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Elkhorn Mountain Elk Observations Pilot Project

2009 Licenses

Available Licenses—2009 licenses are available for purchase online, at FWP Offices and at FWP License Providers. We have provided a complete listing of all available licenses, for residents and nonresidents, deadlines to apply, and costs. [Learn more].

Nonresidents Deer & Elk Combination Licenses—Find out everything you need to know, as a nonresident, about the 2009 Deer & Elk Combination License. [Learn more].

2009 Hunting Outlook

News on the 2009 hunting season, species outlooks and important reminders for hunters. [Read all 2009 hunting stories]

Montana Outdoors

Into the Meat Locker
Image of article from Montana Outdoors Magazine

Behind the closed doors of a game processing facility.

Like many big game hunters, I butcher the wild animals I kill. It started simply as a way to learn how they were put together. Then I realized I preferred maintaining full control and supervision of my harvest from field to freezer. [Full Story]

Becoming Aware of the Bear
Image of article from Montana Outdoors Magazine

As Montana’s grizzly numbers grow and the bears remain active well into the big game season, hunters need to be more alert than ever. [Full Story]

A Few Important Questions
Image of article from Montana Outdoors Magazine

FWP winter phone surveys are the best way to determine game animal harvest, hunter effort, and other essential information biologists use to manage Montana’s wildlife populations. [Full Story]

Get one year of Montana Outdoors for only $9, subscribe now!


Recent Hunting News

Most Big Game Seasons To Close Nov. 29—Seasons Won't Be Extended
Montana’s 2009 general big game hunting season will close Sunday, Nov. 29 at one-half hour after sunset. The general season closure includes hunting for most deer, elk and moose; and for black bear, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, and fall mountain lion. (November 24)
Trapping License Deadline Near For Bobcats And Wolverines
Tuesday, Dec. 1 marks the season opener for the remainder of Montana’s furbearers—bobcat, marten, fisher and wolverine. (November 24)
All Mountain Lion Hunting To Close Hd 312 & 393
The hunting of all mountain lions in southwestern Montana hunting districts 312 and 393, in portions of Gallatin, Park and Meagher counties, will close at one-half hour after sunset on, Saturday, November 21, 2009. (November 20)
Mountain Lion Hunting To Close In Districts 422, 423, 424, 425 And 442
The hunting of all mountain lions in central Montana Hunting District Series 422, 423, 424, 425 and 442, which includes portions of Lewis & Clark and Teton counties, will close at one-half hour after sunset on Saturday, November 21, 2009. (November 20)
Hunters—Know Where You Are
The general big game hunting season for deer, elk, moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goats closes Sunday, Nov. 29. That has some hunters with tags to fill looking for new areas to try their luck. (November 20)
Common Sense Precautions In Handling Wild Meat
With many of Montana's big game hunting seasons moving into the final week, it is a good time for hunters to review the proper ways to handle and transport wild meat. (November 20)
Call TIP-MONT To Protect Montana's Wildlife
FWP encourages hunters to help protect the future of their sport by hunting responsibly and calling the toll-free 1-800-TIP-MONT (1-800-847-6668) hotline to report vandalism, trespass or wildlife violations in Montana State Parks, and state, federal and private lands. (November 20)
Hunters Benefit When Hunters Follow OHV Rules
OHV riders who hunt are responsible for minimizing their impact on wildlife, wildlife habitats and the traditional hunting experience of fellow hunters. (November 20)
New Tentative Rule For Nonresident Big Game Combo License Sales Increases Opportunities For Family Hunts
The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission tentatively approved a new rule for the sale of nonresident big game combination licenses that would increase opportunities for resident and nonresident family members to hunt together. (November 20)
Mountain Lion Hunting To Close In Districts 413 And 432
The hunting of all mountain lions in north-central Montana hunting districts 413 and 432, which includes portions of Cascade, Meagher and Judith Basin counties, will close at one-half hour after sunset on Thursday, November 19, 2009. (November 18)
New Opportunity For Nonresident Hunters
The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission has tentatively adopted a new rule for the sale of nonresident big game combination licenses that increases opportunities for resident and nonresident family members to hunt together. (November 17)
Correction…All Wolf Hunting To Close In Montana
CORRECTION: The quota in WMU 2 was incorrectly listed as filled. 21 of 22 wolves have been taken. The WMU will still close as will the rest of the state ½ hour after sunset on November 16, 2009. (November 16)
All Wolf Hunting To Close In Montana
Wolf hunting in Montana will close statewide Monday, November 16, 2009 at one half-hour after sunset. (November 16)
Antlerless Elk Hunting to Close to Most General License Holders in HD 270
Hunting District 270 will close to antlerless elk hunting for most hunters with a general elk license at one half-hour after sunset on Saturday, Nov. 14. (November 16)
All Mountain Lion Hunting To Close In Districts 404, 421, 444 & 450
The hunting of all mountain lions in Montana hunting districts 404, 421, 444 and 450, which include portions of Teton, Pondera, Chouteau, Cascade, Lewis & Clark, will close at one-half hour after sunset on Thursday, November 12, 2009. (November 12)
Antlerless Elk Hunting to Close to Most General License Holders in Three Bitterroot Districts
Antlerless elk hunting in Bitterroot Hunting Districts (HDs) 204, 261 & the portion of 270 north of Rye Creek will close for most hunters with a general elk license at one half-hour after sunset on Wednesday, Nov. 11. (November 10)
Wolf Season Now Closed In The North Fork Of The Flathead Subunit
A hunter harvested a wolf at the headwaters of the Big Creek drainage near the Whitefish Range Divide this morning. This harvest meets the North Fork of the Flathead River Subunit quota of two and closes this sub-unit to all wolf hunting. This harvest is the 27th wolf taken in the Wolf Management Unit 1. The quota for WMU1 is 41; that leaves 14 wolves remaining in the quota. (November 09)
Antlerless Elk Season To Close In Hunting District 424
By order of the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission, Hunting District 424, as described in the legal descriptions of the 2009 Montana Deer, Elk, Antelope Hunting Regulations, shall be closed to all hunting of antlerless elk, effective one-half hour after sunset on Friday, November 6, 2009. (November 05)
Montana's Bison Hunt
Montana's bison hunt attracted 10,363 individual applicants for the either sex bison licenses for the Nov. 15 – Feb. 15, 2010 season, including 909 nonresidents. Of these applicants, 34 residents and two nonresidents were successful in the drawing. (October 30)
TIP-MONT Works For Montana By Reducing Outdoor Crimes
When you hunt Montana you have the opportunity to take part in some of the finest hunting found anywhere. But each autumn, some individuals unwittingly or knowingly violate the state’s game laws. (October 30)
Wildlife Disease Testing To Continue This Hunting Season
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials are asking hunters, outfitters, landowners, and others in portions of southern and north-central Montana to help with studies of two serious wildlife diseases. (October 30)
Busy Year For Bears
Throughout the year, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is called on to respond to wildlife that come in close contact with homeowners and residential areas. (October 30)
New Opportunities For Upland Game Bird Hunters
A new state habitat enhancement program is providing eastern Montana landowners incentives to extend their participation in the Conservation Reserve Program, a federal offering that in part improves wildlife habitat. (October 30)
Mountain Lion Hunting To Close HD 317
The hunting of all mountain lions in southwestern Montana hunting district 317, which includes portions of Park County, will close at one-half hour after sunset on Friday, October 30, 2009. (October 29)
Mountain Lion Hunting To Close In District 502 & 575
The hunting of all mountain lions in southcentral Montana hunting district 502 & 575, which includes portions of Carbon, Yellowstone, Stillwater and Sweet Grass counties, will close at one-half hour after sunset on Tuesday, October 27, 2009. (October 26)
All Mountain Lion Hunting To Close In District 314
The hunting of all mountain lions in hunting district 314, which includes portions of Gallatin and Park counties, will close at one-half hour after sunset on Tuesday, October 27, 2009. (October 26)
All Wolf Hunting To Close In WMU 3
The hunting of all wolves in Montana Wolf Management Unit 3, the majority of southern Montana, will close one half-hour after sunset on Monday, October 26, 2009. (October 26)
Wildlife Disease Testing To Continue This Hunting Season
As in past years, hunters, outfitters, landowners, and others in portions of southern and north-central Montana are being asked to help with studies of two serious wildlife diseases. (October 23)
New Law Adds Opportunity for Antlerless Elk Permit Holders in Some Hunting Districts
Hunters with an antlerless elk permit for a hunting district where a general license holder can also hunt antlerless elk during all or part of the season will have additional opportunity this year. (October 21)
Hunters Need To Adapt Bear Aware Techniques
Bears are still out and active throughout big game hunting season in much of Montana and they are extending their ranges in some areas where populations are growing. (October 16)
Everyone Benefits When Hunters Follow OHV Rules
OHV riders who obey the laws and regulations during a hunt may not realize that their conscientious behavior is protecting wildlife, wildlife habitats and the traditional hunting experience their fellow hunters treasure. (October 16)
Hunters:Prepare To Follow Food Storage Orders In Montana Forests
Hunting in grizzly bear country requires careful planning around the foods you bring, how you store them and how you dispose of garbage. Food storage orders are in effect on U.S. Forest Service lands including the Flathead, Lolo, Lewis and Clark, and Helena National Forests. (October 16)
FWP Closes Backcountry Wolf Hunt In Southern Montana
Montana wildlife officials closed wolf hunting in southern Montana's Wolf Management Unit 3 today. Hunting in Wolf Management Unit 3's early backcountry deer and elk hunting district 316 will close at one-half hour after sunset on Friday, Oct. 9. The backcountry area is in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness north of Yellowstone National Park,. The 2009 wolf quota in the WMU is 12. So far, nine wolves have been harvested during the WMU's early season, which opened Sept. 15. (October 08)
Black Bear Hunting To Close In HD 510 Portion Of BMU 510
The hunting of all Black bears in south-central Montana deer/elk hunting district 510 portion of   BMU 510, which includes portions of Big Horn, Carbon and Yellowstone counties, will close one-half hour after sunset on Tuesday, October 6, 2009.   Deer/elk HD's 502 and 590 portion of   BMU 510 remain open. The closure notice for the hunt came shortly after Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials received word that the pre-established harvest quota for this district had been met. (October 05)
Bighorn Sheep Season To Close In Hunting District 500
By order of the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission, hunting district 500-20, which includes portions of Park and Sweet Grass counties, will be closed to all hunting of bighorn sheep, effective one-half hour after sunset on Tuesday, September 22, 2009. (September 21)
FWP Provides Hunter Access Tools
To help hunters determine who owns the land where they are thinking of hunting, FWP has developed a Directory of Montana Maps for both public and private land ownership. (September 18)
Hunters: Please Respect Your Game
It’s a matter of respect and one of the unwritten rules for hunters everywhere: cover your game. (September 18)
A New Law Encourages Nonresident College Students To Hunt In Montana
A new law encourages nonresident college students to hunt in Montana. (September 18)
Call TIP-MONT To Report Outdoor Crimes
Montana’s TIP-MONT "crimestopper" program receives calls year round because wildlife and other outdoor crimes may occur at any time. (September 18)
New Law Adds Opportunity for Antlerless Elk Permit Holders in Some Hunting Districts
Hunters with an antlerless elk permit for a hunting district where a general license holder can also hunt antlerless elk during all or part of the season will have additional opportunity this year. (September 04)
New Hunting Opportunity For Nonresident College Students
A new law encourages nonresident college students to hunt in Montana. (September 04)
Bighorn Sheep Season To Close In Hunting District 300
By order of the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission, hunting district 300, which includes portions of Gallatin and Park Counties, will be closed to all hunting of bighorn sheep, effective one-half hour after sunset on Sunday, September 6, 2009. (September 04)
Recent Hunting News
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