Montana Hunting — Turkey

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💡 Wolf presence changes elk behavior. In wolf-heavy zones (Bitterroot, Gallatin), elk spend more time in timber. Hunt the edges at dawn and dusk.

🎯 Active Seasons (2)

🦃 Turkey — Archery + Shotgun

Apr 15 – May 31 · Western MT river drainages, Yellowstone Valley

● ACTIVE NOW

Spring gobbler. Best areas: Bitterroot, Flathead, Yellowstone Valley near Billings.

License: Turkey license (limited OTC). Some districts require special permit.

🐻 Black Bear — All Legal

Apr 15 – May 31 · Most hunting districts (check regulations)

● ACTIVE NOW

Spring bears emerging from dens. Focus on south-facing slopes with early green-up.

License: Black bear license (limited, not a draw — first-come OTC).

📋 MFWP Draw Calendar

May 1 – May 31

Draw Results Released

Special license draw results posted to myFWP account. B-tags, permits, and special season licenses available here.

May 15 – Aug 31

Antlerless Elk B-Tags Available

B-tag (antlerless elk) permits purchased after draw results. Limited quantities per HD. Check current availability at fwp.mt.gov before heading out.

ℹ️ Montana combination licenses are OTC — no draw needed. Special permits (moose, sheep, goat) are highly competitive draws with multi-year wait times.

🏡 Block Management Areas (BMA)

🌐 Montana's Block Management Program (BMP) opens 6+ million acres of private land to public hunters through voluntary landowner agreements with FWP.

Eastern Plains

Antelope, Mule Deer, Pheasant, Sharptail

Largest BMA concentration — thousands of acres per unit.

Missouri River Breaks

Mule Deer, Elk (limited), Antelope

Rugged breaks country with excellent mule deer.

Yellowstone Valley

Pheasant, Whitetail, Mule Deer

River bottom habitat, CRP fields — top pheasant ground.

Southwestern MT

Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetail

Access to private land adjacent to Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF.

Source: MFWP Block Management · Over 6 million acres of private land open to public hunters

🦌 CWD Surveillance Zones

MT — CWD detected in deer — check FWP for current test station locations

MT — Ongoing surveillance area near WY border

CWD prevalence in MT: low statewide, targeted culling in affected units. Mandatory check stations in Big Horn, Custer, Rosebud, Powder River, Richland counties.

🎯 HuntScore™ Montana Units

MFWP Hunting Districts scored 0–100. Click any unit for detailed conditions, season dates, and CWD/tribal zone info.

Jump to unit:

HD 520

Sweet Grass / Boulder River · South-central MT

Elk, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer, Black Bear

Excellent elk numbers. Boulder River WMA + private BMA acres. Big Timber area is…

HD 100

Bitterroot · Western MT

Elk, White-tailed Deer, Mule Deer, Black Bear

BMA acres available east and north of Darby. USFS trailheads on both sides of Bi…

HD 260

Clark Fork / Superior · Western MT

Elk, White-tailed Deer, Black Bear, Moose

Excellent elk numbers near St. Regis and Superior. Alberton Gorge access. Cabine…

HD 311

Madison · Southwest MT

Elk, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer, Black Bear

Large BMA access. Sportsman, Bear Creek, and Green Mountain WMAs. Less pressure …

HD 500

Musselshell / Roundup · Central MT

Elk, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer

Prairie/foothills transition. Long shots, open country. BMA acres available. Low…

HD 110

Bitterroot West · Western MT

Elk, White-tailed Deer

Steep private/public mosaic. Most access via West Fork road.

HD 410

Judith Basin / Crystal Crater · Central MT

Elk, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer

Crooked Creek RNA, Judith River Canyon WMA. Underrated unit, lower pressure than…

HD 320

Jefferson · Southwest MT

Elk, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer

BMA-heavy region. Highland and Whiskey Creek WMAs. Mining country access roads.

HD 420

Shields River / Crazy Mountains · South-central MT

Elk, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer

Less pressured than Gallatin. Shields River BMA private access. Crazy Mountain a…

HD 200

Rattlesnake · Missoula Area

Elk, White-tailed Deer, Mule Deer

CWD

Mix of MT DNRC state land and private. Rattlesnake NRA trail access for approach…

HD 250

Clearwater / Seeley Lake · Missoula Area

Elk, White-tailed Deer, Moose

CWD

Seeley Lake valley floor BMA + Lolo NF. Good for combination elk/whitetail.

HD 600

Missouri Breaks (Fort Benton / Loma) · North-central MT

Elk, White-tailed Deer, Mule Deer

Steep river breaks terrain. Remote access, few hunters. Long shots across CRP fi…

HD 201

N. Rattlesnake / Salmon River · Missoula Area

Elk, White-tailed Deer

CWD

Wilderness-adjacent. Long hike in, better elk densities.

HD 399

West Yellowstone / Madison River · Southwest MT

Elk, Bison (with permit), Wolf, Black Bear

Heavy elk from Yellowstone park feed into this unit. Hebgen Lake RMAA. Heavy rec…

HD 240

Milltown / Bonner · Missoula Area

Elk, White-tailed Deer

CWD

Milltown WMA and adjacent DNRC land. Blackfoot River corridor access.

HD 300

Gallatin · Southwest MT

Elk, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer, Black Bear

Heavy hunter pressure. BMA available on Bridger Foothills private. Gallatin Lion…

HD 301

Hyalite / Bozeman Pass · Southwest MT

Elk, Mule Deer

Very high pressure. Hyalite Reservoir area and Bangtail Mountains provide best o…

HD 900

Tongue River / Ashland · Southeast MT

Elk, Mule Deer, White-tailed Deer, Pronghorn

CWD🏹 Tribal

Rough broken terrain. Ashland Ranger District Custer NF. Tribal land border — kn…

HD 700

Hi-Line / Saskatchewan Border · North-central MT

White-tailed Deer, Mule Deer, Elk

CWD

Prairie hunt — open farmland, river bottoms, minimal cover. Very high whitetail …

HD 800

Southeast MT Prairie · Southeast MT

White-tailed Deer, Mule Deer, Pronghorn

CWD🏹 Tribal

River breaks, CRP fields, sage flats. Very high whitetail density. Tribal bounda…

HD 391

Late Season / Winter Range (Madison) · Southwest MT

Elk (antlerless)

Permit

Madison River valley winter range elk. Ice and snow conditions apply. Check road…

HD 290

Late Season / Winter Range (Swan) · Western MT

Elk (antlerless)

CWDPermit

Winter range access. Snow may restrict roads. Late season means big game concent…

HuntScore™ is a forecast score, not a guarantee. Verify unit regulations at fwp.mt.gov/hunt before hunting.

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