Season windows from official Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks data, organized by species, unit, weapon, and tag type so you can line up realistic hunt dates before you apply.
Earliest Archery Open
Sep 5, 2026
2026 season
Latest Rifle Close
Nov 29, 2026
2026 season
Total Seasons
17
across all species
The 2026 Montana calendar spans 17 season windows across 7 species, opening as early as Sep 5, 2026 for archery and running through Nov 29, 2026 for rifle. Each species carries its own archery, rifle, and muzzleloader dates, and many vary by unit.
Line these windows up against the application deadlines before you apply, since drawing a tag you can't hunt around your schedule is a wasted point year. Dates below come from official Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks records; use the year selector above to compare seasons across years.
| Season | Weapon | Opens | Closes | Tag Type | Tags Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Statewide · archery | Archery | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | Draw | – |
Statewide · rifle | Rifle | Sep 15, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | Draw | – |
When does hunting season open in Montana in 2026?
The earliest Montana 2026 archery season we track opens Sep 5, 2026, and the latest rifle season runs through Nov 29, 2026. Dates vary by species, unit, and weapon; check the full breakdown below. Source: official Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks records.
What can I hunt in Montana in 2026?
We track 17 Montana 2026 season windows across 7 species: Bighorn Sheep, Elk, Moose, Mountain Goat, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Whitetail. Each has its own archery, rifle, and muzzleloader dates by unit.
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Last updated Jul 11, 2026 from official Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks records.
| Season | Weapon | Opens | Closes | Tag Type | Tags Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Statewide · archery | Archery | Sep 5, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | Draw | – |
Statewide · rifle | Rifle | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | Draw | – |
Statewide · muzzleloader | Muzzleloader | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | Draw | – |
| Season | Weapon | Opens | Closes | Tag Type | Tags Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Statewide · archery | Archery | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 14, 2026 | Draw | – |
Statewide · rifle | Rifle | Sep 15, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | Draw | – |
| Season | Weapon | Opens | Closes | Tag Type | Tags Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Statewide · archery | Archery | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 14, 2026 | Draw | – |
Statewide · rifle | Rifle | Sep 15, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | Draw | – |
| Season | Weapon | Opens | Closes | Tag Type | Tags Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Statewide · archery | Archery | Sep 5, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | Draw | – |
Statewide · rifle | Rifle | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | Draw | – |
Statewide · muzzleloader | Muzzleloader | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | Draw | – |
| Season | Weapon | Opens | Closes | Tag Type | Tags Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Statewide · archery | Archery | Sep 5, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 | Draw | – |
Statewide · rifle | Rifle | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | Draw | – |
| Season | Weapon | Opens | Closes | Tag Type | Tags Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Statewide · archery | Archery | Sep 5, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | Draw | – |
Statewide · rifle | Rifle | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | Draw | – |
Statewide · muzzleloader | Muzzleloader | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | Draw | – |
