General big game season ends in Region 6, elk shoulder season starts soon

Press release

GLASGOW — For several years, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Region 6 has a shoulder season that allows antlerless elk hunting with a specific B-license.

This year’s shoulder season will run from Dec. 15 through Feb. 15, 2023.

Elk licenses — general elk or B-licenses — valid during the archery and general seasons are not valid for the shoulder season in Region 6. Hunters must have previously applied for this opportunity during the June 1 license drawing, and received their elk B-license that is valid during the R6 shoulder season, either a:

• 699-00 Elk B-license-valid in HDs 620, 621, and 622-on all public and private lands, not including CMR National Wildlife Refuge.

• 690-01 Elk B-license-valid in HD 690 on all public and private lands during the general and shoulder season.

A shoulder season is a firearms season that occurs outside the general season and is focused on antlerless elk harvest.  Shoulder seasons are not intended to replace harvest during the archery or general seasons but aim to provide additional antlerless elk harvest to bring elk populations closer to objectives.

Shoulder seasons have specific objectives, and the Fish and Wildlife commission and department will monitor the success of shoulder seasons in each hunting district to ensure they are meeting the fundamental objectives.

Even though a shoulder season occurs outside the general season, all hunting regulations apply, including, but not limited to: obtaining landowner permission to hunt on private lands, properly validating your license, wearing 400 square inches of orange visible above the waste, following legal shooting times, not shooting across a public road or right of way, retaining evidence of sex of the animal, and not shooting from a vehicle.

FWP suggests that hunters contact private landowners as early as possible, and to please be respectful during the holiday season. Shoulder season licenses are also valid on legally accessible public lands, except CMR Wildlife Refuge lands, and in participating Block Management lands.

Block Management cooperators were given the opportunity to opt out of the shoulder season, and some BMAs in the shoulder season districts are not participating in the shoulder season for elk. More information can be found in the 2022 Hunting Access Guide. 

Biologists would like to remind license holders that this is not a “damage hunt,” with elk stacked up in concentrated areas. Hunters should prepare to hunt hard for elk, no different than any other hunting season. Expect variable weather conditions to possibly include deep snow, cold, and/or muddy conditions. Hunters should have means to retrieve elk over potentially long distances.

Region 6 will not have any shoulder season hunt information coordinators. For any general questions concerning the shoulder season in Region 6, the FWP website contains a wealth of information at https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/elk-shoulder-seasons or people can contact the following:

• Questions about the 699-00 license can be directed to the FWP Region 6 headquarters in Glasgow at 406-228-3700.

• Questions about the 690-01 license can be directed to the FWP Region 6 field office in Havre at 406-265-6177.