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Hunt Regulations

Download regulations below and use the following resources to help plan your hunt

2024 Black Bear

Hunting Regulations

Highlights
  • Bear Management Unit (BMU) 520 has been split, which created a new BMU 530. Legal descriptions are available in the 2024/2025 legal description document on the FWP website.

  • 48 hour reporting requirement for all black bear harvests

Black Bear Regs 
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2024 Deer, Elk, Antelope

Hunting Regulations

Highlights
  • Quota ranges have been added to the hunting district specific tables for each species. These ranges are approved by the Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission and FWP can adjust annual quotas within these ranges. The annual quota adjustments are based primarily on survey data from our biologists in the field. Typically, these adjustments are minor from year to year.

Corrections
Deer, Elk, Antelope Regs 
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2023 Furbearer and Wolf Regulations

Trapping and Hunting Regulations

Highlights
  • Trapper education is required for any resident trapper who has not purchased a trapping license for three years in their lifetime (does not need to be consecutive). This does not apply to those trapping for the purposes of livestock or property protection.

  • The capture of any animal that cannot be lawfully trapped, including domestic animals, must be reported to FWP within 24 hours.

Furbearer and Wolf Regs 
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2024 Light Goose

Hunting Regulations

Highlights
  • Hunters should be aware that there may be very few opportunities to harvest light geese in the spring in the Central Flyway due to very few birds being present or available.

  • Light goose conservation order opportunity only available in the Central Flyway. Federal frameworks do not allow a Conservation Order in the Pacific Flyway.

Light Goose Regs 
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2024 Moose, Sheep, Goat, Bison

Hunting Regulations

Highlights
  • A new archery-only season has been added to most moose and mountain goat seasons. These seasons provide additional days for hunters drawn for those hunts to pursue moose or mountain goats with archery equipment – these season do not increase the number of licenses available for hunting.

Moose, Sheep, Goat, Bison Regs 
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2023 Migratory Birds

Hunting Regulations

Highlights
  • The Central Flyway is divided into two “zones” in order to increase opportunity (see map on page 8). The two zones have different season dates. Zone 2, includes Big Horn, Carbon, Custer, Prairie, Rosebud, Treasure and Yellowstone counties. Zone 1 includes all other counties in the Central Flyway portion of Montana.

  • Be aware of split seasons and carefully note closed and open days for hunting and note zone differences. All split seasons have been eliminated except for Central Flyway Zone 2.

Migratory Birds Regs 
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2023 Mountain Lion

Hunting Regulations

Highlights
  • Mountain lion license structures and license names have changed. Review regulations carefully before you apply or purchase a license

  • Even though the 2023 mountain lion season extends into the 2024 license year, the deadline to purchase 2023 licenses is February 29, 2024

Mountain Lion Regs 
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2024 Upland Game Bird

Hunting Regulations

Highlights
  • Due to restoration efforts in recent years, sharp-tailed grouse may now be encountered west of the Continental Divide and sharp-tailed grouse hunting west of the Continental Divide is closed.

  • Anyone training bird dogs using game birds NOT raised in captivity needs to hold a license, whether on private or public land. If you are training on captive-reared birds, a license is not required. Nonresident training dates have changed since last year (Sept. 1 through March 31).

Upland Game Bird Regs 
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2024/2025 Hunting District Legal Descriptions

Regulations are adopted by the Fish & Wildlife Commission
  • These Hunting District Boundaries were adopted by the F&W Commission on December 14, 2023, under the authority granted in MCA 87-1-301 and are valid March 1, 2024, through February 28, 2026. The F&W Commission reserves the authority to amend the Hunting District Boundaries herein if deemed necessary for wildlife management purposes.  
    Dustin Temple, Director.

Legal Descriptions 
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