States / MontanaMontana hunting seasons 2026-27
38 hunting seasons are open in Montana today, including deer, wild turkey, duck. Dates come from the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and were read today.
Dates only. Bag limits, legal methods, licences and zone boundaries:
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks . Read today.
38 open today
22 species
58 dated seasons
Big game
Deer Open
open now, last season closes Feb 15, 2027
Black bear Open
open now, closes Nov 29, 2026
Elk Open
open now, last season closes Feb 15, 2027
Bighorn sheep Open
open now, closes Nov 29, 2026
Bison Opens soon
opens Nov 15, 2026 (General season)
Moose Open
open now, closes Nov 29, 2026
Mountain goat Open
open now, closes Nov 29, 2026
Mountain lion Open
open now, closes Nov 29, 2026
Pronghorn Closed
closed, last season ended Nov 8, 2026
Waterfowl
Duck Open
open now, last season closes Jan 19, 2027
Goose Open
open now, last season closes Jan 27, 2027
Coot Open
open now, last season closes Jan 19, 2027
Swan Open
open now, last season closes Jan 8, 2027
Migratory birds
Dove Closed
closed, last season ended Oct 30, 2026
Sandhill crane Not posted
dates not yet published
Snipe Open
open now, closes Dec 16, 2026
38 hunting seasons are open in Montana on November 14: deer, wild turkey, duck, black bear, elk and goose and more.
Opening in the next six weeks: bison general season on Nov 15, 2026, mountain lion winter on Dec 1, 2026, deer muzzleloader on Dec 12, 2026 and elk muzzleloader on Dec 12, 2026.
Montana sets different dates by zone or unit for coot, deer, dove, duck and elk and others; the tables list each zone's dates.
Dates come from the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks's FWP 2026 Hunting Seasons, read today. Bag limits, legal methods, licences and zone boundaries are not reproduced here; the agency's regulations govern.
Montana draw deadlines : application windows for limited licences, 0 taking applications.
All Montana season dates
Season Zone Dates Status
Archery
Statewide
Sep 5, 2026 to Oct 18, 2026
Closed closed
Muzzleloader
Statewide
Dec 12, 2026 to Dec 20, 2026
Upcoming opens in 28 days
Youth, deer only
Statewide
Oct 15, 2026 to Oct 16, 2026
Closed closed
General
Statewide
Oct 24, 2026 to Nov 29, 2026
Open open, closes in 15 days
General
Backcountry - HD's 150, 280, 316
Sep 15, 2026 to Nov 29, 2026
Open open, closes in 15 days
Shoulder seasons
Statewide
Aug 15, 2026 to Feb 15, 2027
Open open, closes in 93 days
Season Zone Dates Status
Fall
Statewide
Sep 15, 2026 to Nov 29, 2026
Open open, closes in 15 days
Season Zone Dates Status
Archery
Statewide
Sep 5, 2026 to Oct 18, 2026
Closed closed
Muzzleloader
Statewide
Dec 12, 2026 to Dec 20, 2026
Upcoming opens in 28 days
General
Statewide
Oct 24, 2026 to Nov 29, 2026
Open open, closes in 15 days
General
Backcountry - HD's 150, 280, 316
Sep 15, 2026 to Nov 29, 2026
Open open, closes in 15 days
Shoulder seasons
Statewide
Aug 15, 2026 to Feb 15, 2027
Open open, closes in 93 days
Season Zone Dates Status
General
Statewide
Sep 15, 2026 to Nov 29, 2026
Open open, closes in 15 days
Bison Opens soon
Season Zone Dates Status
General season
Statewide
Nov 15, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027
Opens soon opens tomorrow
Season Zone Dates Status
General
Statewide
Sep 15, 2026 to Nov 29, 2026
Open open, closes in 15 days
Season Zone Dates Status
General
Statewide
Sep 15, 2026 to Nov 29, 2026
Open open, closes in 15 days
Season Zone Dates Status
Archery (without dogs)
Statewide
Sep 5, 2026 to Oct 18, 2026
Closed closed
Fall (without dogs)
Statewide
Oct 24, 2026 to Nov 29, 2026
Open open, closes in 15 days
Winter
Statewide
Dec 1, 2026 to Apr 14, 2027
Upcoming opens in 17 days
Resident Hound Training Season
Statewide
Dec 2, 2026 to Apr 14, 2027
Upcoming opens in 18 days
Season Zone Dates Status
Archery
Statewide
Sep 5, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026
Closed closed
General
Statewide
Oct 10, 2026 to Nov 8, 2026
Closed closed
900 series
Statewide
Aug 15, 2026 to Nov 8, 2026
Closed closed
Season Zone Dates Status
Fall
Statewide
Sep 1, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027
Open open, closes in 48 days
Season Zone Dates Status
Falconry
Pacific Flyway
Oct 3, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027
Open open, closes in 62 days
Falconry
Zone 1
Sep 23, 2026 to Jan 7, 2027
Open open, closes in 54 days
Falconry
Zone 2
Sep 23, 2026 to Oct 11, 2026
Closed closed
Falconry segment 2
Zone 2
Oct 24, 2026 to Jan 19, 2027
Open open, closes in 66 days
General season
Pacific Flyway
Oct 3, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027
Open open, closes in 62 days
General season
Zone 1
Oct 3, 2026 to Jan 7, 2027
Open open, closes in 54 days
General season
Zone 2
Oct 3, 2026 to Oct 11, 2026
Closed closed
General season segment 2
Zone 2
Oct 24, 2026 to Jan 19, 2027
Open open, closes in 66 days
Season Zone Dates Status
Falconry
Pacific Flyway
Oct 3, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027
Open open, closes in 62 days
Falconry
Zone 1
Oct 3, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027
Open open, closes in 62 days
Falconry
Zone 2
Oct 3, 2026 to Oct 11, 2026
Closed closed
Falconry segment 2
Zone 2
Oct 24, 2026 to Jan 27, 2027
Open open, closes in 74 days
General season
Pacific Flyway
Oct 3, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027
Open open, closes in 62 days
General season
Zone 1
Oct 3, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027
Open open, closes in 62 days
General season
Zone 2
Oct 3, 2026 to Oct 11, 2026
Closed closed
General season segment 2
Zone 2
Oct 24, 2026 to Jan 27, 2027
Open open, closes in 74 days
Season Zone Dates Status
Falconry
Pacific Flyway
Oct 3, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027
Open open, closes in 62 days
Falconry
Zone 1
Sep 23, 2026 to Jan 7, 2027
Open open, closes in 54 days
Falconry
Zone 2
Sep 23, 2026 to Oct 11, 2026
Closed closed
Falconry segment 2
Zone 2
Oct 24, 2026 to Jan 19, 2027
Open open, closes in 66 days
General season
Pacific Flyway
Oct 3, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027
Open open, closes in 62 days
General season
Zone 1
Oct 3, 2026 to Jan 7, 2027
Open open, closes in 54 days
General season
Zone 2
Oct 3, 2026 to Oct 11, 2026
Closed closed
General season segment 2
Zone 2
Oct 24, 2026 to Jan 19, 2027
Open open, closes in 66 days
Season Zone Dates Status
Swan (special license only)
Central Flyway
Oct 4, 2026 to Jan 8, 2027
Open open, closes in 55 days
Swan (special license only)
Pacific Flyway
Oct 11, 2026 to Dec 5, 2026
Open open, closes in 21 days
Season Zone Dates Status
General season
Statewide
Sep 1, 2026 to Oct 30, 2026
Closed closed
Season Zone Dates Status
Over the Counter
Statewide
not yet published September 28 - TBD
Not posted dates not yet published
Special Permits
Statewide
not yet published September 1 - TBD
Not posted dates not yet published
Season Zone Dates Status
General season
Statewide
Sep 1, 2026 to Dec 16, 2026
Open open, closes in 32 days
Season Zone Dates Status
General season
Statewide
Sep 1, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027
Open open, closes in 48 days
General season
Statewide
Sep 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2026
Closed closed
General season
Statewide
Sep 1, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027
Open open, closes in 48 days
Season Zone Dates Status
General season
Statewide
Sep 1, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027
Open open, closes in 48 days
Season Zone Dates Status
General season
Statewide
Oct 10, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027
Open open, closes in 48 days
Season Zone Dates Status
Falconry
Statewide
Sep 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027
Open open, closes in 137 days
Season Zone Dates Status
Archery
Statewide
not yet published TBD
Not posted dates not yet published
Questions
Is deer season open in Montana right now? Yes. 3 deer seasons are open in Montana on November 14, and the last of them closes Feb 15, 2027.
Is wild turkey season open in Montana right now? Yes. 1 wild turkey season is open in Montana on November 14, and the last of them closes Jan 1, 2027.
Is duck season open in Montana right now? Yes. 6 duck seasons are open in Montana on November 14, and the last of them closes Jan 19, 2027.
When does the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks publish next year's season dates? The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has posted the coming year's dates between January and March in recent years. This page updates the day the agency's page changes.
Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks , FWP 2026 Hunting Seasons. Read today.