 touches 6 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 416 | Southwest Little Belt Mountains | 47.4% | 563 | 501 |
| HD 418 | South Judith Basin | 21% | 186 | 278 |
| HD 419 | Stanford | 10.4% | 58 | 505 |
| HD 420 | Judith River WMA-Sage Creek | 53% | 80 | 130 |
| HD 432 | Otter Creek | 46.8% | 115 | 282 |
| HD 540 | Southeast Little Belt Mountains | 33.5% | 205 | 281 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 448 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows brow-tined bulls or antlerless elk in HD 448 during the general season, October 24 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 105). FWP also lists 2 elk B license or permit opportunities here.
What is the closest town to HD 448?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Stanford (on the line), Neihart (6 miles) and Hobson (14 miles).
Does HD 448 have Block Management?
Yes. FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 2 areas covering 1,816 acres in HD 448: both are Type 1, where hunters give themselves permission. The largest is 2 Wolf Creeks at 1,639 acres.
Where is FWP's map of HD 448?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 448 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
FWP's legal description of HD 448
Those portions of Cascade, Judith Basin and Meagher Counties lying within the following described boundary: Beginning at the junction of U.S. Highway 89 and USFS Road 487 at King’s Hill Pass, then south on U.S. Highway 89 highway to USFS Road 837 (Deadman Creek Road), then east on said road to Spur Park, then southeast on USFS Road 487 (Memorial Way-South Fork Judith River Road) to its junction with USFS Road 274 (Spring Creek Road) near the mouth of Corral Creek, then south on said road to its junction with USFS Road 189 near Clyde and Willow parks, then easterly on said road (toward the Mount High area) to the junction with USFS Trail 603, then easterly along said trail to the Mount High Lookout location, then north down the main fork of the stream course in Dry Pole Canyon to its mouth and the South Fork Judith River Road (USFS Road 487), then northeasterly along said road to where it crosses the Middle Fork Judith River, then up said fork to the confluence with Yogo Creek, then northwest up said creek to the mouth of Bear Gulch, then northwesterly on the Bear Gulch Road and Trail to Bear Park, then northeasterly along the Bear Park Road and Sage Creek Road to its junction with State Highway 239, then north on said route to its junction with U.S. Highway 87 near Windham, then northwesterly on said highway to its junction with USFS Road 251/Judith Basin County Road 101 (Dry Wolf Creek Road) one mile west of Stanford, then southwesterly on said road up Dry Wolf Creek, up Lyon Gulch, past Yogo Peak and Slide Rock Point to its junction with USFS Road 487, then west on USFS Road 487 to U.S. Highway 89 at Kings Hill 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, page 105.
- 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.