Montana bear season 2026: dates and free maps

Season dates

Archery: Saturday, September 5 to Monday, September 14, 2026
Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Fall season: Tuesday, September 15 to Sunday, November 29, 2026
Montana also has a spring season (April 15 to June 15 in 2026): check FWP for spring 2027.
Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

Checked on the agency's site November 6, 2026. Licenses, units, bag limits and shooting hours differ, and dates can vary by unit: the regulations are what count, so read them before you go.

Legal shooting hours for big game in Montana, generally: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

Bear country is big timber and steep ground, usually with no signal. Download the maps for your spot ahead of time and Cartahaven shows your GPS position on them offline, so you can stay on public ground, find your stand or bait site and get back out after dark.

Montana hunting districts Open the map app

Free public land maps in Montana

Montana USGS topo maps (3,003)
Montana Forest Service FSTopo maps (844)
Montana historical topo maps (175)
Montana national forest maps (61)
Montana wildlife refuge maps (18)
Montana BLM maps (14)
Montana national park maps (7)
Montana geologic maps (3)

All free maps in Montana

Before you go

Cartahaven is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Season dates come from the agency pages linked above.