Scenic hunting

Western Missoula is an excellent area for game like deer and elk as well as fowl. The views aren't too bad, either.

Hunting

Western Montana is treasured hunting ground for both big game and fowl.

Treks into the wilderness for deer and elk are particularly popular, with more exotic wild game a lure for others.

If your interests are more of the skyward variety, there are ample opportunities to hunt pheasants, ducks, geese, and grouse in the area.

Outsiders will be pleasantly surprised at the length of Montana’s hunting seasons for various types of game. Check out the National Wildlife Federation’s Hunting Resource for more information. Year-round, outfitter and guide information is readily available, but be sure to book your trip early because they fill up fast.

September is Bear Aware Month

Being outdoors means being with wildlife. Here's some simple advice for... more

FWP REMINDER: Be Bear Aware When Recreating Outdoors

As you make plans for the July 4th holiday, be sure to review these pre... more

How to Survive in the Wilderness – 2023

Every person who got lost in the woods had no plans of doing so. In th... more

Which Karambit Knife Skins Can be Considered a Safe Investment?

Karambit knives have a long reputation for being some of the best and most practical knives out there. here are some models to consider:... more

Best Rifle Magazines in 2022

our rifle becomes unreliable when feeding from a poor-quality mag. Read our guide and shop for the best magazines for AR-15 and other platforms. ... more

Protect Yourself From Heat And Sweat With A Lightweight Hunting Outfit

If you want to protect yourself from heat and sweat, lightweight hunting gear is the best bet for you and here's why:... more

How Tactical Gear Impacts Your Performance While Hunting

Here are some tips on tactical gear that will improve your hunting success:... more

Aim to Shoot: Tips on How to Easily Improve Your Aim

Shooting can be fun but aiming at targets is the tricky part. Read this article for some key tips to improve your aim easily. ... more

Elk Hunting in Montana: What you need to know?

In 2020, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks reported 170,000 elk population, and it can be said that Montana is a dreamland for avid elk hunters.... more

Wildlife Officials, Blackfoot Community Work Together on Fatal Bear Attack Details and Next Steps

Wildlife officials and the local Blackfoot Valley community are working together to wrap up details of the July 6 fatal grizzly bear attack of a camper in Ovando.... more

Here’s What You Need to Look For When Buying a Rifle Scope

Here are some things that you need to look for when buying a new rifle scope for your gun.... more

Professional Equipment That’ll Greatly Improve Your Hunting Experience

When you go hunting, you will need the necessary equipment. When you prepare thoroughly, it is easy to capture your prey.... more

3 Tips For Your First Hunting Trip In Montana

To help you with this and get educated in the necessary areas, here are three tips for your first hunting trip in Montana. ... more

Hunting Permit Drawing Results Now Available

The wait is over as the deer and elk permit drawing is complete, just 12 days after the application deadline. ... more

Be Bear Aware When Recreating Outdoors

Bears are emerging from dens with the onset of spring, and people are reminded to “Be Bear Aware.”... more

7 Essential Things Every Hunter Should Know

Here are seven essential things every hunter should know and must put into practice. ... more

6 Must-haves For Every Hunter For An Ultimate Experience

Preparation is key if you want to be safe and successful while hunting. If you want to make your hunt a memorable experience, follow this easy guide.... more

Hunting and Fishing License Year Begins March 1st

The new license year opens March 1, which means that is the day you can buy your 2021 hunting and fishing licenses and begin applying for permits and special licenses.... more

Tips on How to Choose the Right Rifle for Enthusiasts

Here are some tips you should consider when selecting the right rifle. ... more

How to Use Modern Optics to Boost Your Hunting

In the long run, using optics will not only make you a better hunter but also improve your understanding of wildlife.... more

How to Improve Your Rifle Shooting Accuracy

Here are a few tips and guidelines to consider when shooting if you are looking to improve your accuracy.... more

A Brief Guide to Hunting Wolves in Montana

It’s only in recent years that Montana has opened its wolf hunting, and that’s being reflected by the healthy, balanced wolf population in the state.... more

Bear Spray – Carry it, Know How to Use it This Fall

The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee recommends the use of bear spray and urges hunters to learn these bear-aware safety measures.... more

2020 Big Game Hunting Forecast

Are you ready for hunting season? FWP can help. In addition to the following hunting forecast, FWP provides online information about hunting access, including our popular Block Management Program.... more

Must-Have Items for Every Hunting Trip

No matter what hunting destination you’ll go to or the type of hunting activity you’ll partake in, there are certain essentials that every hunter should get before they go out in nature.... more

How to Have a Safer Hunting Experience Without Spending Too Much

If you want to ensure that your next hunting excursion is the fun and safe getaway of your dreams, read on to know more.... more

Surplus Drawing Licenses and Permits Handled in New Way

Hunters interested in purchasing licenses or permits left over from the special license and permit drawing will find a different process this year.... more

Hunting Basics Every Aspiring Hunter Should Know

Here are some hunting basics every aspiring hunter should know.... more

Changes to Surplus License Process for 2020

To give residents and nonresidents a more equitable opportunity for surplus licenses, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has developed a new system for issuing surplus licenses.... more

Top 4 Hunting Weapons You Can Use Easily

We’ve created a list of the top 4 weapons you can easily start with to become a better hunter. ... more

How To Improve Your Hunting Skills

It takes time, dedication, and guidance but anyone can become a safe and efficient hunter. ... more

Man Injured in Grizzly Bear Attack on Sun River

A man was attacked by a female grizzly bear on Sunday morning near the Sun River. The attack left the man with non-life-threatening injuries.... more

Beartooth Wildlife Management Area Opens May 15 to Day-Use Only

To coordinate with local and federal partners, Beartooth WMA opens May 15 to day-use only; other WMAs open as usual with social distancing protocols in place.... more

FWP Announces Updates to COVID-19-Related Closures and Suspensions

People looking to get outside and enjoy spring will continue to have ample opportunities with Gov. Steve Bullock's phased approach to re-opening the state.... more

Hunting Permit Drawing Results Now Available

Hunters can now check the results of the 2020 nonresident combination and elk and deer permit drawing to see if they were successful.... more

State Lands Remain Open For Day Use

Fish Wildlife and Parks adjusts facility management in response to COVID-19; and state lands remain open for day use. ... more

Big Game Hunters Need to Be Bear Aware on Front

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Grizzly bear sign on the Rocky Mountain Front has led to a Fish, Wildlife and Parks wildlife biologist to remind hunters to be bear aware.... more

Local Snowmobile Store to Host Annual Avalanche Training Event

Gull Boats & RV will host a free annual avalanche traiing event at Big Sky Brewing on October 30 at 6pm featuring instructor Mike Duffy from the American Avalanche Association.... more

Bird Hunters Need to be Bear Aware

By BRUCE AUCHLY - With the Oct. 12 opening of pheasant season, bird hunters around western Montana should be prepared for an encounter with a grizzly bear.... more

Hunting Permit Drawing Results Now Available

By JOLEEN TADEJ - The wait is over. Hunters can now check the results of the 2019 nonresident combination and elk and deer permit drawing to see if they were successful.... more

Archery Hunter Breaks Arm in Grizzly Bear Attack Near Gardiner

By JOLEEN TADEJ - An archery hunter was attacked by a grizzly bear Saturday near Gardiner, sustaining wounds to his arm and face.... more

Bird Hunter Shoots, Kills Charging Grizzly Near Front

By BRUCE AUCHLY - A pheasant hunter shot and killed a grizzly bear Nov. 4 near Pendroy along the Rocky Mountain Front that charged him.... more

Bird Hunters Need to be Bear Aware

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Upland bird hunting began Sept. 1 and hunters along the Rocky Mountain Front, especially in riparian areas, need to be aware they are in bear country.... more

Hunters Must Expect to See Bears

By GREG LEMON - With hunting season upon us, it is important to remember that slow moving, quiet and camouflaged hunters are sharing the landscape with the state's even stealthier bears.... more

Hunting Elk in August

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Elk shoulder seasons this year will allow hunters in some hunting districts to go after antlerless elk starting Aug. 15.... more

That First Gun

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Just the other week, I gave my granddaughter and grandson their first firearms; a .22 rifle and .410 shotgun.... more

Is Spring Early or Late?

By BRUCE AUCHLY - The warm weather of February and early March could lead one to believe in an early spring, which feels nice but is not necessarily a good thing.... more

Will Winter Wither?

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Is winter done? Kaput, finished, terminated? It would seem so, though you may not want to bet the farm subsidies on it.... more

2016 Hunting & Fishing Licenses On Sale Monday With Change In Fees

By JEANNE CONNOLLY - Montana's 2016 hunting and fishing licenses go on sale Monday, Feb. 1, under a new fee structure passed by the state legislature. ... more

That Thing Called Elk Hunting

By BRUCE AUCHLY- To those who don’t hunt, it can be hard to understand the strength and depth of the passion known as Elk Hunting.... more

Elk Shoulder Season Generates Lots of Interest

By BRUCE AUCHLY-A pilot program, the shoulder season for antlerless elk runs Nov. 30 through Feb. 15 in hunting districts 445, 446, 452 and 449. ... more

Elk Harvest at Augusta Check Station Best in 20 Years

By BRUCE AUCHLY-Hunters on a portion of the Rocky Mountain Front this fall took home more elk than any year in the past 20.... more

Hunters: Dispose of That Carcass Legally

By BRUCE AUCHLY-A frequent complaint to Fish, Wildlife and Parks this time of year centers on carcasses dumped after someone has removed the venison.... more

Remember: Hunting is Fun

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Somehow we have forgotten that hunting today is about being outdoors, perhaps companionship, enjoying nature.... more

For Third Week: Elk Harvest Improving on Front

By BRUCE AUCHLY - It’s a mixed bag at the end of the third weekend of Montana’s big game general season on the Rocky Mountain Front.... more

Five Region 4 Districts With Deer Hunting Changes in November

By BRUCE AUCHLY-Deer hunters need to be aware of changes taking place this month in five hunting districts in Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 4, north central Montana.... more

Hunters Report Self Defense in Two Grizzly Bear Deaths

By JOLEEN TADEJ-Montana wildlife officials said today that two grizzly bears were killed last week in separate incidents reported by hunters in southwestern Montana.... more

Elk, Mule Harvest Down, Whitetails Up On Rocky Mountain Front

Elk and mule deer taken by hunters remain below average on the Rocky Mountain Front, but the white-tailed deer harvest is up at the end of the second weekend of the 2015 general big game season.... more

Avoid These 10 Common Hunting Mistakes

By BRUCE AUCHLY Each fall tens of thousands of Montana men and women spend anywhere from a few hours to a several weeks hunting. Most have a wonderful time; a few run afoul of the law. Here are 10 problem... more

Elk, Mule Deer Below Average Opener on Rocky Mountain Front

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Hunters hit the Rocky Mountain Front for the opening weekend of Montana’s general big game season, taking home fewer elk and mule deer compared to the past five years.... more

Opening Day of General Hunting Seson Renews Montana Traditions

By JOLEEN TADEJ-In Montana, a weekend like none other awaits. young and old are filled with the anticipation that only comes with the opening day of Montana's general deer and elk hunting season.... more

2015 Elk Hunting Outlook

By JOLENE TADEJ - These are good times for elk hunters as Montana elk populations continue to be strong across most of the state.... more

The Effects of Fire on Animals

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Summer’s fires are over, right? Or so we hope. To fish and wildlife fires can bring dire short-term and beneficial long-term consequences.... more

2015 Deer Hunting Outlook

By JOLENE TADEJ - Hunters who witnessed a drop in mule deer numbers in many areas of Montana a few years ago will see improving populations this year.... more

Donate a Hunting License to Disabled Veterans & Armed Forces Members

By JOLEEN TADEJ - Montana residents and nonresidents can show support for members of the military who have given the ultimate sacrifice by donating their hunting license.... more

Early Season Hunters: Make Fire Safety A Top Priority

By JOLEEN TADEJ - All early season hunters need to make wildfire prevention a top priority.... more

Becoming an Outdoors Woman Summer Workshop August 7-9

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' popular Becoming an Outdoors-Woman summer workshop is set for Aug. 7-9 at Lubrecht Forest, east of Missoula.... more

Brisk Sales for Nonresident Big Game Combo Hunting Licenses

By TOM PALMER - Montana's surplus nonresident elk and deer combination hunting licenses for this fall are selling at a brisk pace.... more

Fewer Surplus Nonresident Elk and Deer Hunting Licenses Available

Beginning Monday, May 4, nonresident hunters can choose among Montana's surplus deer, elk and big game combination hunting licenses and purchase them online or the FWP office.... more

Tales and Trails: Love in the Time of Cold

By BRUCE AUCHLY - One day it’s warm and sunny, the next day cold and snowy. Welcome to that time on the calendar between winter and spring. ... more

New Year for Hunting & Fishing Licenses Begins March 1

March 1 begins the new 2015 license year for Montana hunters and anglers. The new license year is especially important for early-season anglers, and for those who enjoy ice fishing.... more

FWP Access Program Offers Tax Credits to Landowners

Landowners have until March 15 to submit applications to Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks for enrollment in a program that may qualify them for up to $2,000 in annual tax credits.... more

Mount Jumbo Wildlife Closure Begins December 1

Mount Jumbo's North Zone is closed from December 1 until May 1. Trespassing during the wildlife closure is prohibited and violators may be fined up to $500. ... more

The Rut Kicks in as Hunting Season Reaches Final Weeks

By DILLON TABISH - With the rut in full swing, the annual big game hunting season is counting down in Montana. The last day to hunt deer and elk is Nov. 30.... more

Two Dog Years

By ROB BREEDING - I’m in my early 50s and I’ve begun to measure my time in bird dog years. My current hunting partner, Doll, is 5 and I can reasonably expect another 5 to 7 years with her.... more

Hunters Need To Be Bear Aware

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Hunters along the Rocky Mountain Front, especially bird hunters in riparian areas, need to be aware they are in bear country.... more

Montana Hunting Guide 2014

By DILLON TABISH - The arrival of autumn marks the beginning of big game hunting season, a beloved time of year for the thousands of Montana residents who partake in the traditional custom.... more

Archery Season in Montana: Technology’s Role

By BRUCE AUCHLY-Let’s be clear. Advances in gear, archery equipment and clothing are wonderful. They are also not the culprit. The problem is not technology but what it does to us. ... more

Hunting is a Bargain for Nonresident College Students

By BRUCE AUCHLY - A discount on Montana’s big game combination license will be available beginning Sept. 9 for nonresident college students to hunt in Montana.... more

Hunters Must Expect to See Bears

With Montana's upland game bird season opening Sept.1—and the bow hunting season set to open Sept. 6—remember that slow moving, quiet and camouflaged hunters will soon be encountering bears.... more

Hunters: Make Fire Safety a Top Priority This Season

By JOLEEN TADEJ - About 5,000 Montana archery hunters can head afield beginning Aug. 15, and ALL early season hunters need to make wildfire prevention a top priority.... more

What Do Ants Taste Like?

By BRUCE AUCHLY-So does an ant taste like a bitter, or lemony, crunchy morsel to a rainbow trout? Nobody knows, and the trout I’ve talked to, don’t answer.... more

The Name Game

By ROB BREEDING - I used to correct people when they used the A word. Pronghorns are not true antelope, I’d explain, and are actually an animal in a family all by themselves.... more

Becoming an Outdoors Woman Summer Workshop August 1-3

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' popular Becoming an Outdoors-Woman summer workshop is set for August 1-3 at Boulder Hot Springs near Boulder.... more

Fish and Wildlife Commission Adopts New Hunting Regulations

Montana's fish and wildlife commissioners recently adopted a number of new regulations that will be in effect for the next two hunting seasons.... more

Winter Survival

By BRUCE AUCHLY - While we can adapt to winter's overdue cold spells, wild animals have three basic strategies for dealing with winter and they are the same each year, no matter the weather.... more

New Hunt & Fish Licenses; Deer & Elk Permit Applications Available

Montana's new 2014 hunting and fishing year begins March 1. Licenses are now on sale along with applications for resident and nonresident buck deer and either-sex elk hunting permits.... more

Christmas Shopping Suggestions for the Outdoor-Type

By ROB BREEDING - It's hard to buy Christmas gifts for the serious hunter or angler, but here are a few gifts I think most culinary-minded outdoors types would love to find under the tree:... more

Turkey Day Blues

By ROB BREEDING - Who was the bright boy who decided to foul a national sports holiday with a feast centered on an impossibly difficult-to-cook bird? ... more

Elk Totals Above Average, Deer Below Average on Rocky Mountain Front

By BRUCE ACHLEY - At the end of the fourth weekend of Montana’s big game general season, harvest numbers for elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer continues below the long-term average on the Rocky Mountain Fr... more

Elk Hunting: It’s a Young Person’s Game

By BRUCE AUCHLY - So why, you may ask, do I continue to go elk hunting. Each year it gets harder. The mountains are taller. My muscles ache more.... more

Hunters, The Time is NOW!

By TONY REINHARDT - Weather is a huge factor during hunting season and this latest storm front making its’ way through the state is what many hunters have been waiting for. ... more

Big Game Harvest Continues Down on Rocky Mountain Front

By BRUCE ACHLEY - At the end of the fourth weekend of Montana’s big game general season, harvest numbers for elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer continues below the long-term average on the Rocky Mountain Fr... more

Dodging Deer

By ROB BREEDING - Judging by the deer carcasses that line roadways in the Northern Rockies pretty much year round, I’m convinced they rarely look before they cross the road.... more

Hunter Numbers Strong, Wildlife Harvest Down on Rocky Mountain Front

By BRUCE AUCHLY The number of hunters remains strong on the Rocky Mountain Front but the number of animals taken is mostly below the 10-year average at the close of the second weekend of Montana’s general ... more

Opening of Big Game Season Slightly Below Average on Rocky Mountain Front

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Hunters hit the Rocky Mountain Front for the opening weekend of Montana’s general big game season and took home slightly fewer elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer compared to the past three... more

Avoid These 10 Common Hunting Mistakes

By BRUCE AUCHLEY - Here are 10 problem areas, courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks game wardens, that hunters seem to stumble over year after year:... more

Diseased Deer Prompt Immediate Changes to Region 4 Deer Hunting

By BRUCE AUCHLY - The Fish and Wildlife commission has taken additional action to address the effects of disease on white-tailed deer in north central Montana.... more

Turning the Corner

By ROB BREEDING - The signs of change are in the air. Yesterday I wore fleece to work. And the other night when my students had to work late in the lab, I fixed them a pot of soup. ... more

Hunters Beware: Two Grizzlies Spotted on Sun River near Simms, Fort Shaw

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Two separate grizzly bear sightings since Sunday near the Sun River west of Great Falls have prompted state wildlife officials to alert homeowners and hunters in the area.... more

Fall is Here in Montana

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Fall is a welcome assault on the senses. We see it, hear it and smell it. For those who hunt, or wait for cooler water to fish again, there's not other season like it.... more

The Third Week in September

It's the autumnal equinox, which some equate with death. But for hunters, anglers, and hikers, the third week of September is a time to anticipate, to delight in, to anxiously await. ... more

Heads You Lose

By ROB BREEDING - I’ve got an elk head on the wall. I should say “had” an elk head on the wall. It’s been in storage for the last year. It will be back up on the wall soon, once I get situated in my new... more

No-Wait Nonresident Deer Hunting Licenses Going Fast

F.Y.I. - With fewer than 300 no-wait nonresidents deer combo hunting licenses left for sale out-of-state hunters still hoping to trek to Montana this fall need to move fast.... more

Hunters Must Expect to See Bears

With Montana's upland game bird season opening Sept.1—and the bow hunting season set to open Sept. 7—remember that hunters will soon be sharing the landscape with bears.... more

Oh Deer

By BRUCE AUCHLY - It was great to see seven mule deer walk by the front of the house yesterday. Why? Because they passed by the newly fenced vegetable garden in the back of the house.... more

White-tailed Deer, Elk Harvest Up on Rocky Mountain Front

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Hunters on the Rocky Mountain Front took home more elk and white-tailed deer than average but fewer mule deer during the general big game season, which ended Nov. 25.... more

Elk, Whitetail Harvest Up, Mule Deer Below Average on Rocky Mountain Front

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Elk and white-tailed deer harvest numbers continue above average, while the mule deer harvest is down on the Rocky Mountain Front.... more

Avoid These 10 Common Hunting Mistakes

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Here are 10 problem areas, courtesy of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks game wardens, that hunters seem to stumble over year after year:... more

Bear Spray: Carry It and Know How to Use It

Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks and Jack Hanna tell why it's important to carry bear spray and know how to use it this hunting season.... more

FWP Offers New Improved Montana Hunt Planner Map

The Montana Hunter Planner just got rejuvenated—right in time for Montana's primetime hunting seasons. The new, improved Montana Hunt Planner is an interactive search and now combines a one-stop mapping servi... more

Hunting Access: Ask Early, Don’t Wait

It is Montana law that hunters obtain landowner permission to hunt on all private land. Here are a few tips that could improve your chances to secure permission.... more

North Central Montana Deer and Elk Hunting Outlook

By BRUCE AUCHLY - The news for big game this fall in north central Montana is decidedly mixed. Elk and white-tailed deer numbers are solid. However, that’s generally not the case for antelope and mule deer. ... more

The Itch to Hunt in Western Montana

By BRUCE AUCHLY - The itch starts about this time of year. The itch to be in the field, trying to bugle in an elk, following a dog along a coulee on a hunt for Hungarian partridge, scouting an antelope buck as ... more

It’s Skwala Season on the Bitterroot River

By BRYCE MCLEAN - It's a special time of year to fish in Montana. When you look through snowflakes to see a 22-inch brown come up for a dry fly, you'll know what I mean.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Wolf Hunting in Montana

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of this week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's wolf hunting in Montana and the controversy that surrounds it.... more

Between the Sporting Seasons

By BRUCE AUCHLY - Most outdoor enthusiasts are in the doldrums right now, wondering what to do between seasons and how to keep from going crazy.... more