Montana FWP reports a spike in illegal mountain lion kills this spring. Here's what violations are happening, penalties involved, and how to stay legal.

The Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission has ordered LMU 422 closed to all hunting of male mountain lions one-half hour after sunset on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Check the official quota status page for the latest details.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks biologists are back in the Cabinet Mountains near Libby, using hounds to locate mountain lions and collect biological samples. The work adds to more than 25 years of research, helping compare today’s lions with earlier data and informing population estimates, harvest tracking, and long-term management.

Most mountain lions stay within a home range—but documented dispersals show some can go far beyond what most people imagine. One young tom’s journey from South Dakota’s Black Hills to Connecticut topped 1,500 miles, and GPS studies have captured other long treks, including a female that logged close to 1,000 miles across multiple western states.

A cow elk in Montana wastes no time going full defense mode when a mountain lion is near her calf. Hooves fly as the mother elk stomps and strikes—an intense reminder that wildlife threats in the backcountry aren’t limited to predators.

Montana’s Fish & Wildlife Commission ordered the male mountain lion season in LMU 123 and LMU 340 to close one-half hour after sunset on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. Hunters should check current quota status before heading out.

A grill-fired wild game pizza featuring mountain lion backstrap—originally shared on montana-wild.com by Travis Boughton and reposted as a nod to the Feb. 28 close of the 2025 season.

Most Montana licenses wrap up Feb. 28, but a few seasons keep going. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks says mountain lion and wolf hunting continue past the license-year close, and some trapping seasons do too. If you use E-Tags, note they’ll go inactive in the app after Feb. 28—FWP recommends picking up an offline license at a regional office. Season dates: fwp.mt.gov/hunt. Licensing hotline: 406-444-2950.

Montana taxidermist Chad Steward impresses with his mountain lion rug, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail, earning a 5-star rating and reputation for high-quality work.

The Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission has announced a closure to hunting female Mountain Lions in LMU 411 and male Mountain Lions in LMU 391, effective January 27th, 2026, after sunset.