Hunting District 540, Southeast Little Belt Mountains: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 540 (Southeast Little Belt Mountains) is 33.5% public land, most of it national forest (98,590 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 205 elk and 281 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 1,259 elk hunters spent 9,219 days here and took 315 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 540Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 5, South-central Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 373,219 acres (583 square miles) |
| Public land | 33.5% (125,155 acres) |
| Block Management | 11 areas, 30,044 acres (2026) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 205 (97 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 281 (123 mule deer, 158 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 | Harlowton, Judith Gap, Hobson, Moore and White Sulphur Springs |
HD 540 is the southeast Little Belt Mountains north of Harlowton and Judith Gap, up to Mount High. Haymaker WMA (1,334 acres here) is closed to all hunting December 2 to May 14. The General Elk License allows elk of either sex.
How much public land is in HD 540?
33.5% of HD 540 is public land: 125,155 of its 373,219 acres. The largest share is national forest, 98,590 acres or 26.4% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 540 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 98,590 | 26.4% |
| State trust land | 24,190 | 6.5% |
| FWP land | 1,346 | 0.4% |
| BLM | 1,029 | 0.3% |
| Other public | 712 | 0.2% |
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 540
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 11 areas in HD 540, 30,044 acres of private land open to hunters under the program. The largest: Olson Brothers Ranch (5,463 acres, Type 1), Sawmill Gulch (4,775 acres, Type 1), Springwater Colony (4,586 acres, Type 1), Martin Ranch (2,892 acres, Type 1) and Martin/Walker (2,603 acres, Type 1). Each area has its own rules and map from FWP. FWP Block Management.
Wildlife management area in HD 540: Haymaker WMA (1,334 acres here).
How many elk are harvested in HD 540?
FWP estimates 205 elk were harvested in HD 540 in 2025: 97 bulls, 100 cows and 7 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 1,259 hunters took 315 elk, about 25 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 | 205 | 97 | 100 | 7 | 31 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 315 | 95 | 210 | 10 | 50 | 1,259 | 9,219 | 25 |
| 2023 | 299 | 105 | 170 | 24 | 30 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 292 | 141 | 145 | 7 | 47 | 1,188 | 8,123 | 25 |
| 2021 | 268 | 119 | 134 | 15 | 35 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 261 | 86 | 162 | 14 | 23 | 1,091 | 7,267 | 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 540?
FWP estimates 281 deer were harvested in HD 540 in 2025: 123 mule deer and 158 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 859 deer hunters spent 5,251 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 281 | 123 | 158 | 186 | 88 | 96 | 859 | 5,251 |
| 2024 | 268 | 102 | 166 | 194 | 74 | 107 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 209 | 82 | 128 | 153 | 56 | 110 | 739 | 4,201 |
| 2022 | 270 | 141 | 129 | 193 | 77 | 112 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 212 | 133 | 78 | 163 | 49 | 86 | 826 | 4,844 |
| 2020 | 280 | 170 | 110 | 203 | 77 | 120 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 540 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 540:
| License or permit | What may be taken | Apply by | Quota | Archery only | General | Other seasons | FWP's restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Elk License | Antlerless Elk | Early: Aug 15-Sep 4 | Only valid on private land. | ||||
| General Elk License | Either-sex Elk | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | |||
| Elk B License: 005-00 | Antlerless Elk | OTC: Jun 15 | Unlimited | Early: Aug 15-Sep 4 | Only valid on private land. | ||
| Elk B License: 005-00 | 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. |
When is deer season in HD 540 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 540 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 | |||
| General Deer License | Either-sex Mule Deer | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only youth ages 10-15. Only valid on private land. | ||
| Deer B License: 005-00 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | Jun 1 | 4,500 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Valid in all R5 HDs. |
FWP's notes for HD 540: Haymaker WMA closed to all hunting Dec 2 - May 14
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 110, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 540 before you go.
How do you get to HD 540?
Highways through the district: US 191 (about 9 miles inside it), MT 3 (about 8 miles inside it) and US 12 (about 6 miles inside it). Towns inside: Harlowton and Judith Gap. Nearby: Hobson (18 miles), Moore (20 miles) and White Sulphur Springs (20 miles).
Which districts border HD 540?
HD 540 touches 7 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 448 | North Judith Basin-Central Little Belts | 73.8% | 124 | 304 |
| HD 452 | Castle Mountains | 38.6% | 299 | 345 |
| HD 515 | Painted Robe | 7.5% | 340 | 1,095 |
| HD 535 | Southern Snowy Mountains | 17.5% | 482 | 571 |
| HD 580 | East Slope Crazy Mountains | 22.4% | 802 | 727 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 540 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows elk of either sex in HD 540 during the general season, October 24 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 110). FWP also lists 1 elk B license or permit opportunity here.
What is the closest town to HD 540?
Harlowton and Judith Gap are inside the district. Just outside: Hobson (18 miles), Moore (20 miles) and White Sulphur Springs (20 miles).
Does HD 540 have Block Management?
Yes. FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 11 areas covering 30,044 acres in HD 540: 9 where hunters give themselves permission (Type 1) and 2 where the landowner or FWP gives it (Type 2). The largest is Olson Brothers Ranch at 5,463 acres.
Where is FWP's map of HD 540?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 540 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
FWP's legal description of HD 540
Those portions of Meagher and Wheatland Counties lying within the following described boundary: Beginning at Harlowton, then westerly along US Highway 12 to Spring Creek-Whitetail Cabin Road (USFS Road 274), then northerly along said road to its intersection with the Willow Park Road (USFS Road 189), then easterly along said road to its intersection with USFS Trail 603, then easterly along said trail to the Mt. High Lookout Tower, then easterly along USFS Road 382 to a permanent boundary marker (Wheatland/Judith Basin county line) then northeasterly along the Wheatland County line to US Highway 191, then southerly along said highway to Harlowton, 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 110.
- 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 5 HD 416 HD 418 HD 448 HD 452 HD 515 HD 535 HD 580