Western Montana’s Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is a popular destination for antler hunters when it opens for the season annually at noon on May 15.
In 2024, for the first time, antler hunters that wanted to enter the WMA by vehicle at noon, registered and were assigned a number and then entered through the east side, just off Woodworth Road. This adjustment was made to address safety concerns associated with congestion as vehicles lined up along Highway 83 on the WMA’s west side.
The process was similar for the 2025 opener, but with a few adjustments based on public feedback and what we learned last year. Thanks for your continued patience as we refine this process, and we hope you will share your feedback about your 2025 antler hunt by answering this survey about your experience:
Instead of staging vehicles along Hwy 83, those that wanted to access the WMA by vehicle when it opens at noon on May 15 were able to register here April 1-19, 2025. Entry was not limited, and the registration list was randomized to assign numbers.
The east entrance is the only spot for vehicle entry beginning at noon on May 15. Other WMA entrances that allow vehicles to enter will open at 2 p.m., and no registration is required for that entry. Electric bikes and off-highway vehicles are treated just the same as other vehicles for entry and travel regulations.
Walk, bike-in (not electric), and horse access was available from designated parking areas on the west side of the WMA, off Hwy 83, beginning at noon, with no registration required. Other WMA entrances are also open to walk, bike-in, and horse access beginning at noon.
Anyone 12 and older always need to have a conservation license to enter a WMA. If you have a hunting or fishing license, you already automatically have your conservation license, and if not, you can buy online, at an FWP or at any license provider.
Expect that you could see black and grizzly bears. This video has specific tips for shed hunters.
Shed hunting puts you at a higher risk of encountering bears for a few reasons:
Winter range is where antlers are dropped, and it’s also where elk and deer might die during the winter. This means antlers and carcasses are often found in the same areas early in the season. Bears have a great memory and will return to areas like these to look for winter-killed animals to feed on.
You are searching for sheds off-trail and in places bears might not normally anticipate seeing people, and they haven’t seen anyone in these areas this season since the WMA is just opening.
You can prevent most conflicts with bears by being aware of your surroundings, making noise, traveling in groups, avoiding dawn and dusk, and avoiding carcasses or signs a carcass might be around, like flocks of ravens or the smell. Be prepared for an encounter by carrying bear spray in an accessible spot and know how to use it. Learn more
For more information, contact:
Vivaca Crowser
FWP regional communication and education manager
406-542-5518
vcrowser@mt.gov