Hunting District 565, Upper Boulder: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 565 (Upper Boulder) is 98.6% public land, most of it national forest (129,186 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 18 elk and 40 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 86 elk hunters spent 454 days here and took 13 elk.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: FWP estimates for 2020 to 2025. Seasons: FWP's 2026 regulations. Land: Montana State Library, 2026-10.
National forestHD 565Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 5, South-central Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 131,020 acres (205 square miles) |
| Public land | 98.6% (129,186 acres) |
| Block Management | None mapped for 2026 |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 18 (15 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 40 (14 mule deer, 27 white-tailed) |
| General elk license, general season | Antlered bulls |
| Archery only, 2026 | September 5 to October 18 |
| General season, 2026 | October 24 to November 29 |
| Towns in and near it | Livingston |
HD 565 is the Main Boulder River above Falls Creek, south to the Absaroka divides. It is 98.6% national forest with no numbered highway. FWP's harvest figures for it start in 2022; the General Elk License covers antlered bulls in the general season.
How much public land is in HD 565?
98.6% of HD 565 is public land: 129,186 of its 131,020 acres. The largest share is national forest, 129,186 acres or 98.6% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 565 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 129,186 | 98.6% |
Measured by FilledTag inside FWP's district boundary from Montana Cadastral Public Lands, Montana State Library, published 2026.
How many elk are harvested in HD 565?
FWP estimates 18 elk were harvested in HD 565 in 2025: 15 bulls, 4 cows and 0 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 86 hunters took 13 elk, about 15 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 | 18 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 11 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 86 | 454 | 15 |
| 2023 | 39 | 15 | 24 | 0 | 0 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 35 | 19 | 16 | 0 | 7 | 108 | 753 | 32 |
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 565?
FWP estimates 40 deer were harvested in HD 565 in 2025: 14 mule deer and 27 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 108 deer hunters spent 704 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 40 | 14 | 27 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 108 | 704 |
| 2024 | 38 | 9 | 29 | 23 | 15 | 6 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 29 | 3 | 25 | 14 | 15 | 7 | 86 | 510 |
| 2022 | 58 | 22 | 36 | 31 | 26 | 25 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 565 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 565:
| 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 | |||||
| General Elk License | Antlered Bull Elk | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 |
When is deer season in HD 565 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 565 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. |
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 111, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 565 before you go.
How do you get to HD 565?
No numbered highway crosses the district. Nearby: Livingston (19 miles).
Which districts border HD 565?
HD 565 touches 3 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 316 | Absaroka | 98.3% | 28 | 76 |
| HD 317 | Upper Yellowstone East | 66.3% | 379 | 537 |
| HD 525 | Beartooth-Absaroka | 63.8% | 421 | 1,198 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 565 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows antlered bulls in HD 565 during the general season, October 24 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 111).
What is the closest town to HD 565?
No town is inside it. The nearest is Livingston (19 miles).
Does HD 565 have Block Management?
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows no Block Management area in HD 565.
Where is FWP's map of HD 565?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 565 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
FWP's legal description of HD 565
Those portions of Park and Sweet Grass Counties lying within the following described boundary: Beginning at the mouth of Falls Creek on the Main Boulder River, then west and south up said Creek to its headwaters at the Main Boulder River-West Boulder River divide, then south along said divide to Boulder Mountain, then south along the Main Boulder River-Mill Creek divide through Silver Pass and The Pyramid to Crow Mountain, then south and east along the Main Boulder River-Hellroaring Creek divide through Boulder Pass and Sheepherder Peak, then south and east along the Main Boulder River-Buffalo Fork divide, then north and east along the East Fork of the Main Boulder River-Slough Creek divide to Columbine Pass and the boundary between the Gallatin and Custer National Forests, then north along said boundary to the head of the East Boulder River, then north along the East Boulder River-Main Boulder River divide to the north end of Contact Mountain, then south and west off said Mountain to the Main Boulder River bottom at a point across the River from Falls Creek, 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 111.
- 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.