Hunting District 652, McCone-Garfield: elk and deer hunting
Hunting District 652 (McCone-Garfield) is 57.5% public land, the largest part national wildlife refuge (53,421 acres), by Montana's cadastral map of public land (2026). FWP estimates hunters took 3 elk in 2023 and 60 deer here in 2025.
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 652Neighboring districtsLake or riverHighway
| Region | FWP Region 6, Northeast Montana |
|---|---|
| Size | 199,867 acres (312 square miles) |
| Public land | 57.5% (114,916 acres) |
| Block Management | 9 areas, 44,374 acres (2026) |
| Elk harvested, 2023 | 3 (3 bulls) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 60 (52 mule deer, 8 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 | Fort Peck, Nashua and Glasgow |
HD 652 is a 312-square-mile wedge east of Fort Peck Reservoir, between Big Dry Creek and MT 24. National wildlife refuge and BLM land are each 26.7%. A mule deer buck takes permit 652-50, and FWP notes elk will be hard to find.
How much public land is in HD 652?
57.5% of HD 652 is public land: 114,916 of its 199,867 acres. The largest share is national wildlife refuge, 53,421 acres or 26.7% of the district.
| Manager | Acres | Share of HD 652 |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge | 53,421 | 26.7% |
| BLM | 53,266 | 26.7% |
| State trust land | 8,229 | 4.1% |
| Other public | 5 | 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 652
FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 9 areas in HD 652, 44,374 acres of private land open to hunters under the program. The largest: Bbk (17,218 acres, Type 1), Pat Gibbs Ranch (8,767 acres, Type 1), Mothershead (6,603 acres, Type 1), Ten Deer Creek (4,035 acres, Type 1) and Cw Cattle (3,780 acres, Type 1). Each area has its own rules and map from FWP. FWP Block Management.
How many elk are harvested in HD 652?
FWP estimates 3 elk were harvested in HD 652 in 2023: 3 bulls, 0 cows and 0 calves.
| Year | Elk harvested | Bulls | Cows | Calves | Bulls 6 points or more | Elk hunters | Hunter days | Elk per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | not counted | not counted | |
| 2021 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | not counted | not counted |
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 652?
FWP estimates 60 deer were harvested in HD 652 in 2025: 52 mule deer and 8 white-tailed deer. In 2025, 123 deer hunters spent 734 days here.
| Year | Deer harvested | Mule deer | White-tailed deer | Bucks | Does | Bucks 4 points or more | Deer hunters | Hunter days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | 52 | 8 | 52 | 7 | 37 | 123 | 734 |
| 2024 | 84 | 64 | 20 | 75 | 9 | 58 | not counted | not counted |
| 2023 | 107 | 87 | 19 | 77 | 30 | 56 | 173 | 978 |
| 2022 | 131 | 104 | 27 | 90 | 41 | 62 | not counted | not counted |
| 2021 | 160 | 156 | 4 | 123 | 38 | 101 | 169 | 1,200 |
| 2020 | 198 | 135 | 64 | 118 | 81 | 95 | not counted | not counted |
Source: FWP Harvest Estimates (deer, 2020 to 2025).
When is elk season in HD 652 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 652:
| 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 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 |
When is deer season in HD 652 in 2026?
On the General Deer License in the general season, HD 652 allows white-tailed deer of either sex (Oct 24-Nov 29). A mule deer buck in HD 652 needs a drawn permit: Deer Permit 652-50, quota 100, apply by April 1.
| 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 | |||
| 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: 652-01 | Antlerless Mule Deer | Jun 1 | 25 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Only valid on private land. |
| Deer Permit: 652-50 | Antlered Buck Mule Deer | April 1 | 100 | Sep 5-Oct 18 | Oct 24-Nov 29 | Muzzleloader: Dec 12-Dec 20 | Permit must be used with a valid General Deer License. Holders may not hunt Antlered Buck Mule Deer in any other HD. |
FWP's notes for HD 652: 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 Elk numbers are low and will be difficult to find.
Source: FWP 2026 Deer, Elk & Antelope Regulations, page 116, with FWP's corrections. FWP can change a season or quota during the year: check FWP's page for HD 652 before you go.
How do you get to HD 652?
Highways through the district: MT 24 (about 21 miles inside it) and MT 200 (about 4 miles inside it). Nearby: Fort Peck (4 miles), Nashua (8 miles) and Glasgow (18 miles).
Which districts border HD 652?
HD 652 touches 3 other deer and elk districts. Their public land and 2025 harvest, for comparison:
| District | Name | Public land | Elk harvested | Deer harvested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HD 650 | McCone-Richland | 14.3% | 4 | 1,025 |
| HD 700 | Missouri Breaks-Prairie | 38% | 588 | 1,495 |
| HD 701 | Sagebrush Prairie | 18.1% | 139 | 1,711 |
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in HD 652 on a general license?
Yes. In 2026 the General Elk License allows elk of either sex in HD 652 during the general season, October 24 to November 29, with the restrictions FWP prints for the district (regulations page 116).
What is the closest town to HD 652?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Fort Peck (4 miles), Nashua (8 miles) and Glasgow (18 miles).
Does HD 652 have Block Management?
Yes. FWP's 2026 Block Management map shows 9 areas covering 44,374 acres in HD 652: all 9 are Type 1, where hunters give themselves permission. The largest is Bbk at 17,218 acres.
Where is FWP's map of HD 652?
FWP publishes a printable map of the district: HD 652 map (PDF). The boundary in words is in FWP's legal descriptions.
FWP's legal description of HD 652
Those portions of McCone and Garfield Counties lying within the following described boundary: Beginning at Fort Peck Dam Spillway, then southerly along the east shore of Fort Peck Reservoir to Big Dry Creek, then southerly along said creek to Little Dry Creek, then southerly along said creek to State Route 200, then easterly along said route to State Route 24, then northerly along said route to the Fort Peck Dam Spillway, 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 116.
- 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.