Annual hunt designed to reduce conflicts with mule deer in and around town

ROUNDUP – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has scheduled a special archery-only hunt for property in and around the town of Roundup to reduce the number of mule deer in town.

Ninety special licenses for the hunt will go on sale on a first-come first-served basis starting at 5 a.m. Oct. 5. The cost is $10 each for residents and $75 each for non-residents, with a limit of two per hunter. These licenses are valid for either-sex mule deer and only for the Roundup management season. The season will run from Nov. 5, through Feb. 15. The special Roundup licenses do not count toward a hunter’s limit of seven deer B licenses.

The licenses are valid on specific properties in and around Roundup. Hunters must hold a current Montana conservation license, base hunting license and bow-and-arrow license.

In addition, hunters must obtain permission from the Roundup city offices, 34 3rd Ave. W., between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The city may assign hunters to appropriate sites.

Because of the proximity to homes and businesses, hunters are restricted to archery equipment only.

The hunt will take place on property owned by the City of Roundup and Musselshell County. Maps detailing the hunt area and rules are available at the Roundup city offices.

Hunters are required to bag and properly dispose of the deer viscera and report their harvest to the Roundup city offices at (406) 323-2804.

For the past eight years, FWP offered a similar hunt in and around Roundup. Last year the 120 special licenses were sold to 73 individuals. Forty-seven hunters purchased two licenses each and 26 individuals purchased one license each. Residents bought 110 licenses. Of those, 91 licenses were purchased by people from Billings, Roundup, Musselshell, Laurel, Shepherd, Worden, or Huntley. The remaining resident licenses were purchased by hunters living as far away as Kalispell. Hunters harvested 10 mule deer, including seven bucks and three does.

City of Roundup and Musselshell County officials reported that since the special hunts started, they have noticed fewer complaints of vehicle/deer collisions and aggressive deer in town.

Below is a map of the areas open to hunting during the special Roundup deer season. Please note the huntable properties have changed from 2021.