Hunting District 621, Upper Missouri Breaks-West: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 621 (Upper Missouri Breaks-West) is 75.8% public land, most of it BLM (227,408 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 93 elk and 266 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 582 elk hunters spent 4,593 days here and took 94 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 landNational wildlife refugeOther publicHD 621Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 6, Northeast Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 521,783 acres (815 square miles) |
| Public land | 75.8% (395,464 acres) |
| Block Management | 9 areas, 69,993 acres (2026) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 93 (54 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 266 (229 mule deer, 38 white-tailed) |
| Bull elk | Elk Permit 620-20 (quota 70, apply by April 1) |
| Archery only, 2026 | September 5 to October 18 |
| General season, 2026 | October 24 to November 29 |
| Towns in and near it | Zortman and Landusky |
HD 621 is the Missouri River Breaks north of the river from Cow Creek east past Zortman and Landusky, below the Fort Belknap Reservation. National wildlife refuge land is 27.1% of it. Elk hunting is on permits and B licenses, and FWP says the Slippery Ann elk viewing area is closed to all hunting.
How much public land is in HD 621?
75.8% of HD 621 is public land: 395,464 of its 521,783 acres. The largest share is BLM, 227,408 acres or 43.6% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 621 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 227,408 | 43.6% |
| National wildlife refuge | 141,474 | 27.1% |
| State trust land | 26,582 | 5.1% |
| Other public | 4,912 | 0.9% |
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 621
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 9 areas in HD 621, 69,993 acres of private land open to hunters under the program. The largest: Square Butte (36,278 acres, Type 1), Nine Bar Six (11,576 acres, Type 1), Lazy Jd (7,038 acres, Type 1), Hartman Ranch (4,891 acres, Type 1) and Jacobs (3,360 acres, Type 1). Each area has its own rules and map from FWP. FWP Block Management.
How many elk are harvested in HD 621?
FWP estimates 93 elk were harvested in HD 621 in 2025: 54 bulls, 39 cows and 0 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 582 hunters took 94 elk, about 16 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 | 93 | 54 | 39 | 0 | 44 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 94 | 58 | 36 | 0 | 38 | 582 | 4,593 | 16 |
| 2023 | 126 | 72 | 51 | 4 | 55 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 118 | 77 | 41 | 0 | 60 | 525 | 3,704 | 22 |
| 2021 | 144 | 60 | 84 | 0 | 43 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 155 | 77 | 78 | 0 | 59 | 722 | 5,224 | 21 |
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 621?
FWP estimates 266 deer were harvested in HD 621 in 2025: 229 mule deer and 38 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 764 deer hunters spent 5,003 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 266 | 229 | 38 | 235 | 31 | 105 | 764 | 5,003 |
| 2024 | 321 | 260 | 62 | 295 | 26 | 149 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 320 | 242 | 78 | 263 | 57 | 173 | 824 | 4,743 |
| 2022 | 273 | 218 | 55 | 213 | 60 | 129 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 470 | 403 | 67 | 336 | 134 | 176 | 1,035 | 5,980 |
| 2020 | 529 | 483 | 46 | 422 | 107 | 287 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 621 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 621:
| License or permit | What may be taken | Apply by | Quota | Archery only | General | Other seasons | FWP's restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk B License: 621-01 | Antlerless Elk | Jun 1 | 100 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid in HD 620 and HD 621. |
| Elk B License: 698-00 | Antlerless Elk | Jun 1 | 100 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Valid in HDs 620, 621, 622. Not valid on CMR Refuge. |
| Elk B License: 699-01 | Antlerless Elk | Jun 1 | 150 | Oct 22-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only youth ages 12-15. Only valid in HDs 620, 621, 622, 630, and 690. | |
| Elk Permit: 620-20 | Either-sex Elk | April 1 | 70 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid in HDs 620, 621, and 622. Not valid on CMR refuge. 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: 620-21 | Either-sex Elk | April 1 | 1,000 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | 1st and 2nd choice only. Only valid in HDs 620, 621, and 622. 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: 621-20 | Either-sex Elk | April 1 | 50 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | 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 621 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 621 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: 006-00 | Antlerless White-tailed Deer | Jun 1 | 2,000 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Up to two per hunter. Valid in all R6 HDs. |
FWP's notes for HD 621: Check the restricted area legal descriptions (regulations pages 28 to 30): CMR National Wildlife Refuge, Slippery Ann elk viewing area closed to all hunting per refuge regulation 406-538-8706; Charles M. Russell (CMR) National Wildlife Refuge and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge. Elk hunters in HDs 621 and 622 may also hunt on islands in the Missouri River adjacent to where their elk permit is valid. Island is defined as land completely surrounded by water at the time of the hunt.
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 114, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 621 before you go.
How do you get to HD 621?
Highways through the district: US 191 (about 21 miles inside it) and MT 66 (about 11 miles inside it). Towns inside: Zortman and Landusky.
Which districts border HD 621?
HD 621 touches 5 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 410 | Missouri River Breaks | 47.4% | 452 | 221 |
| HD 417 | Armells Creek | 37.5% | 302 | 124 |
| HD 620 | South Phillips | 40.8% | 117 | 439 |
| HD 622 | Middle Missouri Breaks | 72.1% | 102 | 98 |
| HD 690 | South Hill-Blaine-Chouteau | 18.5% | 349 | 1,544 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 621 on a general license?
Not on the General Elk License alone. FWP's 2026 table for HD 621 lists no General Elk License season here: elk hunting is on drawn permits and B licenses (regulations page 114). An elk of either sex takes Elk Permit 620-20 (quota 70, apply by April 1), used with the General Elk License.
What is the closest town to HD 621?
Zortman and Landusky are inside the district.
Does HD 621 have Block Management?
Yes. FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 9 areas covering 69,993 acres in HD 621: all 9 are Type 1, where hunters give themselves permission. The largest is Square Butte at 36,278 acres.
Where is FWP's map of HD 621?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 621 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
FWP's legal description of HD 621
That portion of Blaine and Phillips Counties lying within the following described boundary: Beginning at the confluence of the Missouri River and Cow Creek, then north along said creek to Suction Creek, then northeast along said creek to Little Suction Creek, then southeast along said creek to the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation boundary, then south and east along said boundary to US Highway 191, then southwest along said highway to the junction with the Dry Fork Road, then east along said road to Second Creek School, then south on County Road to the CMR National Wildlife Refuge (CMR) Road 212, then easterly along CMR Road 201, then south on CMR Road 219 to the Missouri River/Fort Peck Reservoir, then westerly along said reservoir and river back to the mouth of Cow 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 114.
- 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.