The following dates are provided as a general reference. Please see current regulations for more information.
Season Date Card (PDF)
900 series: Aug. 15 - Nov. 13
Archery: Sept. 3 - Oct. 7
General: Oct. 8 - Nov. 13
See more information on the Antelope Species Guide.
Archery: Sept. 3 - Sept. 14
General: Sept. 15 - Nov. 27
See more information on the Bighorn Sheep Species Guide.
Spring: Apr. 15 - May 31 or June 15
Spring Hound Hunting: Apr. 15 - May 25
Spring Hound Training: May 26 - June 15
Archery: Sept. 3 - Sept. 14
Fall: Sept. 15 - Nov. 27
See more information on the Black Bear Species Guide.
Archery: Sept. 3 - Oct. 16
Youth, deer only: Oct. 20 - Oct. 21
General: Oct. 22 - Nov. 27
Shoulder seasons (PDF)
Muzzleloader: Dec. 10 - 18
Backcountry - HD's 150, 280, 316*
Archery: Sept. 3 - Sept. 14
General: Sept. 15 - Nov. 27
*HD 316 does not have an Archery-only Season
See more information on the Deer Species Guide and Elk Species Guide
The primary purpose of elk shoulder seasons is to reduce elk populations in areas that are over population objective as outlined in the Montana Elk Management Plan. Learn more
Check individual HD's in the 2022 Regulations (PDF) for specific hunting district details.
Trapping Districts 1, 2 & 3
Beaver: Nov. 1 - Apr. 15, 2023
Bobcat: Dec. 1 - Feb. 15, 2023*
Trapping Districts 4, 5, 6 & 7
Beaver: Sept. 1 - May 31, 2023
Bobcat: Dec. 1 - Mar. 1, 2023*
Portion of Trapping District 6
Swift Fox: Nov. 1 - Jan. 15, 2023*
Fisher, Marten
Where open: Dec. 1 - Feb. 15, 2023*
Mink, Muskrat, Otter
Nov. 1 - Apr. 15, 2023*
* May close earlier when the quota is reached.
Common (Wilson's) Snipe
Sept. 1 - Dec. 16
Mourning Dove
Sept. 1 - Oct. 30
Youth Waterfowl
Sept. 24 - 25
Ducks (including Mergansers)
Oct. 1 - Jan. 13
Coots
Oct. 1 - Jan. 13
Geese
Oct. 1 - Jan. 13
Falconry: Ducks (including Mergansers), Coots and Geese
Oct. 1 - Jan. 13
Ducks (including Mergansers)
Zone 1: Oct. 1 - Jan. 5
Zone 2: Oct. 1 - Oct. 9 & Oct. 22 - Jan. 17
Coots
Zone 1: Oct. 1 - Jan. 5
Zone 2: Oct. 1 - Oct. 9 & Oct. 22 - Jan. 17
Geese
Zone 1: Oct. 1 - Jan. 13
Zone 2: Oct. 1 - Oct. 9 & Oct. 22 - Jan. 25
Falconry: Ducks (including Mergansers) and Coots
Zone 1: Sept. 21 - Jan. 5
Zone 2: Sept. 21 - Oct. 9 & Oct. 22 - Jan. 17
Falconry: Geese
Zone 1: Oct. 1 - Jan. 13
Zone 2: Oct. 1 - Oct. 9 & Oct. 22 - Jan. 25
See more information on the Migratory Bird Species Guide.
Archery (without dogs): Sept. 3 - Oct. 16
Fall (without dogs): Oct. 22 - Nov. 27
Winter: Dec. 1 - April 14
Late Winter: Feb. 1 - April 14
Resident Hound Training Season: Dec. 2 - April 14
See more information on the Mountain Lion Species Guide.
Sandhill Cranes
Special Drawing License: Sept. 1 - Oct. 30
OTC License: Oct. 1 - Nov 27
See more information on the Sandhill Crane Species Guide.
Swan
Pacific Flyway: to be adopted at the April Commission Meeting
Central Flyway: to be adopted at the April Commission meeting
See more information on the Swan Species Guide.
Spring: April 15- May 31
Fall: Sept. 1 - Jan. 1
See more information on the Turkey Species Guide.
Mountain Grouse: Sept. 1 - Jan. 1
Partridge: Sept. 1 - Jan. 1
Ring-necked Pheasant: Oct. 8 - Jan. 1
Youth Hunt: Sept. 24 - Sept. 25
Sage Grouse: Sept. 1 - Sept. 30
Sharp-tailed Grouse: Sept. 1 - Jan. 1
Falconry: Sept. 1 - March 31
See more information on the Upland Game Bird Species Guide.
Archery: Sept. 3 - Sept. 14
General: Sept. 15 - March 15, 2023
Trapping: Nov. 28*-March 15, 2023
For those districts in and near occupied grizzly bear habitat as depicted on the map on page 14 of the regulations, the department will apply a floating open season date that could start the Monday after Thanksgiving (November 28, 2022), or any day thereafter as determined by the department based upon a real time reading of conditions. If the department does not select a date prior to December 31, then the season will open on December 31 and close on March 15.
In and near occupied grizzly bear habitat is defined as the following (map on page 14):
• Trapping District (TD) 1; TD 2 except for area beginning at the Montana-Idaho border on US Highway 93 at Lost Trail Pass, then southwesterly, northerly and westerly along said border to Interstate 90 at Lookout Pass, then easterly along the northern boundary of Mineral County to its intersection with Interstate 90, then easterly along Interstate 90 to the first Interstate Highway 90 bridge west of the Ninemile Interchange, then southeasterly along said highway to the Rock Creek Interchange, then south along Rock Creek Road to Eagle Creek Cable Crossing, then west on USFS Trail 215 to the Rock Creek-Bitterroot River Divide, then southerly along said divide to the Continental Divide (at West Pintler Peak), then southwesterly along said divide to the Montana Idaho border, then westerly along said border to US Highway 93, the point of beginning; TD 3 except for the portion west of Interstate 15 and south of Interstate 90 and that portion north of Interstate 90, north and east of state route 69, and east of Interstate 15; TD 4 except for the eastern portion (south and east of I-15–Hwy 87, east of Hwy 223 between Fort Benton and Hwy 2 at Chester, north of Hwy 2 between Chester and I-15 at Shelby, and east of I-15 between Shelby and the Canadian border); and TD 5 west of US Route 310 and south of Interstate 90. Additional restrictions apply to areas designated as Lynx Protection Zones, see those rules and descriptions on page 13.