District 502, Montana

Rolling grassland plains, open sagebrush benches, and long river-cut coulees dominate the majority of the district, with timbered breaks and riparian river bottoms in limited areas. The Clarks Fork Yellowstone drainage anchors the southern portion. Elevation ranges from approximately 3,200 feet along the Yellowstone River valley near Billings and Laurel to roughly 5,000 feet in the foothills approaching the Beartooth front near Red Lodge and Belfry. Slopes are generally moderate; the district is largely defined by open range with agricultural fields throughout.

Public land is estimated at approximately 10-11% of the district, consisting of scattered state school trust (DNRC) sections and small BLM parcels; no contiguous blocks of accessible public land have been documented within the elk range. The eastern boundary follows the Crow Indian Reservation line (Old Hardin Road / old US Highway 87 corridor south from Billings). Major roads bounding or traversing the district include I-90 (north), US Highway 212 to Laurel, State Route 72 (Bridger to Belfry), and Route 308 (Belfry to Red Lodge). Interior access is via county roads such as Bowler-Sage Creek Road and Bowler-Bridger Road. The FWP Block Management Program (Region 5) has pursued enrollment of private ranch properties to expand hunter access, but the vast majority of huntable habitat remains on private ranches that restrict access to landowners, family, and invited guests. One large private ranch in the Dry Creek/Elbow Creek area has functioned as a de facto elk sanctuary, severely limiting harvest. No USFS ranger district, wilderness trailheads, or National Forest roads are present within HD 502.

Primary habitat is classified by FWP as shrubland. The landscape is predominantly sagebrush-grassland used for cattle grazing, with irrigated alfalfa, hay, and some row crop (corn, sugar beets, wheat) production on private agricultural operations. Riparian corridors along the Clarks Fork Yellowstone, Bowler-Sage Creek, and Dry Creek/Elbow Creek drainages support cottonwood gallery forest and willows. Timbered breaks are limited and scattered. No wilderness areas or National Forest lands fall within the core district boundary.

Mule deer and white-tailed deer are the primary game species; mule deer are found throughout the sagebrush-grassland and agricultural areas while white-tailed deer concentrate along the Clarks Fork Yellowstone riparian corridor. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been detected in Montana's wild deer herd in the HD 502 area; consult current FWP CWD maps for the most recent detection status. Elk are present in small, localized herds; approximately 70 elk have been documented spending most of the year in the Dry Creek/Elbow Creek area, originating from the Line Creek herd in adjacent HD 520. These elk have caused agricultural crop damage on private alfalfa fields and haystacks. The FWP population objective for HD 502 is a maximum post-season count of 50 elk. Elk rut activity can begin in early September. Mountain lion are present as a function of deer concentrations. The Crow Reservation boundary limits wildlife movement to the east.

1. Elk season in HD 502 was initiated in 2000 (not 1994; HD 575 was 1994 per FWP Mid-Yellowstone EMU plan). 2. FWP population objective for HD 502 elk is a maximum post-season count of 50 elk, confirmed in the Mid-Yellowstone EMU plan. 3. Elk herd doubled in size since 1998 due to severely limited hunting access (per FWP plan). 4. The reported 2021 mule deer harvest of 477 animals is sourced from a news article citing FWP data; treat as approximate. 5. CWD detection year of 2017 in HD 502 specifically could not be confirmed from FWP sources fetched; the CWD claim has been softened to avoid a specific unverified year. 6. Bighorn sheep HD 502 refers to a separate district numbering system and does not overlap geographically with deer/elk HD 502. 7. Pronghorn antelope are NOT a huntable species in this district. 8. Season dates reflect 2026 FWP published dates; confirm annually.