Migratory Birds Seasons

Statewide-Snipe, Mourning Dove, and Sandhill Crane

License

Quota

Season Dates

Bag Limit

Additional Information

Common (Wilson’s) Snipe

-

-

Sept. 1-Dec. 16

8 daily and 24 in possession

Mourning Dove

-

-

Sept. 1-Oct. 30

15 daily and 45 in possession

It is unlawful to shoot mourning doves resting on utility lines or fixtures adjacent to those lines.

Sandhill Crane Special Drawing License

All sandhill crane hunting in the Pacific Flyway and in Wheatland, Meagher, Carbon, and Golden Valley counties and that portion of Sweetgrass County north of I-90 is by special license only. Applicants must possess a current year Conservation and Base Hunting License. Hunters may apply for a crane special license online at ols.fwp.mt.gov or over the counter at any FWP regional or area office no later than July 20, 2023. Applicants may apply for only one area and must specify the hunting area for which they are applying.

280-01

5

Sept. 1-Oct. 30

1 sandhill crane

Only valid in Warm Springs portion of Deer Lodge County.

Warm Springs portion of Deer Lodge County: those portions of Deer Lodge County lying within the following described boundary: beginning at the intersection of I-90 and Highway 273, then westerly along Highway 273 to the junction of Highway 1, then southeast along said highway to Highway 275 at Opportunity, then east along said highway to East Side County Road, then north along said road to Perkins Lake, then west on said lane to I-90, then north on said interstate to the junction of Highway 273, the point of beginning. Except for sections 13 and 24, T5N, R10W; and Warm Springs Pond number 3.

284-01

40

Sept. 1-Oct. 30

2 sandhill cranes

Only valid in Ovando-Helmville area. Successful applicants will receive two 284-01 Sandhill Crane licenses.

Ovando-Helmville area: that portion of the Pacific Flyway, located in Powell County lying within the following described boundary: beginning at the junction of State Routes 141 and 200, then west along Route 200 to its intersection with the Blackfoot River at Russell Gates Fishing Access Site (Powell-Missoula County line), then southeast along said river to its intersection with the Ovando-Helmville Road (County Road 104) at Cedar Meadows Fishing Access Site, then south and east along said road to its junction with State Route 271 (at Main Street in Helmville), then east along said route to its junction with State Route 141, then north along said route to its junction with State Route 200, the point of beginning.

380-01

120

Sept. 1-Oct. 30

2 sandhill cranes

Only valid in Beaverhead, Gallatin, Jefferson, and Madison counties. Successful applicants will receive two 380-01 Sandhill Crane licenses.

390-01

25

Sept. 1-Oct. 30

2 sandhill cranes

Only valid in Broadwater County. Successful applicants will receive two 390-01 Sandhill Crane licenses.

480-01

20

Sept. 1-Oct. 30

1 sandhill crane

Only valid in Cascade and Teton counties.

586-01

70

Sept. 1-Oct. 30

2 sandhill cranes

Only valid in Golden Valley, Wheatland, and Meagher counties and that portion of Sweetgrass County north of I-90. Success- ful applicants will receive two 586-01 Sandhill Crane licenses.

599-00

30

Sept. 1-Oct. 30

2 sandhill cranes

Only valid in Carbon County. Successful applicants will receive two 599-00 Sandhill Crane licenses.

Sandhill Crane Over-the-Counter Permit

Persons wishing to hunt sandhill cranes in the Central Flyway outside of the special license drawing areas must obtain a free permit available from all statewide Fish, Wildlife & Parks offices and license providers.

-

-

Sept 30-Nov. 26

3 daily and 9 in possession

Exception 1: That area south and west of I-90 is closed to the hunting of sandhill cranes except for Carbon County with the 599-00 license.

Exception 2: Hunting in Golden Valley, Wheatland, and Meagher counties and that portion of Sweetgrass County north of I-90 can only be done with a 586-01 license.

Statewide- Waterfowl

Special Two-Day Youth Waterfowl Season

Sept. 23-24, 2023 – Statewide

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is allowing two additional days to provide a special hunting opportunity to encourage youth participation in waterfowling. Lawfully licensed youth ages 15 and under may hunt ducks, mergansers, geese and coots statewide on these days. The bag limit, shooting hours, and all other regulations that apply to the regular waterfowl season shall apply to this special season.

Exception: Canyon Ferry: Shooting hours will be one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to 12 noon Sept. 23 and 24.

Pacific Flyway

Ducks (including Mergansers)

Daily bag limit shall be 7 ducks or mergansers. Daily bag limit shall not include more than 2 hen mallards, 1 pintail, 2 redheads, 2 canvasbacks and 2 scaup. Scaup season closes Dec 24. The possession limit may not exceed three times the daily bag limit of any species and sex.

Sept. 23 - Sept. 24

Only lawfully licensed youth ages 15 and under.

Sept. 30 - Dec. 24

Standard bag limit. Please note Pacific Flyway exceptions.

Dec. 25 - Jan. 12

Standard bag limit excluding scaup. Please note Pacific Flyway exceptions.

Coots

Bag Limit: 25 daily and in possession

Sept. 23 - Sept. 24

Only lawfully licensed youth ages 15 and under.

Sept. 30 - Jan. 12

Please note Pacific Flyway exceptions.

Geese

Daily limit: 20 white geese (Snow, Blue, Ross’s) and 5 dark geese (all other geese). The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit.

Sept. 23 - Sept. 24

Only lawfully licensed youth ages 15 and under.

Sept. 30 - Jan. 12

Please note Pacific Flyway exceptions.

Falconry: Ducks (including Mergansers), Coots and Geese

Bag Limit: For all permitted migratory birds, the bag limit is 2 daily and 6 in possession, singly or in the aggregate, during the regular hunting season.

Sept. 30 - Jan. 12

See Exceptions for Ducks, Coots & Geese.

Pacific Flyway (continued)

Swan-Hunting by Drawing Only

License

Quota

Season Dates

Bag Limit

Additional Information

481-20

500

Oct. 7 - Dec. 1

1 swan

Swan hunters must have, as a means of retrieving swans, a watercraft, a dog capable of retrieving, or chest-high waders while hunting the dikes at Freezout.

Hunting in Cascade, Chouteau, Liberty, Hill, Toole, and portions of Teton and Pondera counties by special swan permit only. Those portions of Teton and Pondera counties lying west of US Highway 287 from Augusta to Choteau and US Highway 89 from Choteau to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation are closed to hunting of all swans. The remainder of the Pacific Flyway within Montana is closed to swan hunting. Hunting only by special permit. Application deadline is July 20. Must apply in only one flyway. Applicants must possess a current year Conservation and Base Hunting License.

Hunters may apply for a swan special license online OR over the counter at any FWP regional or area office no later than July 20, 2023.

72-Hour reporting requirement:

Federal regulations require that hunters shooting a swan in the Pacific Flyway portion of Montana must complete and return a Swan Bill Measurement Card within 72 hours of harvesting a swan. Bill measurement cards may be returned to Montana FWP by:

• deposit in regular U.S. mail or,
• deposit in Swan Bill Measurement Card Deposit Boxes situated in numerous locations at Freezout WMA.

Central Flyway

Ducks (including Mergansers)

Bag limit: The daily bag limit is 6 ducks or mergansers. The daily bag limit may contain no more than 5 mallards of which no more than 2 may be hens, 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 hooded mergansers, 1 pintail, 2 canvasbacks and 1 scaup. During the first9 days of the regular duck season in both Zones (Sept. 30 - Oct. 8), the daily bag may include 2 additional blue-winged teal. The possession limit may not exceed three times the daily bag limit of any species and sex.

Zone 1

Zone 2

Sept. 23 - Sept. 24 Only licensed youth ages 15 and under

Sept. 23 - Sept. 24 Only licensed youth ages 15 and under

Sept. 30 - Jan. 4

Sept. 30 - Oct. 8

Oct. 21 - Jan. 16

Coots

Bag Limit: 15 daily. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit.

Zone 1

Zone 2

Sept. 23 - Sept. 24 Only licensed youth ages 15 and under

Sept. 23 - Sept. 24 Only licensed youth ages 15 and under

Sept. 30 - Jan. 4

Sept. 30 - Oct. 8

Oct. 21 - Jan. 16

Geese

Daily limit: 20 white geese (Snow, Blue, Ross’s) and 5 dark geese (all other geese). The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit.

Zone 1

Zone 2

Sept. 23 - Sept. 24 Only licensed youth ages 15 and under

Sept. 23 - Sept. 24 Only licensed youth ages 15 and under

Sept. 30 - Jan. 12

Sept. 30 - Oct. 8

Oct. 21 - Jan. 24

Falconry: Ducks (including Mergansers) and Coots

Bag Limit: For all permitted migratory birds, the bag limit is 2 daily and 6 in possession, singly or in the aggregate, during the regular hunting season and the extended falconry season.

Zone 1

Zone 2

Sept. 20 - Jan. 4

Sept. 20 - Oct. 8

Oct. 21 - Jan. 16

Falconry: Geese

Bag Limit: For all permitted migratory birds, the bag limit is 2 daily and 6 in possession, singly or in the aggregate, during the regular hunting season and the extended falconry season.

Zone 1

Zone 2

Sept. 30 - Jan. 12

Sept. 30 - Oct. 8

Oct. 21 - Jan. 24

Swan-Hunting by Special License Only

License

Quota

Season Dates

Bag Limit

Additional Information

684-20

500

Sept. 30 - Jan. 4

1 swan

Application deadline is July 20. Must apply in only one flyway.

Applicants must possess a current year Conservation and Base Hunting License. Hunters may apply for a swan special license online atfwp.mt.gov or over the counter at any FWP regional or area office no later than July 20, 2023. Surplus Central Flyway swan special licenses will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Aug. 10, either online, or over the counter at any FWP regional or area office. For online requests, allow time for a permit, letter, swan tag, and bill card to be mailed to you.