Hunting Season is always a special time of the year. Whether you are planning on waiting patiently in a deer stand to bag that trophy buck or sitting knee deep in the marsh hoping to bag a band. Being able to take advantage of all the hunting seasons is why The Waterfowl Hunter has put together the hunting dates for Montana.
These dates serve as a general guide for more specific hunting visit Montana Fish and Wildlife.
Antelope
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| 900 Series | Aug. 15 | Nov. 12 |
| Archery | Sep. 2 | Oct. 6 |
| General | Oct. 7 | Nov. 12 |
Beaver
| Districts | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Western & Southwestern Districts 1, 2, & 3 | Nov. 1 | Apr. 15 |
| Central & Eastern Districts 4, 5, 6, & 7 | Sep. 1 | May. 31 |
Bighorn Sheep
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep. 2 | Sep. 14 |
| General | Sep. 15 | Nov. 26 |
Bison
| First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|
| Nov. 15 | Feb. 15 |
Black Bear
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Apr. 15 | Varies: May 31 to June 15 |
| Archery | Sep. 2 | Sep. 14 |
| Fall | Sep. 15 | Nov. 26 |
Bobcat
Bobcat seasons my close earlier when the quota is reached
| Districts | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Western & Southwestern Districts 1, 2, & 3 | Dec. 1 | Feb. 15 |
| Central & Eastern Districts 4, 5, 6, & 7 | Dec. 1 | Mar. 1 |
Common Snipe
Central Flyway
| First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|
| Sep. 1 | Dec. 16 |
Pacific Flyway
| First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|
| Sep. 1 | Dec. 16 |
Deer & Elk
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep. 2 | Oct. 15 |
| Two-Day Youth Hunt (Deer Only) | Oct. 19 | Oct. 20 |
| General | Oct. 21 | Nov. 26 |
| Backcountry (HD’s 150, 151, 280, 316) | ||
| Archery | Sep. 2 | Sep. 14 |
| General | Sep. 15 | Nov. 26 |
| Elk Shoulder Seasons | ||
| Varying dates before and/or after archery/general season | ||
Duck & Coot
Central Flyway
| Hunt Type | Zone | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duck & Coot | Zone 1 | Sep. 30 | Jan. 5 |
| Duck & Coot | Zone 2 | Sep. 30 | Oct. 9 |
| Duck & Coot | Zone 2 | Oct. 22 | Jan. 17 |
| Falconry | Zone 1 | Sep. 21 | Jan. 5 |
| Falconry | Zone 2 | Sep. 21 | Oct. 9 |
| Falconry | Zone 2 | Oct. 22 | Jan. 17 |
| Youth Weekend | Sep. 24 | Sep. 25 |
Pacific Flyway
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Duck & Coot & Falconry | Sep. 30 | Jan. 8 |
| Duck & Coot & Falconry | Jan. 14 | Jan. 18 |
| Scaup | Sep. 30 | Dec. 25 |
| Youth Weekend | Sep. 23 | Sep. 24 |
Fisher
Fisher seasons my close earlier when the quota is reached
| Districts | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Districts 1 & 2 | Dec. 1 | Feb. 15 |
Goose
Central Flyway
| Hunt Type | Zone | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geese & Falconry | Zone 1 | Sep. 30 | Jan. 8 |
| Geese & Falconry | Zone 1 | Jan. 14 | Jan. 18 |
| Geese & Falconry | Zone 2 | Sep. 30 | Oct. 9 |
| Geese & Falconry | Zone 2 | Oct. 22 | Jan. 25 |
| Youth Weekend | Sep. 24 | Sep. 25 |
Pacific Flyway
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Geese & Falconry | Sep. 30 | Jan. 8 |
| Geese & Falconry | Jan. 14 | Jan. 18 |
| Youth Weekend | Sep. 23 | Sep. 24 |
Grouse
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain Grouse | Sep. 1 | Jan. 1 |
| Sage Grouse | Sep. 1 | Sep. 30 |
| Sharp-tailed Grouse | Sep. 1 | Jan. 1 |
Marten
| Districts | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Districts 1-5 | Dec. 1 | Feb. 15 |
Moose
| First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|
| Sep. 15 | Nov. 26 |
Mourning Dove
Central Flyway
| First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|
| Sep. 1 | Oct. 30 |
Pacific Flyway
| First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|
| Sep. 1 | Oct. 30 |
Mountain Goat
| First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|
| Sep. 15 | Nov. 26 |
Mountain Lion
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Archery (without hounds) | Sep. 2 | Oct. 15 |
| Fall (without hounds) | Oct. 21 | Nov. 26 |
| Winter (with hounds) | Dec. 1, 2017 | Apr. 14, 2018 |
| Late Winter (with hounds) | Feb. 1, 2018 | Apr. 14, 2018 |
| Hound Training Seasons (residents only) | Dec. 2, 2017 | Apr. 14, 2018 |
Otter, Mink & Muskrat
Otter seasons may close earlier when the quota is reached.
| First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|
| Nov. 1 | Apr. 15 |
Partridge
| First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|
| Sep. 1 | Jan. 1 |
Pheasant
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| General | Oct. 8 | Jan. 1 |
| Youth | Sep. 23 | Sep. 24 |
Sandhill Crane
| Permit Type | Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over-the-Counter | For mid-continent Sandhill Crane populations | Sep. 30 | Nov. 27 |
| Special Permits | For Rocky Mountain populations | Sep. 10 | Oct. 2 |
Swan
Central Flyway
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Tundra Swan (permits only) | Sep. 30 | Jan. 5 |
Pacific Flyway
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Swan (permits only) | Oct. 8 | Dec. 1 |
Swift Fox
Swift Fox seasons may close earlier when the quota is reached.
| District | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| District 6 | Nov. 1 | Mar. 1 |
Turkey
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Apr. 8 | May. 21 |
| Fall | Sep. 1 | Jan. 1 |
Upland Game Bird
Grouse
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain Grouse | Sep. 1 | Jan. 1 |
| Sage Grouse | Sep. 1 | Sep. 30 |
| Sharp-tailed Grouse | Sep. 1 | Jan. 1 |
Partridge
| First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|
| Sep. 1 | Jan. 1 |
Pheasant
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| General | Oct. 8 | Jan. 1 |
| Youth | Sep. 23 | Sep. 24 |
Turkey
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Apr. 8 | May 21 |
| Fall | Sep. 1 | Jan. 1 |
Wolf
| Hunt Type | First Day | Last Day |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep. 2 | Sep. 14 |
| General Season Rifle | Sep. 15 | Mar. 15, 2018 |
| Trapping | Dec. 15 | Feb. 28, 2018 |
Wolverine
| Notice |
|---|
| The 2017/2018 Wolverine trapping season will remain closed for the foreseeable future. |