Montana publishes deer harvest in a form FDR could rank for 139 hunt units. Hunting District 170 is highest at 5.1 deer harvested per square mile in 2025. Hunting District 260 has 4.5 in 2025 and Hunting District 262 has 2.9 in 2025. For success rate Hunting District 444 leads at 70% in 2025 and Hunting District 445 has 69% in 2025. Harvest in a hunt unit includes private land, so the public share is shown next to each unit. The rankings describe reported harvest and do not measure access or hunting pressure.
KEY FINDINGS
- Hunting District 170 has the highest harvest per square mile at 5.1. The agency reported 1,772 deer on 221,971 acres in 2025.
- Hunting District 444 has the best success rate at 70%. Its harvest per square mile ranks 27 of 139.
- 139 hunt units are ranked. Ranks compare areas measured between 2021 and 2025 and each row shows its own newest year.
Montana public land rankings
Best public land in Montana
Derived FDR figures from state agency numbers. Seasons measured 2021 through 2025. Captured October 18, 2026. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size. Success rate is the agency's published rate or harvest divided by hunters. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Order uses the unrounded values and tied values share a rank. Blank cells mean the agency did not publish the figure.
Public share includes state trust land that licensed hunters may use with conditions. It is an upper bound where some tracts are landlocked or excluded.
Download all ranked rows (CSV)
Hunt units
Top 15 of 139 ranked hunt units by deer harvest per square mile. Hunt units include private land, so the public share column shows how much of each unit is public land open to hunting.
15 of 139 hunt units shown
| 1 | Hunting District 170 | 221,971 | 2025 | 1,772 | 5.1 | 65% | 3 | 28.3 | 8.1% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Hunting District 260 | 95,384 | 2025 | 669 | 4.5 | 59% | 11 | 14.8 | 9.9% |
| 3 | Hunting District 262 | 79,852 | 2025 | 368 | 2.9 | 46% | 46 | 4.3 | 3.5% |
| 4 | Hunting District 282 | 26,078 | 2025 | 104 | 2.6 | 28% | 110 | 12.4 | 30.4% |
| 5 | Hunting District 309 | 110,202 | 2025 | 414 | 2.4 | 52% | 27 | 12.5 | 7.3% |
| 6 | Hunting District 290 | 32,599 | 2025 | 88 | 1.7 | 28% | 112 | 7.4 | 14.5% |
| 7 | Hunting District 405 | 297,309 | 2025 | 794 | 1.7 | 62% | 7 | 38.2 | 8.2% |
| 8 | Hunting District 285 | 418,312 | 2025 | 1,107 | 1.7 | 35% | 81 | 434.7 | 66.5% |
| 9 | Hunting District 311 | 359,572 | 2025 | 948 | 1.7 | 58% | 14 | 75.0 | 13.3% |
| 10 | Hunting District 420 | 49,565 | 2025 | 130 | 1.7 | 34% | 84 | 27.6 | 35.6% |
| 11 | Hunting District 124 | 82,330 | 2025 | 212 | 1.6 | 48% | 40 | 84.6 | 65.8% |
| 12 | Hunting District 284 | 10,561 | 2025 | 27 | 1.6 | 16% | 135 | 2.4 | 14.4% |
| 13 | Hunting District 320 | 513,404 | 2025 | 1,305 | 1.6 | 50% | 34 | 376.0 | 46.9% |
| 14 | Hunting District 335 | 139,107 | 2025 | 330 | 1.5 | 28% | 113 | 120.9 | 55.6% |
| 15 | Hunting District 322 | 290,776 | 2025 | 688 | 1.5 | 43% | 54 | 116.7 | 25.7% |
Top 10 by success rate
10 of 139 hunt units with a success rate shown
| 27 | Hunting District 444 | 306,004 | 2025 | 592 | 1.2 | 70% | 1 | 53.8 | 11.3% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Hunting District 445 | 441,841 | 2025 | 879 | 1.3 | 69% | 2 | 82.1 | 11.9% |
| 1 | Hunting District 170 | 221,971 | 2025 | 1,772 | 5.1 | 65% | 3 | 28.3 | 8.1% |
| 34 | Hunting District 412 | 422,774 | 2025 | 732 | 1.1 | 64% | 4 | 103.6 | 15.7% |
| 104 | Hunting District 705 | 3,942,688 | 2025 | 2,261 | 0.4 | 63% | 5 | 1,869.9 | 30.4% |
| 100 | Hunting District 401 | 1,146,438 | 2025 | 758 | 0.4 | 63% | 6 | 167.6 | 9.4% |
| 7 | Hunting District 405 | 297,309 | 2025 | 794 | 1.7 | 62% | 7 | 38.2 | 8.2% |
| 95 | Hunting District 640 | 2,363,423 | 2025 | 1,695 | 0.5 | 61% | 8 | 544.1 | 14.7% |
| 71 | Hunting District 406 | 445,436 | 2025 | 445 | 0.6 | 61% | 9 | 53.9 | 7.7% |
| 44 | Hunting District 421 | 517,396 | 2025 | 800 | 1.0 | 60% | 10 | 93.6 | 11.6% |
01Hunt units
139 hunt units ranked on harvest per square mile
Hunting District 170 has the most deer harvested per square mile at 5.1 in 2025. Hunting District 260 has 4.5 in 2025 and Hunting District 262 has 2.9 in 2025.
The public share is the part of each unit that is public land open to hunting. Public share includes state trust land that licensed hunters may use with conditions. It is an upper bound where some tracts are landlocked or excluded.
02Success rate
Top 10 hunt units by success rate
Hunting District 444 has the best success rate at 70% in 2025. Hunting District 445 has 69% in 2025 and Hunting District 170 has 65% in 2025.
Success rate is the agency's published figure or harvest divided by hunters. Every ranked unit has one.
03Basis of this report
Sources and method
FDR divided the agency's deer harvest by the area's size to get harvest per square mile. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Ranks compare areas measured between 2021 and 2025 and each row shows its own newest year.
Success rate is the agency's published figure or harvest divided by hunters. Tied values share a rank and the order uses the unrounded values.
A ranking does not evaluate an individual property and does not confirm that it is open to hunting for you.
Sources
NOTES AND SOURCES
- Derived FDR figures from state agency numbers. Seasons measured 2021 through 2025. Captured October 18, 2026. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size. Success rate is the agency's published rate or harvest divided by hunters. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Order uses the unrounded values and tied values share a rank. Blank cells mean the agency did not publish the figure.
Fully Drawn Research is an independent data analysis desk, not affiliated with any state wildlife agency, transportation agency, mapping provider or outfitter. FDR rankings are independent analysis of state agency numbers. A ranking does not evaluate an individual property.
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