Muzzleloader season begins
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News from MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks
HELENA — Muzzleloader season opens on Saturday, Dec. 10, and runs through Dec. 18. This season is for muzzleloaders only; no other means of taking game, such as archery, is allowed. Note that some areas have elk shoulder seasons through Feb. 15, where firearms and archery equipment may be allowed.
Hunters should also note that many of Montana’s Block Management Areas (BMAs), even though they are open for upland bird or waterfowl through Jan. 1, are not allowing the harvest of deer or elk during the muzzleloader heritage season. Make sure to check BMA rules before you hunt.
Find Block Management Program information at: https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/access/blockmanagement
In addition, although all Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in Region 7 are open year-round, many other WMAs allowing hunting across the state are closed through May 14. If planning to hunt a WMA, see a list of WMAs and their seasonal closure dates: https://fwp.mt.gov/binaries/content/assets/fwp/conservation/wmas/wma-open-close-chart.doc.pdf
Hunters should check the hunting regulations to make sure they are compliant with all rules and regulations for this season. Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted the following regulations, most of which are based on language from the statute:
A person may take a deer or elk with a license or permit that is valid on the last day of the general hunting season.
Any unused license-permit valid on the last day of the general season (i.e., Nov. 27) is valid during the muzzleloader heritage season.
Any license that can still be purchased is valid. For example, if a person had not already purchased a general deer tag, they could purchase one for the muzzleloader heritage season.
For more information on hunting in Montana, visit: fwp.mt.gov/hunt.
