Hunting District 630, South Valley: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 630 (South Valley) is 64.8% public land, most of it BLM (495,899 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 54 elk and 799 deer here in 2025. In 2024, the last year FWP counted elk hunters by district, 273 elk hunters spent 2,168 days here and took 61 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 refugeBureau of ReclamationOther publicHD 630Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 6, Northeast Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,015,288 acres (1,586 square miles) |
| Public land | 64.8% (657,614 acres) |
| Block Management | 33 areas, 107,053 acres (2026) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 54 (38 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 799 (598 mule deer, 202 white-tailed) |
| Bull elk | Elk Permit 630-20 (quota 25, 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 | Fort Peck, Nashua, Saco and Glasgow |
HD 630 lies south of US 2 around Fort Peck, Nashua and Glasgow, down to Fort Peck Reservoir. BLM is 48.8% of it. Elk hunting is on permit 630-20 and B licenses.
How much public land is in HD 630?
64.8% of HD 630 is public land: 657,614 of its 1,015,288 acres. The largest share is BLM, 495,899 acres or 48.8% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 630 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 495,899 | 48.8% |
| National wildlife refuge | 110,387 | 10.9% |
| State trust land | 49,998 | 4.9% |
| Other public | 8,857 | 0.9% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 1,330 | 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 630
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 33 areas in HD 630, 107,053 acres of private land open to hunters under the program. The largest: Ap Timber Creek (34,327 acres, Type 1), Wittmayer (18,600 acres, Type 1), Engstrom Ranch (6,750 acres, Type 1), Silver Dollar (5,255 acres, Type 1) and Mcintyre Ranch (4,453 acres, Type 1). Each area has its own rules and map from FWP. FWP Block Management.
Wildlife management area in HD 630: Vandalia WMA (404 acres here).
How many elk are harvested in HD 630?
FWP estimates 54 elk were harvested in HD 630 in 2025: 38 bulls, 16 cows and 0 calves. FWP last counted elk hunters by district in 2024: 273 hunters took 61 elk, about 22 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 | 54 | 38 | 16 | 0 | 17 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2024 | 61 | 30 | 29 | 2 | 23 | 273 | 2,168 | 22 |
| 2023 | 59 | 31 | 28 | 0 | 14 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2022 | 55 | 32 | 23 | 0 | 19 | 283 | 1,977 | 19 |
| 2021 | 14 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 362 | 3 |
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 630?
FWP estimates 799 deer were harvested in HD 630 in 2025: 598 mule deer and 202 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 1,664 deer hunters spent 11,316 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 799 | 598 | 202 | 685 | 111 | 394 | 1,664 | 11,316 |
| 2024 | 1,065 | 654 | 412 | 801 | 264 | 525 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 1,306 | 954 | 352 | 953 | 346 | 702 | 1,964 | 10,722 |
| 2022 | 1,315 | 811 | 505 | 863 | 443 | 630 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 1,412 | 1,101 | 310 | 911 | 493 | 589 | 1,931 | 10,362 |
| 2020 | 1,491 | 947 | 544 | 898 | 544 | 725 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 630 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 630:
| License or permit | What may be taken | Apply by | Quota | Archery only | General | Other seasons | FWP's restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk B License: 630-00 | Antlerless Elk | Jun 1 | 50 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | |
| 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: 630-20 | Either-sex Elk | April 1 | 25 | 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. | |
| Elk Permit: 630-21 | Either-sex Elk | April 1 | 100 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | 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 630 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 630 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 | Antlerless Mule Deer | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid on private land. | ||
| 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. |
| Deer B License: 630-00 | Antlerless Mule Deer | Jun 1 | 100 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid on private land. |
FWP's notes for HD 630: Check the restricted area legal descriptions (regulations pages 28 to 30): Charles M. Russell (CMR) National Wildlife Refuge and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 115, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 630 before you go.
How do you get to HD 630?
Highways through the district: US 2 (about 36 miles inside it), MT 24 (about 19 miles inside it), MT 117 (about 13 miles inside it) and MT 42 (about 3 miles inside it). Towns inside: Fort Peck and Nashua. Nearby: Saco (on the line) and Glasgow (on the line).
Which districts border HD 630?
HD 630 touches 5 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 620 | South Phillips | 40.8% | 117 | 439 |
| HD 622 | Middle Missouri Breaks | 72.1% | 102 | 98 |
| HD 650 | McCone-Richland | 14.3% | 4 | 1,025 |
| HD 670 | North Phillips-Valley | 43.6% | 8 | 1,168 |
| HD 700 | Missouri Breaks-Prairie | 38% | 588 | 1,495 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 630 on a general license?
Not on the General Elk License alone. FWP's 2026 table for HD 630 lists no General Elk License season here: elk hunting is on drawn permits and B licenses (regulations page 115). An elk of either sex takes Elk Permit 630-20 (quota 25, apply by April 1), used with the General Elk License.
What is the closest town to HD 630?
Fort Peck and Nashua are inside the district. Just outside: Saco (on the line) and Glasgow (on the line).
Does HD 630 have Block Management?
Yes. FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 33 areas covering 107,053 acres in HD 630: 29 where hunters give themselves permission (Type 1) and 4 where the landowner or FWP gives it (Type 2). The largest is Ap Timber Creek at 34,327 acres.
Where is FWP's map of HD 630?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 630 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
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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 115.
- 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.