Montana Unit 281:elk draw odds & harvest
5 hunt codes for elk. Part of elk herd unit 281. 2026: 25 tags, 318 applicants per hunt.
Montana · Unit 281
Unit 281Neighbor units
Hardest draw in Unit 2812026 draw
ELK B LICENSE 281-0125 tags, 318 applied, 8% drew.
75th hardest of 563 Montana elk draws in 2026.
Hunt codes
Elk huntsin Unit 281
Whole-hunt draw results: applicants, tags and the share that drew.
| Hunt code | What it is | Draw result · 2017 | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELK B LICENSE 281-00 | 7 of 73 drew | ||
| ELK B LICENSE 281-01 | Antlerless Elk · archery only season dates · Sep 5–Oct 18Elk B License | 23 of 310 drew | 25 |
| ELK B LICENSE 281-80 | 25 of 191 drew | ||
| ELK PERMIT 281-00 | 34 of 131 drew | ||
| ELK PERMIT 281-01 | Antlerless Elk · archery only season dates · Sep 4–Oct 17Elk Permit | 25 of 64 drew |
Some hunt codes cover several units; the hunt page lists them all.
Harvest & herd
How hunters didand how the herd is doing.
Harvest success by hunt, 2004–2020
% successAll hunters7–16%
8%
16%
16%
12%
10%
10%
13%
9%
9%
8%
8%
9%
12%
7%
'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'14'15'16'18'20
45%+28–45%Under 28%
How the herd is doing
Herd unit 281
Population estimate 2024
569
Harvested bulls with 6 or more points 2025
46.7%
Population estimateRising
20192021202220232024
Harvested bulls with 6 or more points (%)Rising
2004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Before you apply
- Leftovers
- “Elk Permit 6/15/2026 - 7/15/2026”
- Tag fee
- “Elk B - Drawing $275.00 June 1”
- Tag fee
- “Elk B License - Drawing only $25.00 $25.00 $25.00 June 1”
- Points
- “Those who do not apply for a combination license may purchase one preference point for $100 over the counter from July 1 through December 31.”
Rules for 2026.
Season dates · 2026
- ELK B LICENSE 281-01ARCHERY ONLY SEASON DATESSep 5–Oct 18
- ELK B LICENSE 281-01GENERAL SEASON DATESOct 24–Nov 29
- ELK B LICENSE 281-01HERITAGE MUZZLELOADER SEASON DATESDec 12–Dec 20
Confirm in the regulations before you go.
Map & access
Unit 281and the units around it
Neighbors with a FarWide page open on click.
Public land & access
Each program opens on the state's site. Check on-the-ground signage.
Offline maps
Take Unit 281into your map app
Opens in onX, Gaia GPS, CalTopo, Google Earth, and Garmin. Works offline in those apps.
Members
Unit 281 hunt pack
One file, layered: the unit boundary, with each elk hunt's draw odds and harvest success attached to the unit.
- Unit boundary
- Draw odds per hunt
- Harvest success per hunt
Unit 281 · ELK B LICENSE 281-00
7 of 73 drew
Ask FarWide
Answers use the same figures as this page.
Source: FWP · Updated Nov 13, 2026