The Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission has officially announced the early closure of the Spring Black Bear season for Management Unit 411. Please take note of the following regulatory changes to ensure compliance with state wildlife management policies.
Closure Schedule and Deadlines
Due to the harvest quota being reached, all black bear hunting in BMU 411 is subject to the following timeline:
- Effective Closure: Hunting for all black bear must cease one-half hour after sunset on Thursday, April 23, 2026.
- Status: After this deadline, the unit is strictly closed to all black bear hunting activities for the remainder of the spring season.
Hunters are advised to verify their location and timing carefully, as hunting in a closed district is a violation of Commission orders and subject to legal citation.
Transition to Hound Training Season
Immediately following the hunting closure, the district will transition to its scheduled training interval:
- Start Date: Friday, April 24, 2026.
- Activity: Hound Training Season officially opens in BMU 411.
- Restriction: During this period, the pursuit of black bears is permitted for dog training purposes only; no harvest or take of bears is permitted.
Reporting and Compliance
Wildlife officials remind hunters that it is their responsibility to stay informed of unit closures, which occur on short notice once biological quotas are met. For real-time updates on other management units, please consult the official Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks harvest dashboard or contact the regional office.
Your cooperation ensures the continued health and sustainable management of Montana’s black bear populations.
(This information is shared based on a courtesy press release via Montana FWP)