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Hunting Guides
Click on the links below for species-specific game bird information, including current hunting regulations, historical harvest, and biology.
Sage Grouse (Closed West of the Continental Divide)Distribution Map | Harvest Stats by County | Field Guide
Season |
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September 1–November 1 |
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Regulations |
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Bag Limit: |
2 daily. Possession limit is two times the daily bag limit. |
Means of Taking: |
Sage Grouse may be taken with a shotgun not larger than a ten gauge; a long recurve or compound bow and arrow. All other means of taking are prohibited. |
Distribution Map | Harvest Stats by County | Field Guide
Season |
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September 1–January 1 |
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Regulations |
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Bag Limit: |
4 daily. Possession limit is four times the daily bag limit. |
Means of Taking: |
Sharp-tailed Grouse may be taken with a shotgun not larger than a ten gauge; a long recurve or compound bow and arrow. All other means of taking are prohibited. |
Spruce (Franklin's) Grouse
Distribution Map | Harvest Stats by County | Field Guide
Dusky (Blue) Grouse
Distribution Map | Harvest Stats by County | Field Guide
Ruffed Grouse
Distribution Map | Harvest Stats by County | Field Guide
Season |
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September 1–December 15 |
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Regulations |
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Bag Limit: |
3 in aggregate daily. Possession limit is four times the daily bag limit. |
Means of Taking: |
Blue (Dusky), Ruffed and Franklin's Grouse may be taken with a shotgun not larger than a ten gauge; a long recurve or compound bow and arrow; a rifl e; or a handgun. All other means of taking are prohibited. |
Gray (Hungarian) Partridge:
Distribution Map | Harvest Stats by County | Field Guide
Chukar:
Statewide Season |
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September 1–January 1 |
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Regulations |
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Bag Limit: |
8 in aggregate daily. Possession limit is four times the daily bag limit. |
Means of Taking: |
Hungarian and Chukar Partridge may be taken with a shotgun not larger than a ten gauge; a long recurve or compound bow and arrow. All other means of taking are prohibited. |
Exception (see legal description below) |
Portion of Carbon County: September 1—January 10 |
| Portion of Carbon County within the following described boundary: Beginning at the junction of Route 72 and the Wyoming-Montana state line, then northerly along said route to Bridger, then northerly along Hwy. 310 to Edgar, then east on the Edgar-Pryor Road to the Crow Indian Reservation boundary, then southerly and easterly along said boundary to the west shore of Big Horn Lake, then southerly along said shore to the Wyoming-Montana state line, then west along said state line to its junction with Route 72, the point of beginning. | |
Note: |
Chukar partridge occur primarily in Carbon County. |
Distribution Map | Harvest Stats by County | Field Guide
Statewide Season |
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October 8–January 1 |
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Regulations |
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Bag Limit: |
3 cock pheasants daily. Possession limit is three times the daily bag limit. |
Means of Taking: |
Pheasants may be taken with a shotgun not larger than a ten gauge; a long recurve or compound bow and arrow. All other means of taking are prohibited. |
Transporting Pheasants: |
It is unlawful to possess or transport within the state any pheasant unless one leg and foot are left naturally attached for evidence of sex. They shall remain attached until they arrive at the permanent residence of the possessor. |
Distribution Map | Field Guide
Statewide Season (Fall) |
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September 1–January 1 |
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Regulations |
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Bag Limit: |
2 wild turkey. However, the total combined limit of the spring and fall seasons cannot exceed two turkeys per hunter. A hunter may harvest two male turkeys in the spring (as long as at least one of them is harvested in Admin Reg 7); OR one either-sex turkey in the fall. |
Means of Taking: |
Wild turkey may be taken with a shotgun not larger than a ten gauge; a long recurve or compound bow and arrow; a rifle; or a handgun. All other means of taking are prohibited. |
Exception: |
In Flathead, Lake, Sanders and Lincoln Counties rifles and handguns may not be used. |
Tagging: |
Immediately after harvesting your wild turkey, cut out the proper month and day from the license (if more than one date is cut, the license is invalid) and affix to the leg of the wild turkey. |
General Fall Turkey Hunting Areas:
The following counties are open to all hunters who hold a valid current year fall turkey license:
- Chouteau
- Fergus
- Wheatland
- Sweet Grass
- Stillwater and Carbon Counties and all counties lying east of these
- and Lincoln, Flathead and Ravalli County, and portions of Lake, Missoula and Sanders counties, and the Flathead Valley Area
Administrative Region 7 open to hunting includes: Garfield, Rosebud, Treasure, Prairie, Custer, Powder River, Richland, Dawson, Wibaux, Fallon and Carter counties.
Portion of Chouteau County open to hunting includes: That portion of FWP Region 6 in Chouteau County north of the Missouri and east of the Marias Rivers.
Portion of Sanders County (Western Portion) open to hunting includes: that portion of Sanders County lying within the following described boundary: Beginning where the Sanders-Mineral County line meets the Idaho border, then easterly along said line to Greenwood Hill, then northerly along the divide to Penrose Peak, Cherry Peak and Eddy Mountain, then north from said mountain along the Outlaw Lake Trail to Outlaw Creek, then northerly down said creek to the Clark Fork River, then westerly along the northern shore of the Clark Fork River to the mouth of Thompson River, then northeasterly up said river to USFS Trail 433, then northerly up said trail to Marmot Peak, then westerly along said trail to Mt. Headley and USFS Trail 528, then northerly up said trail to the Vermilion-Thompson-River Divide, then northerly along said divide to the Sanders-Lincoln County line, then westerly along said line to the Idaho border, then south and southeasterly along said border to the Sanders-Mineral County line, the point of beginning.
Flathead and a portion of Lake counties open to hunting includes: All of Flathead County and that portion of Lake County lying within the following described boundary: Beginning on the shoreline of Flathead Lake at the junction of the Flathead County Line between Bigfork and Woods Bay, then easterly along the county line to the Swan Divide, then southerly along said divide to the Missoula County Line, then westerly along said line to the Flathead Indian Reservation boundary, then north and west along said boundary to the east shore of Flathead Lake, north along the shore of said lake to the Flathead County line between Bigfork and Woods Bay, the point of beginning. Note: Turkey are found primarily on private land and access is limited and difficult to obtain.
Ravalli and the southwest portion of Missoula counties open to hunting includes: Ravalli County in its entirety and that southwest portion of Missoula County lying withing the following described boundary: Beginning where the Ravalli-Missoula County line meets the Idaho border, then west along said Border to Lolo Pass, continuing northwest and north along said Border to the junction of USFS Trails 46 and 316, then northeast on USFS Trail 316, then east on FS Road 4212, then north to northeast along USFS Road 33 to USFS Road 489, the northeast on said Road to USFS Trail 1220, then southeast on USFS Road 17806, then east to northeast along USFS Road 9961, then east on the ridgeline between O’Brian Creek and Martin Gulch to Black Mountain, then east to southeast from said Mountain to the ridgeline between Hagerty Gulch and O’Brien Creek, then southeast on said ridgeline to USFS Road 317 where the USFS land meeting private lands at the boundary of sections 29 and 30, then east along said Road, then south along Blue Mountain Road to US Highway 93, then northeast on said Highway, then east to northeast on 39th Street, then southeast on Pattee Canyon Drive, then southwest along the West Fork Deer Creek Road, then southeast along USFS Road 17756 to USFS Trail 512, then southeast to south on said Trail, then south on USFS Road 2127 to Holloman Saddle, then south to southeast along the ridgeline from Holloman Saddle to Missoula-Ravalli County line near the Eightmile Saddle, then along Ravalli County line to point of beginning.
Special Permit Fall Turkey Hunting Areas:
Region 2
Mineral County:
- 282-50: 25 permits. Mineral County
- September 1–January 1 - Either-sex Turkey. Shotgun/Archery only.
Portion of Missoula County:
- 283-50: 100 permits. Portion of Missoula County
- September 1–January 1 - Either-sex Turkey. Shotgun/Archery only.
Portion of Missoula County (outside the general license southwest of Missoula County portion: That portion of Missoula County lying within the following described boundary: Beginning on the Missoula/Mineral County Boundary line that intersect US Interstate 90, then south along said Boundary to USFS Road 33, then easterly along said Road to USFS Road 489, then northeast to USFS Trail 1220, then southeast on the ridgeline between O’Brien Creek and Martin Gulch to Black Mountain, then east to southeast from said Mountain to the ridgeline between Hagerty Gulch and O’Brien Creek, then southeast on said ridgeline to USFS Road 317 where the USFS land meets private lands at the boundary of Sections 29 and 30, then east along said Road, then south along Blue Mountain Road to US Highway 93, then northeast on said Highway, then east to northeast on 39th Street, then southeast on Pattee Canyon Drive, then southwest along the West Fork Deer Creek Road, then southeast along USFS Road 17756 to USFS Trail 512, then southeast to south on said Trail, then south on USFS Road 2127 to Holloman Saddle, then south to southeast along the ridgeline from Holloman Saddle to Missoula/Ravalli County line, then southerly along said line to intersection of the Missoula/Ravalli/Granite County line, then east along the Missoula/Granite County boundary line, then along the remainder of the Missoula County line, to point of beginning.
Region 3
Park County:
- 385-50: 30 permits. Park County.
- September 1–January 1 - Either-sex Turkey. Shotgun/Archery only.
- 385-51: 2 permits. Park County. Only youth ages 11-15.
- September 1–January 1 - Either-sex Turkey. Only youth ages 11-15. Shotgun/Archery only.
Region 3 Counties:
- 365-50: 25 permits. Valid only in Lewis and Clark and Broadwater counties (Lower Missouri Unit).
- September 1–January 1 - Either-sex Turkey. Shotgun/Archery only.
- 365-51: 2 permits. Valid only in Lewis and Clark and Broadwater counties (Lower Missouri Unit).
- September 1–January 1 - Either-sex Turkey. Only youth ages 11-15. Shotgun/Archery only.
- 375-50: 10 permits. Valid only in Gallatin County and portion of Madison County east of Madison River (Gallatin County Unit)
- September 1–January 1 - Either-sex Turkey. Shotgun/Archery only.
- 375-51: 2 permits. Valid only in Gallatin County and portion of Madison County east of Madison River (Gallatin County Unit). Only youth ages 11-15.
- September 1–January 1 - Either-sex Turkey. Only youth ages 11-15. Shotgun/Archery only.
- 395-50: 20 permits. Valid only in Beaverhead, Silver Bow, and Jefferson counties, and Madison County west of Madison River (Upper Missouri Unit).
- September 1–January 1 - Either-sex Turkey. Shotgun/Archery only.
- 395-51: 2 permits. Valid only in Beaverhead, Silver Bow, and Jefferson counties, and Madison County west of Madison River (Upper Missouri Unit). Only youth ages 11-15.
- September 1–January 1 - Either-sex Turkey. Only youth ages 11-15. Shotgun/Archery only.
- Wildlife Management Areas with big game winter range are closed to public entry from the day following the end of the general deer/elk season or December 1, whichever is later, to May 15 each year, as posted. (Exception: Blackfoot-Clearwater WMA closes Nov. 10); Kootenai Falls WMA is open year long; Porcupine (Gallatin); Dome Mountain, Bear Creek and Wall Creek WMAs open May 1).
- Freezout Lake Wildlife Management Area (Teton County): Open to upland game birds hunting until the opening of the general waterfowl season, then it will be closed to all hunting in the following described portion of the Wildlife Management Area: SW 1/4 Section 19, Sections 29 and 30, T22N, R3W, W 1/2 Section 12, W 1/2 of E 1/2 Section 12, and that portion of Sections 13 and 24 within the posted boundary of the Freezout Lake Wildlife Management Area, T22N, R4W. The area closed will reopen November 20.
- State Game Preserves and National Parks shall remain closed to hunting of upland game birds. For hunting privileges on Indian Reservations and Federal Wildlife Refuges, inquire at the local Indian Agency or Refuge office.
- That part of Montana lying west of the Continental Divide is closed to the hunting of sage and sharp-tailed grouse.
- Helena Valley Regulating Reservoir (Lewis and Clark County): Open to upland game birds hunting until the opening of the waterfowl season, then it will be closed to all hunting.
- The Bureau of Reclamation Regulating Reservoir is located in Section 8, T10N, R2W in the Helena Valley, as posted.
