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HUNT MENU

An elk on a hillside.

Hunt Montana Big Game Records

Although we present and honor those larger specimens of Montana big game animals, it is important that we remember that the pursuit, harvest, and possession of a trophy has special meaning to many hunters.

Each year over 200,000 hunters go out onto Montana´s mountains, foothills, and plains in pursuit of big game on both private and public lands. Any game animal taken in fair chase, no matter the size, is indeed a trophy to be proud of and is every bit as worthy of respect and admiration as those of record class proportions. In addition to presenting the larger big game animals taken, this serves as a reminder of the joys of memorable past hunts and stimulates dreams of future hunts in the great outdoors of Montana. Enjoy.

Records by Species

Entry Procedures

Entering Your Trophy in the Record Book

After a required 60-day drying period from the date the animal was taken, contact an official measurer and arrange to have the trophy scored.

All trophies entered in the Boone & Crockett Club and/or the Pope & Young Club taken from Montana will automatically be entered in the Montana Big Game Records Book.

For those animals qualifying for the Montana Big Game Records Book, and not entered in Boone & Crockett or Pope & Young, mail a copy of the completed score sheet and affidavit to: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Attn: Records Book, PO Box 200701, Helena, MT, 59620. Please be sure all copies are received to us with the information of who measured the Records, and a copy of the Montana affidavit.

There is no entry fee for entering records into the Montana Big Game Records Book.

What you will need

Qualifying Scores

These tables list the current minimum qualifying scores for the Montana Big Game Records Book, Pope & Young Club, and Boone & Crockett Club.

 

Boone & Crockett

Species
Montana Score
Score
Record

AMERICAN ELK NON-TYPICAL

370

385

465 2/8

AMERICAN ELK TYPICAL

360

375

442 5/8

BIGHORN SHEEP

175

180

208 3/8

BISON

110

115

136 4/8

BLACK BEAR

19

21

23 10/16

GRIZZLY BEAR

23

24

27 02/16

MOUNTAIN LION

14 08/16

15

16 04/16

MULE DEER NON-TYPICAL

215

230

355 2/8

MULE DEER TYPICAL

180

190

226 4/8

PRONGHORN ANTELOPE

80

82

95 0/8

ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT

47

50

56 6/8

WHITETAIL DEER NON-TYPICAL

185

195

333 7/8

WHITETAIL DEER TYPICAL

160

170

213 5/8

WYOMING (SHIRAS) MOOSE

140

155

205 4/8

 

Pope & Young

Species
Montana Score
Score
Record

AMERICAN ELK NON-TYPICAL

320

335

442 0/8

AMERICAN ELK TYPICAL

260

260

409 2/8

BIGHORN SHEEP

135

140

199 5/8

BISON

96

100

129 6/8

BLACK BEAR

17

18

23 03/16

GRIZZLY BEAR

-

19

26 03/16

MOUNTAIN LION

13

13 08/16

16 01/16

MULE DEER NON-TYPICAL

165

170

274 7/8

MULE DEER TYPICAL

140

145

203 1/8

PRONGHORN ANTELOPE

65

67

91 4/8

ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT

38

40

52 4/8

WHITETAIL DEER NON-TYPICAL

150

155

294 0/8

WHITETAIL DEER TYPICAL

120

125

204 4/8

WYOMING (SHIRAS) MOOSE

120

125

185 6/8

 

 

Body Size

Weights are frequently used to describe large animals. They are usually qualified with a statement that the weight was: live, whole, hog dressed, skinned, or with the head off. Also, weights may be determined by a guess, experienced estimate, or a scale.

Several variables are known to influence skeletal development and consequently affect the skull size, tusks, muscle tissue, fat deposits, gross size of the animal, annual replacement of antlers, and increments of horns. Extremely large antlers or horns do not necessarily correspond with an exceptionally large body size. If the antler development is not outstanding, the body condition or size is a preferred description.

This section provides a listing of some of the largest weights on record for the various Montana big game species. As such, the standards require verification and the use of a certified scale. Whole weight is either from a live animal or a dead and uncut animal; dressed weight is an animal with head, skin and feet attached and the complete viscera removed.

Future records should include sex, date killed, location taken, hunter name, and observer names for the scale weight.

 

Greatest Weights (in pounds) for Montana Big Game

Species
Whole
Dressed

Bear, Black

660

 

Bear, Grizzly

1,102

 

Lion, Mountain

176

 

American Elk

1,010

810

Deer, Mule

453

340

Deer, Whitetailed

375

275

Shiras "Wyoming" Moose

1,117

840

Pronghorn

160

121

Bison

1,555

 

Rocky Mountain Goat

310

212

Sheep, Bighorn

302

222