Montana hunting and fishing laws
The Montana rules that catch people out, in plain English: hunter education, minimum age, blaze orange, Sunday hunting, shooting hours, baiting, night hunting, tagging and private land. Each one links to the state's own text.
Season dates for 2026-27. Page updated October 12, 2026.
These pages sum up the rules to help you find them. They are not legal advice. The state's own regulations govern, so check them before you go.
Hunter education in Montana
If you were born after January 1, 1985, you are required to show proof of completing a Montana hunter safety and education course or an approved hunter safety course from any other state or province prior to applying for or purchasing a hunting license.
Minimum hunting age in Montana
Montana law lets resident and nonresident youth 10 or older hunt with a valid license during an open season, with some restrictions. A youth 12 or older may hunt any game species the license covers, and one who turns 12 by January 16 of the license year may do so after August 15. The Apprentice Hunter program lets anyone 10 or older hunt for up to two years without hunter education if accompanied by a certified Mentor.
Blaze orange in Montana
Applies to: Big game
MCA 87-6-414 requires not less than 400 square inches of hunter orange material visible at all times while hunting, worn as exterior garments above the waist. Hunter orange means a daylight fluorescent orange color. It applies to big game hunters and to outfitters and guides. Exceptions: bow and arrow hunting in a special archery season, and hunting wolves outside the general deer and elk season.
Sunday hunting in Montana
Not verified. Montana's 2026 hunting regulations list no Sunday closure and set the same hunting hours for each day of the season, but no FWP statement that Sunday hunting is allowed was found. Confirm with the official regulations before you hunt.
Shooting hours in Montana
Applies to: Big game
Hunting hours for game animals, including deer, elk, antelope and bear, run from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset each day of the season. Use FWP's sunrise-sunset tables for your area.
Applies to: Bear
Authorized black bear hunting and training hours begin one-half hour before sunrise and end one-half hour after sunset.
Baiting in Montana
MCA 87-6-401 makes it unlawful to use any snare, set gun, projected artificial light, trap, salt lick, or bait when hunting game animals or birds. There is no bear exception; bears are treated the same as other game animals.
Night hunting in Montana
MCA 87-6-401 prohibits projected artificial light as a hunting aid, with enhanced penalties under 87-6-901 through 87-6-903.
Tagging and reporting a harvest in Montana
Applies to: Big game
MCA 87-6-406: a person who kills a game animal in this state shall retain evidence of the sex of the animal with the carcass until it is processed. This does not apply where the license permits either sex. In antler or horn size restricted districts, hunters must retain the antlers or horns until the carcass is processed.
Hunting on private land in Montana
MCA 87-6-415: a person may not hunt or attempt to hunt furbearers, game animals, migratory game birds, nongame wildlife, predatory animals, upland game birds, or wolves on private property without first obtaining permission of the landowner or lessee. Posting is not required. Hunt includes retrieving wildlife and accessing public land through private property.
Can you show your Montana license on your phone?
Digital license and E-Tags in the MyFWP app.
FWP says “the Montana MyFWP app provides a digital wallet to store and display licenses and digital carcass tags, known as E-Tags, that can validate your harvest in the field.” The 2026 rules let a hunter take possession of a kill by “electronically validating the license or tag.” If you chose paper tags instead, the paper tag goes on the animal.
Phone with MyFWP (E-Tags) or paper license/tags
Montana hunting season dates, 2026-27
The main seasons, from the state's published dates. Zones and units can differ; each season links to the state's own page for it.
| Season | Dates | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer and elk — archery | Sep 5 – Oct 18, 2026 | Statewide | |
| Deer and elk — general rifle | Oct 24 – Nov 29, 2026 | Statewide | |
| Deer and elk — muzzleloader | Dec 12 – Dec 20, 2026 | Statewide | |
| Black bear — fall | Sep 15 – Nov 29, 2026 | Statewide | bear archery-only Sept 5-14 |
| Turkey — spring | Not published yet | Statewide | 2027 dates not yet published |
| Turkey — fall | Sep 1, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027 | Statewide | |
| Pheasant | Oct 10, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027 | Statewide | nonresidents on public/access land open Oct 20 |
| Mourning dove | Sep 1 – Oct 30, 2026 | Statewide | |
| Ducks — Pacific Flyway | Oct 3, 2026 – Jan 15, 2027 | Pacific Flyway (west of the Divide) | no scaup after Dec 27 |
| Ducks — Central Flyway Zone 1 | Oct 3, 2026 – Jan 7, 2027 | Central Flyway Zone 1 | Zone 2: Oct 3-11 and Oct 24-Jan 19 |
What you can hunt in Montana
Big game
- Mule deer General season Also limited permits
- White-tailed deer General season
- Elk General season Also limited permits
- Pronghorn Draw or limited entry
- Moose Draw or limited entry
- Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep Draw or limited entry Some unlimited districts with quotas
- Mountain goat Draw or limited entry
- Bison Draw or limited entry Gardiner and West Yellowstone districts only
- Black bear General season
- Mountain lion General season District quotas
- Wolf General season 24-hour harvest reporting
- Grizzly bear No season Federally listed
Upland and small game
- Wild turkey General season Also limited permits
- Pheasant General season
- Sharp-tailed grouse General season
- Sage grouse General season Free supplemental permit
- Mountain grouse General season Dusky, ruffed, spruce
- Gray partridge and chukar General season
Waterfowl and migratory
- Ducks and geese General season
- Dove General season
- Swan Draw or limited entry Special drawing in spring
- Sandhill crane General season Rocky Mountain population by drawing
- Mallard General season 5 a day, no more than 2 hens, within the 6-duck bag
- Wood duck General season 3 a day, within the 6-duck bag
- Redhead General season 2 a day, within the 6-duck bag
- Hooded merganser General season 2 a day, within the 6-duck bag
- Northern pintail General season 3 a day, within the 6-duck bag
- Canvasback General season 2 a day, within the 6-duck bag
- Scaup General season 1 a day, within the 6-duck bag
- Blue-winged teal General season 2 more a day on top of the 6-duck bag for the first nine days of the regular season
- Snow goose General season 20 white geese a day; blue and Ross’s geese count here
- Canada goose General season 5 dark geese a day
Furbearer and predator
- Coyote and skunk General season Classified predators, no license needed
- Bobcat General season Quota species, 24-hour reporting
What you can fish for in Montana
Conservation license, fishing license and an AIS Prevention Pass
Fishing licenses sold: 1-day, 2-day, 5-day, Annual
Trout and char
- Rainbow trout General season
- Brown trout General season
- Brook trout General season
- Cutthroat trout General season Westslope and Yellowstone
- Lake trout General season
- Golden trout General season
- Arctic grayling General season Counts in the combined trout limit
- Bull trout Tag or permit Free Bull Trout Catch Card; only three waters, one harvest water
Salmon and anadromous
- Chinook salmon General season Fort Peck, landlocked
- Kokanee General season
Warmwater
- Walleye and sauger General season
- Northern pike General season
- Largemouth and smallmouth bass General season
- Channel catfish General season
- Crappie General season
- Yellow perch General season
- Tiger muskie General season
Other
- Paddlefish Tag or permit Paddlefish Tag; the Upper Missouri season is a lottery
- Shovelnose sturgeon General season Central and Eastern districts only
- Burbot General season
- Mountain whitefish General season
- Pallid sturgeon No season Endangered — release immediately
Official Montana links
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
Carry your Montana license on your phone
Sportsmen Ledger holds your hunting and fishing licenses and tags, these rules and your harvest log, and it works with no signal. Free to start.
Compare with other states
- Hunter education requirements by state
- Minimum hunting age by state
- Blaze orange requirements by state
- Sunday hunting laws by state
- Legal shooting hours by state
- Baiting laws by state
- Night hunting laws by state
- Tagging and harvest reporting by state
- Hunting on private land, state by state
- Can you show your hunting or fishing license on your phone? Every state