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Antelope.

Hunt: Regulations Hunting Seasons

The following dates are provided as a general reference. Please see current regulations for more information.

Antelope

2024 SEASON
 

900 series: Aug. 15 - Nov. 10

Archery: Sept. 7 - Oct. 11

General: Oct. 12 - Nov. 10


See more information on the Antelope Species Guide.

Bighorn Sheep

2024 SEASON
 

Archery: Sept. 7 - Sept. 14

General: Sept. 15 - Dec. 1


See more information on the Bighorn Sheep Species Guide.

Bison

2024 SEASON
 

Nov. 15 - Feb. 15, 2024


See more information on the Bison Species Guide.

Black Bear

2024 SEASON
 

Spring: Apr. 15 - May 31 or June 15

Spring Hound Training: May 26 - June 15

Archery: Sept. 7 - Sept. 14

Fall: Sept. 15 - Dec. 1


See more information on the Black Bear Species Guide.

Deer & Elk

2024 SEASON
 

Archery: Sept. 7 - Oct. 20

Youth, deer onlyOct. 17 - Oct. 18

General: Oct. 26 - Dec. 1

Shoulder seasons: Aug. 15 - Feb. 15, varying dates before and/or after the archery and general seasons

Muzzleloader: Dec. 14 - 22


Backcountry - HD's 150, 280, 316

General: Sept. 15 - Dec. 1


See more information on the Deer Species Guide and Elk Species Guide

Elk Shoulder Seasons

The primary purpose of elk shoulder seasons is to reduce elk populations in areas that are over population objective as outlined in the Montana Elk Management Plan. Learn more

Check individual HD's in the 2023 Regulations (PDF) for specific hunting district details.

Furbearer (Trapping)

2023 SEASON
 

Trapping Districts 1, 2 & 3 

Beaver: Nov. 1 - Apr. 15, 2024

Bobcat: Dec. 1 - Feb. 15, 2024*

 

Trapping Districts 4, 5, 6 & 7

Beaver: Sept. 1 - May 31, 2024

Bobcat: Dec. 1 - Mar. 1, 2024*

 

Portion of Trapping District 6

Swift Fox: Nov. 1 - Jan. 15, 2024*

 

Fisher, Marten

Where open: Dec. 1 - Feb. 15, 2024*

 

Mink, Muskrat, Otter

Nov. 1 - Apr. 15, 2024*

 

* May close earlier when the quota is reached.

 

Migratory Birds

2023 SEASON

Statewide

Common (Wilson's) Snipe

  • Sept. 1 - Dec. 16

Mourning Dove

  • Sept. 1 - Oct. 30

Youth Waterfowl

  • Sept. 23-24

 

Pacific Flyway

Ducks (including Mergansers)

  • Sept. 30 - Jan. 12

Coots

  • Sept. 30 - Jan. 12

Geese

  • Sept. 30 - Jan. 12

Falconry: Ducks (including Mergansers), Coots and Geese

  • Sept. 30 - Jan. 12

 

Central Flyway

Ducks (including Mergansers)

  • Zone 1: Sept. 30 - Jan. 4

  • Zone 2: Sept. 30 - Oct. 8 Oct. 21 - Jan. 16

Coots

  • Zone 1: Sept. 30 - Jan. 4

  • Zone 2: Sept. 30 - Oct. 8 Oct. 21 - Jan. 16

Geese

  • Zone 1: Sept. 30 - Jan. 12

  • Zone 2: Sept. 30 - Oct. 8 & Oct. 21 - Jan. 24

Falconry: Ducks (including Mergansers) and Coots

  • Zone 1: Sept. 20 - Jan. 4

  • Zone 2: Sept. 20 - Oct. 8 & Oct. 21 - Jan. 16

Falconry: Geese

  • Zone 1: Sept. 30 - Jan. 12

  • Zone 2: Sept. 30 - Oct. 8 & Oct. 21 - Jan. 24

Moose

2024 SEASON

Sept. 15 - Dec. 1

See more information on the Moose Species Guide.

Mountain Goat

2024 SEASON

Sept. 15 - Dec. 1

See more information on the Mountain Goat Species Guide. 

Mountain Lion

2024 SEASON

Archery (without dogs): Sept. 3 - Oct. 16

Fall (without dogs): Oct. 26 - Dec. 1

Winter: Dec. 1 - April 14

Resident Hound Training Season: Dec. 2 - April 14

See more information on the Mountain Lion Species Guide.

Sandhill Crane

2024 SEASON

Sandhill Cranes

Special Drawing License: Sept. 1 - To be adopted April 2024 per federal frameworks

OTC License: Sept. 28 - To be adopted April 2024 per federal frameworks

 

See more information on the Sandhill Crane Species Guide. 

Swan

2022 SEASON

Swan

Pacific Flyway: to be adopted at the April Commission Meeting

Central Flyway: to be adopted at the April Commission meeting

See more information on the Swan Species Guide. 

Turkey

2024 SEASON

Spring: April 15- May 31

Fall: Sept. 1 - Jan. 1

See more information on the Turkey Species Guide. 

Upland Game Bird

2024 SEASON

Mountain Grouse: Sept. 1 - Jan. 1

Partridge: Sept. 1 - Jan. 1 (except for portion of Carbon County, where it is Sept. 1 - Jan. 10)

Ring-necked Pheasant: Oct. 12 - Jan. 1

Youth Hunt: Sept. 21 - Sept. 22

Sage Grouse: Sept. 1 - Sept. 30

Sharp-tailed Grouse: Sept. 1 - Jan. 1

Falconry: Sept. 1 - March 31

See more information on the Upland Game Bird Species Guide. 

Wolf

2023 SEASON

Archery: Sept. 2 - Sept. 14

General: Sept. 15 - March 15, 2024

Trapping: Nov. 27*-March 15, 2024

* Wolf trapping and snaring in FWP administrative regions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and in Hill, Blaine, and Phillips counties won’t start until Jan. 1 and will run through Feb. 15, according to a federal court injunction. In areas in eastern Montana outside FWP administrative regions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and Hill, Blaine, and Phillips counties the order does not apply, and the wolf trapping and snaring season will start November 27 and run through March 15 as described in the 2023 wolf regulations.