BOZEMAN -- Hunting opportunities for a variety of wildlife are plentiful in southwestern Montana. Hunters should remember that crowding will occur on easily accessible public lands, and wildlife may be visibly concentrated on private lands where access is limited. Hunters should acquire landowner permission well before hunting on private land and remember that continued access opportunities depend upon hunter behavior, ethics and safe hunting practices. Please treat all lands—public and private—with respect, abide by land use rules from the landowner or land management agency, and be courteous with other hunters and landowners sharing the landscape.
Elk
In the Livingston area, a very mild 2025-26 winter prevented most elk surveys from being conducted. However, overwinter survival is expected to have been strong, and elk populations in the area remain robust. Elk populations were within objective for HDs 314 and 393 and above objective for HDs 313, 315 and 317. HD 316 is a wilderness backcountry unit that provides the opportunity to hunt with a rifle in September, but elk densities are generally low. Access to some areas of elk habitat on private land is challenging; hunters should expect to find a significant proportion of elk populations distributed on private lands not enrolled in the Block Management Program. To access many of the elk, hunters need to prepare by seeking permission to hunt on private lands. Hunters should also expect to encounter robust hunter activity on public lands during both the archery and rifle seasons.
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In the Sheridan area, elk abundance within HD 320 increased to a record high and to above management objective. Within HDs 322, 323 and 324, mild conditions and a wide distribution of elk last winter prevented an accurate trend count. Given relatively low harvest during the 2025 hunting season and very mild conditions last winter, it’s expected that elk abundance increased relative to last year. Preliminary summer surveys indicate strong calf production this year. Although elk populations remain robust, hunters should expect to find a large proportion of those elk distributed on private lands not enrolled in the Block Management Program during the fall hunting seasons. CWD has been detected among elk in the northern portion of HD 322 and the northeast portion of HD 323.
Near Dillon, elk numbers in the Pioneer and Tendoy elk management units (EMU) remain strong. Most recent elk counts were significantly above average in both EMUs. Calf recruitment in both units has been significantly higher than average over the past three years. In the Pioneer EMU, numbers in HD 329 remain over objective; however, this is in part due to a large number of elk from HD 331 moving into the district for the winter. These elk are expected to be distributed out into both HD 329 and HD 331 during the hunting season. In the Tendoy EMU, numbers remain high in HD 302 and were also relatively high this past winter in HD 303. A number of these elk are expected to use the Montana/Idaho border or summer in Idaho, which may restrict Montana hunters’ ability to access these herds. Elk distribution will likely be shaped by forage growth, but it is hard to predict how this will manifest. Snow levels were extremely low in this EMU, which limited moisture and forage growth. However, regular amounts of summer precipitation may ameliorate the lack of snowpack to some extent and allow elk to find forage more widely on the landscape. As in all years, snowfall during the hunting season will play an important role in hunter success. Note that hunting pressure in both of these EMUs has been high and appears to continue to increase. While no direct data on elk hunter numbers are available for 2025, deer hunting survey results suggest record amounts of hunting pressure in these deer and elk districts.
In the Butte area, elk populations in HDs 319, 321, 340 and 370 are currently above objective due to less-than-ideal hunting conditions and mild winters for several years in a row. Accordingly, season regulations in these districts are liberalized to allow for increased harvest. In HDs 319 and 340, hunters are allowed to harvest a brow-tined bull or antlerless elk on their general elk license for the first 16 days of the general season. In HD 321 and 370, hunters are allowed to harvest a brow-tined bull or antlerless elk on the general license for all five weeks of the general rifle season. The elk population in HD 350 is within range. Hunters are highly encouraged to harvest antlerless elk in those districts that are over objective.
In the Townsend area, elk in HDs 390 and 391 are found mostly on private land during hunting season, and numbers continue to be well above management goals. The ability to obtain access to private lands that have elk during the hunting season is always a key consideration when elk hunting in HDs 390 and 391. Overall elk numbers in HD 380, where hunting for brow-tined bulls is by limited permit only, continue to be below the management goal. While elk numbers on national forest land in HD 380 are down, especially on the east side of HD 380, some private land areas in the hunting district may still have higher-than-desired numbers. Hunters are reminded to check their regulations prior to going hunting as several major changes were made in HD 380 this year. Changes include elimination of the three-week general antlerless elk opportunity for most hunters. Opportunity still exists for youth and hunters with a permit to hunt from a vehicle (PTHFV) and hunters 75 years or older (private land only). In addition, HD 380 antlerless elk B licenses are now not valid on national forest lands and not valid off national forest lands in the area west of U.S. Hwy 12/287 between Indian Creek and Beaver Creek. Winter elk numbers in HD 392 were higher this past year but continue to be below the management goal; although, there are believed to be more elk present in the HD during the hunting season than are observed during winter surveys.
In hunting districts north and south of Helena (339, 343, 335 and 318), elk numbers remain stable, strong and within population goal ranges. Elk in these HDs are generally widely dispersed at higher elevations early in the season until snow pushes them to lower elevation wintering areas. Therefore, winter weather conditions have a significant impact on elk harvest in these HDs.
South of Boulder, HD 350 has a stable elk population, but numbers remain below the population goal. Alternatively, HD 370 has an elk population that is increasing and is exceeding the population goal.
All Bozeman-area elk districts have populations within or above population goal ranges. Given an average to below-average harvest in 2025 and the light winter, most elk herds will have experienced population growth, suggesting an excellent hunting outlook for 2026 if there is good hunting weather. Challenges in the Bozeman area include crowding complaints and difficulty obtaining access to private land. Elk remain at the low end of the population goal range in HD 310, and hunters are reminded there is no legal way to harvest an antlerless elk in this district (not during archery, not with PTHFV, and not youth). The limitation on cow harvest in HD 310 is to encourage the population to grow.
Mule deer
In the Livingston area, mild early-winter conditions prevented post-season mule deer surveys on the Brackett Creek and Gardiner Basin trend areas following the 2025 hunting season, though total deer numbers were increased during a spring survey of the Brackett Creek trend area. Mule deer numbers in the Livingston area remain below long-term averages. However, high survival of all age classes was expected through the 2025-26 winter. Hunters should expect similar conditions to recent prior hunting seasons, with a concerted effort required for hunters who are seeking older-age animals. Deer hunters are encouraged to submit samples from their harvested animals to FWP for CWD testing.
Mule deer populations across hunting districts near Sheridan were mostly within management objective ranges as of spring 2025. Mild winter conditions resulting in wide distribution of mule deer last winter prevented an accurate trend count during spring 2026. Classifications of mule deer last spring indicated strong fawn recruitment – in some cases, the highest observed in over 20 years. Given relatively stable harvest last hunting season, mild winter conditions and high fawn recruitment, it’s expected that mule deer abundance increased for the third consecutive year. Relatively strong fawn production is expected for 2026. CWD has been detected among mule deer in HD 322 and the northern portion of HD 323.
Hunter harvest and survey data indicate the mule deer population in the Dillon area has been recovering in the past three years. Surveys this past spring showed improved numbers and significantly higher-than-average fawn recruitment for the second year in a row. High fawn survival was likely due in large part to the extremely mild 2025-26 winter. In hunting districts 302, 329 and 331, buck harvest this past hunting season was strong. Changes in buck harvest are generally correlated with population growth. HD 303 is a special permit area where long-term population numbers appear to be relatively stable, though recent high fawn survival may have supported population growth. Permit holders can expect to see good buck numbers, but finding a trophy buck may take considerable effort. In general, hunters with this permit encounter few, if any, trophy bucks and tend to harvest moderate- to fair-sized bucks. As with elk hunting pressure, mule deer hunting pressure is increasing. In general license districts (302, 329, 331), the number of hunter days for deer (both species) estimated for 2025 was 160 percent to 200 percent higher than average.
Mule deer population counts in the Butte area continue to be at the low end of what has been counted over the past 20 years. Hunters should expect to have to make a focused effort to find bucks with four points or more.
While numbers are believed to be improving, mule deer numbers continue to be down on national forest lands in the Townsend district, particularly in HD 380. Mule deer numbers on private land vary by hunting district but are still generally good in some localized areas, particularly in areas near irrigated alfalfa. Hunters are reminded that antlered mule deer hunting is by limited permit only in HDs 380 and 392, and that antlerless mule deer B licenses are not valid on national forest lands in HD 380. In addition, antlerless mule deer B licenses are now valid only on private land in HDs 390 and 391.
Mule deer north of Helena (HDs 339 and 343) remain well below long-term average. Mule deer south of Helena (HDs 318 and 335) and south of Boulder (HDs 350 and 370) are near average. Hunters should expect to see similar deer numbers to those experienced in recent years. Mule deer population in the urban HD 388 is near average.
All Bozeman-area mule deer districts are meeting or exceeding population management goals. Average buck harvest is within or above long-term average in all districts. The special management area portion of HD 312 has been an exception, where a decline in older age class bucks has been noted. The light winter should have contributed to excellent fawn production, and deer should be in good condition.
White-tailed deer
White-tailed deer can be found in some pockets of public land or private lands enrolled in Block Management in the Livingston area. However, most opportunity for harvest occurs on private lands where hunter access varies across property owners.
In the Sheridan area, white-tailed deer abundance declined relative to last year. CWD continues to be prevalent in white-tailed deer populations near the confluence of the Ruby and Beaverhead rivers. Within that area, whitetail abundance has diminished by approximately 90 percent since spring 2020. That reduction was influenced by a combination of aggressive hunter harvest in an attempt to reduce deer abundance and disease-related mortality. CWD continues to spread outward along the valleys in all directions among white-tailed deer, and prevalence is increasing rapidly as that spread occurs. CWD detections among elk and mule deer are increasing where those species seasonally overlap with white-tailed deer in the valley environments.
White-tailed deer continue to expand in hunting districts in the Dillon area, but harvest opportunity will remain almost exclusively on private lands. Hunters are encouraged to submit CWD samples from whitetails taken in this area, especially west of Interstate 15.
White-tailed deer numbers in the Townsend area were down this spring somewhat from the long-term average. While some white-tailed deer can be found on national forest lands in the Townsend area, most of the white-tailed deer in the Townsend area are found on private land where hunting access can be quite variable.
White-tailed deer harvest in the Helena area increased last season compared to previous years. They appear to be expanding their distribution within these hunting districts but are mostly found in low densities, with the exception of private agricultural lands where some congregation occurs.
There are portions of the Bozeman districts where white-tailed deer are numerous and portions where they are less prevalent. White-tailed deer populations are highest in the agricultural and river-bottom areas of HD 304, 309, 311 and 312. In these districts, CWD detections increased dramatically in 2025, and a special white-tailed deer management season was held. FWP encourages hunters to submit CWD samples from deer harvested in these districts. In other districts, white-tailed deer may be dispersed or there could be hot spots of white-tailed deer abundance, particularly near agriculture.
Pronghorn
Pronghorn populations in the Livingston area are still recovering from a series of drought conditions and the harsh winter of 2022-23. HDs 313, 317 and 339 were surveyed in late July. License quotas in HD 313, 338 and 339 are unchanged, but the quota in HD 317 was reduced in light of low numbers of observed pronghorn. Hunters who draw licenses in any of the Livingston-area districts can still expect a reasonable harvest opportunity but should anticipate putting in more effort than in prior years when pronghorn numbers were greater.
In the Sheridan area, a survey of HD 320 indicated the population remained relatively stable and slightly below the long-term average. License quotas remained unchanged relative to 2025. Results of surveys completed last year and preliminary results of ongoing surveys across HD 322 this year indicate that pronghorn abundance has increased over the past three years following a period of decline during 2020-23. Fawn production and survival over the past three years has been much higher than during 2020-23. Environmental conditions during the last three years are the likely driver of that increase. As a result, either-sex and doe-fawn license quotas were increased for the 2026 hunting season.
In the Dillon area, pronghorn numbers in HDs 300, 301, 310 and 329 have experienced declines in recent years. These declines have followed difficult drought conditions and a hard winter. These populations have experienced three to five years of poor fawn production and recruitment. The difficult conditions experienced between 2020 and 2023 may have also had longer-term consequences on doe reproduction. Surveys conducted this summer show indications of improved fawn production in HD 301. However, this increase has not been observed in HD 300. Hunters in HD 300 should be aware that numbers remain dramatically below average. Pronghorn in this district winter in Idaho and appear to have been severely impacted by the 2023 winter and likely longer-term habitat limitations. Therefore, the number of permits offered this year will be conservative and at the lower end of quota range for all Dillon-area districts.
Pronghorn hunting districts in the Butte area are flown every other summer to establish population counts, fawn production and buck-to-doe ratios. This summer, HDs 340, 350 and 370 were surveyed. Population counts in HDs 340 and 350 were down from two years ago, and either-sex and doe/fawn license quotas have been reduced accordingly. In HD 370, the population is at the high end of the population range and continues to need some harvest pressure to bring the population down slightly. Therefore, the either-sex license quota has been increased accordingly. HDs 318 and 319 were surveyed in 2025. Due to severe late-winter weather conditions in 2022, the pronghorn populations in these two districts are recovering. Either-sex and doe/fawn licenses were reduced last year and will continue to be at those levels for 2026.
In the Townsend area, pronghorn numbers have increased in HD 380. Pronghorn distribution in the Townsend area is often quite clumpy, so some localized areas can have lots of pronghorn while other areas are largely devoid of them. Securing access to private lands (which may include block management areas, or BMAs) that have pronghorn on them during the hunting season will provide the best opportunity for success.
In the Helena area, pronghorn populations are above average for the second year in a row, and fawn-to-doe and buck-to-doe ratios are above average. Pronghorn numbers south of Boulder (HDs 350 and 370) are strong.
There are two Bozeman-area pronghorn districts: HD 311 and HD 360. HD 360 (the Madison Valley) has shown a good increase in numbers and buck-to-doe ratios, suggesting it should be an excellent hunting season there. In HD 311, pronghorn numbers remain low and dispersed throughout the large district. Pronghorn in HD 311 may have been affected by past years’ winter severity, recent summer droughts, coyote predation, competition with growing elk herds and increased development fragmenting their range.
