Montana (MT)
Montana is a classic elk and mule deer destination.
Agency links, deadlines, unit maps, and species opportunities are tied to official sources below.
Huntable species in MT
Pick a species to assemble the available permit/tag opportunities for this state.
Unit Map / Units
Official GIS polygon layers render here when available. Click a unit polygon to ask Jeremiah for practical hunting background; seeded unit cards appear only when no GIS layer has been imported yet.
Montana 2026 Deer/Elk/Lion Hunting Districts
Official GIS sourceSpecies-specific hunt/tag/management boundaries.
Cream/white gaps are places not covered by this active district layer, such as reservations, national parks, lakes/water, or other excluded/non-district areas. Colors separate hunting-district number series for readability; always verify exact rules, species, and season dates against the official source.
Montana Spring Turkey Hunting Districts
Official GIS sourceSpecies-specific hunt/tag/management boundaries.
Cream/white gaps are places not covered by this active district layer, such as reservations, national parks, lakes/water, or other excluded/non-district areas. Colors separate hunting-district number series for readability; always verify exact rules, species, and season dates against the official source.
Agency source
1
high confidence
Opportunities
19
researched nonresident paths
Applications
0
public research mode
Unit map
GIS
ArcGIS REST
Deer (Mule Deer / White-tailed Deer) opportunities
First-pass official-source research package for nonresident applications, draw/OTC paths, odds, harvest stats, and map linkage. Retrieved 2026-05-14.
Montana nonresidents should use MyFWP/FWP OLS as the system of record. For a regular deer/elk application, first verify the MyFWP profile, hunter education, Conservation License, Base Hunting License fee, and any bowhunter prerequisites. Then choose one nonresident combination path: General Deer Combination, General Elk Combination, or General Big Game Combination. Add any deer/elk permit choices in the same April 1 workflow, remembering that permits are HD-specific privileges layered on the underlying license and are not extra animals. Moose, sheep, goat, and bison close May 1; antelope, Deer B, Elk B, crane, and swan close June 1; limited mountain lion closes July 22. Post-draw Deer Permit, Elk Permit, Deer B, and Elk B surplus list signup runs June 15-July 15. Boondoggle should provide the plan, links, deadlines, map context, and screenshot/PDF import, but not submit, pay, change profile data, or report harvest without explicit human approval.
Units: statewide/regulation-dependent deer hunting districts
Deadlines: From: 2026-03-01; To: 2026-04-01; Label: Apply March 1-April 1, 2026; deadline April 1, 2026 at 11:45 p.m. MST; drawing expected mid-April.; Timezone: America/Denver; Source Url: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/hunting-licenses/application-drawing-dates
Fees: Amount: 760; Currency: USD; Label: General Deer Combination; Source Url: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/hunting-licenses/nonresident-licenses/fees • Amount: 10; Currency: USD; Label: Conservation License; Source Url: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/hunting-licenses/nonresident-licenses/fees
Open map layerHunt codes: HD-specific deer permit codes in annual regulations and draw reports
Units: deer hunting districts
Deadlines: From: 2026-03-01; To: 2026-04-01; Label: Apply March 1-April 1, 2026; deadline April 1, 2026 at 11:45 p.m. MST; drawing expected mid-April.; Timezone: America/Denver; Source Url: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/hunting-licenses/application-drawing-dates
Fees: Amount: 5; Currency: USD; Label: Deer permit/application fee; Source Url: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/hunting-licenses/nonresident-licenses/fees • Nonresident must also apply for or hold an eligible Deer or Big Game Combination.
Open map layerHunt codes: HD-specific or regional Deer B license codes in annual regulations and draw reports
Units: deer hunting districts or regions
Deadlines: From: 2026-03-01; To: 2026-06-01; Label: Apply March 1-June 1, 2026; deadline June 1, 2026 at 11:45 p.m. MST.; Timezone: America/Denver; Source Url: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/hunting-licenses/application-drawing-dates • From: 2026-06-15; To: 2026-07-15; Label: Surplus list signup runs June 15-July 15, 2026.; Timezone: America/Denver; Source Url: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/hunting-licenses/surplus-licenses
Fees: Amount: 75; Currency: USD; Label: Deer B license; Source Url: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/hunting-licenses/nonresident-licenses/fees • Amount: 5; Currency: USD; Label: Application fee where applicable; Source Url: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/hunting-licenses/nonresident-licenses/fees
Open map layerHunt codes: varies by remaining permit/B-license or roster district
Units: deer, elk, and antelope hunting districts
Deadlines: From: 2026-06-15; To: 2026-07-15; Label: Deer Permit, Elk Permit, Deer B, and Elk B surplus list signup runs June 15-July 15, 2026.; Timezone: America/Denver; Source Url: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/hunting-licenses/surplus-licenses • From: 2026-06-15; To: 2026-07-15; Label: Hunt roster signup generally runs June 15-July 15.; Timezone: America/Denver; Source Url: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/hunting-licenses/hunt-roster
Fees: License fee is charged only if offered and purchased; payment is not required at surplus signup. • Must hold required valid general license for roster/game-damage opportunities.
Open map layer- • MyFWP / FWP Online Licensing System account is required for online applications, purchases, draw status, surplus signup, roster signup, and point purchases.
- • Buy a Conservation License before applying for or buying hunting licenses; 2026 nonresident cost is listed as $10.
- • Pay the annual Base Hunting License fee with the first hunting license/application; 2026 nonresident cost is listed as $50.
- • Combination licenses include season fishing and upland bird licenses, but Conservation License, Base Hunting License fee, and AIS Prevention Pass are separate.
- • Anyone born after January 1, 1985 must provide approved hunter education proof to buy or apply for a Montana hunting license.
- • Archery-only seasons or districts require a bow-and-arrow license plus bowhunter education or accepted prior bowhunting-license proof.
- • First-time black bear license buyers must complete Montana's Black Bear Identification Test before purchasing a bear license.
- • Nonresident deer/elk hunters generally need to draw or otherwise qualify for one of Montana's combination licenses before hunting general deer/elk or applying for associated special deer/elk permits.
- • Confirm whether antelope hunt districts align cleanly to the existing deer-elk-lion-hd-2026 layer or require a separate antelope HD layer.
- • Need to parse current 2026 regulation PDFs for exact deer, elk, antelope, B-license, moose, sheep, goat, bison, bear, lion, wolf, turkey, crane, and swan hunt-code tables.
- • Need official species-specific GIS layers beyond the existing deer/elk/lion HD layer.
Verify MyFWP, hunter education, Conservation License/Base Hunting License fee, and then choose exactly one combination path: Deer, Elk, or Big Game. Add any deer/elk permit choices before the April 1 deadline.
No. Deer and elk permits generally authorize a special place/sex/season opportunity on top of a valid underlying license; they are not additional tags.
April 1 for deer/elk combinations and deer/elk permits; May 1 for moose, sheep, goat, and bison; June 1 for antelope, Deer B, Elk B, crane, and swan; July 22 for limited mountain lion.
Most species drawings use squared bonus points plus the current application chance. Nonresident combination licenses use preference points: 75% go by preference point order and 25% go randomly to zero-point applicants.
For Deer Permit, Elk Permit, Deer B, and Elk B, sign up for the surplus list June 15-July 15 if available. It is randomized, and selected hunters get email purchase instructions.
No. Boondoggle should prepare the plan, links, deadlines, map context, and screenshot/PDF import. The actual application, payment, profile edits, and harvest reporting stay in the official FWP/MyFWP portal unless Jonathan explicitly approves a separate user-present action.
Agency portals
Official agency, license/application, regulations, draw odds, and harvest stats.
Online Licensing System is official FWP OLS; public draw and harvest searches are on FWP/MyFWP pages.
Deadlines
Application, draw, reporting, and point purchase reminders.
No deadlines seeded yet.
Unit boundary source
Official map/GIS source for the future clickable unit-level map.
Format: ArcGIS REST
Conversion: Query layer 0 as GeoJSON with REGYEAR filter for the current regulation year; imported REGYEAR=2026.
License/source notes: Official Montana FWP GIS open-data portal; verify dataset-specific license on item page.
Open boundary sourceSpecies available
Starter list for this jurisdiction.
No species data yet.
Applications
State/province-specific plans, submitted applications, draw status, and spend.
No applications yet.