Hunting Regulations
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
Hunting Regulations
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.
Trapping and Hunting Regulations
Wolf trapping seasons and dates will be addressed at November 2024 meeting.
Wolverines are protected by Federal law under the Endangered Species Act.
Corrections to the printed Wolf, Furbearer, and Trapping Regulations
Hunting Regulations
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.
Hunting Regulations
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.
Hunting Regulations
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.
Hunting Regulations
Even though the 2024 mountain lion season extends into the 2024 license year, the deadline to purchase 2024 licenses is February 28, 2025
Hunting Regulations
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).
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.
