HELENA – On Dec. 4, the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission set the Montana hunting regulations for 2026 and 2027. In doing so, it made a variety of changes to address concerns about nonresident hunting pressure and mule deer numbers.

“The commission’s action were a culmination of a lengthy process that started this past summer with public meetings around the state,” said Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Director Christy Clark. “Both the commission and FWP heard a lot of input from hunters, landowners and the public. This input was critical in the final regulations that were approved.”

It’s important for hunters to be aware of the changes when planning for next hunting season.

“It’s true, some of these changes will reduce revenue coming to FWP from license sales, but when it comes down to it, this is about protecting the resource, not revenue,” Clark said.

Hunting pressure

During the past several hunting seasons, FWP staff and Fish and Wildlife Commissioners have heard growing concern and frustration with hunting pressure from nonresident hunters, particularly in eastern Montana.

The commission approved an amendment to the regulations that would cap the sale of a particular nonresident deer license. This cap would essentially cut the number of these licenses available to nonresidents by about 2,500.

“The reason that I brought this forward was to start discussion,” said Commission Chair Lesley Robinson during the Dec. 4 commission meeting. “And something has to be done. We have a lot of overcrowding.”

Mule deer

Mule deer declines, particularly in eastern Montana has been a concern for the public, the commission and FWP. During its meeting the commission made an effort to address some of these concerns. First, in 2026 and 2027 most mule deer B licenses will be valid only on private land. The commission also reduced the total number of deer licenses a resident can hold from eight to three.

These changes follows changes the 2023 Legislature made, which reduced the number of deer B licenses a nonresident could hold to one, although nonresident holding a combo license may possess two deer B licenses.

Additionally, in 2024 FWP reduced the mule deer B licenses down to the minimum number within the quota set by the Commission in Region 7, which was 1,000 tags. FWP has also reduced the number of deer B licenses available in other regions, especially Region 6.

The number of deer B license sold by FWP in 2024 were the lowest since 2016. This reduction in deer B licenses is a direct response to declining mule deer numbers.

Other commission actions

• General:
  • The archery regulations were changed to remove the let off for hunting bows. Prior to this, the let-off was a maximum of 80 percent.
• Antelope:
  • The quota of 900-20 licenses (archery antelope) was increase from the FWP proposal of 5,100 to 5,600, but Region 3 was removed from this bundle and placed in its own pool with 500 licenses.
• Bighorn sheep
  • Three quotas were adopted for these licenses: 250-20 any ram: 1; 680-30 adult ewe: 1; 680-31 adult ewe: 1.
  • Adjustments to bighorn sheep hunting district 250 to remove the geographical boundary that was described as “valid in portion of HD south of Nez Perce Road and West Fork Road.”  This change made the sheep license valid throughout the entire hunting district.
  • All bighorn sheep hunting districts that are currently designated as either-sex were changed to any ram for all limited opportunity drawings.
• Black bear
  • The archery black bear fall sub-quota was retained in all black bear units with harvest quotes, but the archery sub-quota percentage allowed increased from 20 to 30 percent of the total fall quota.
  • Hunters may purchase and accrue bonus points for any limited black bear permits.
  • Hound hunting season was extended to June 15 to coincide with the end of hound training season.
  • In Region 2, the boundary where hound hunting is allowed was changed to mirror the occupied grizzly bear polygon.
• Mountain lion
  • The winter season dates were changed to Dec. 1 to May 25. Mountain lion hunting with hounds is prohibited in occupied grizzly bear habitat after April 14.  A single license is all that is required to hunt mountain lions in open areas and the special limited and unlimited licenses were eliminated as recommended by FWP. Quotas will be established in June.
• Deer and Elk
  • The quota of the 799-20 elk license was increased from 280 to 325. A second antlerless elk B license will be available to any holder of an elk permit in hunting districts 702, 704, or 705, subject to the same restrictions in time, open areas, and limitations associated with the permit.
  • All Region 1 elk B licenses will only be valid on private land.
  • Eliminate all antlerless elk archery opportunity in Region 1.

All other hunting regulations were approved as proposed by FWP.

For more information please visit the Fish and Wildlife Commission page for the Dec. 4 meeting.

-fwp-

Photo via Gateway Graphic Design and Photography