Montana is two deer states in one. The west is mountain country with mule deer in the high basins and whitetails in the valleys. The east is a sea of prairie, river bottoms, and badlands, with some of the best public-land mule deer and river-bottom whitetail hunting in the country. Seasons are long, the general deer license covers most of the state, and antlerless B licenses make it easy to hunt more than one deer.
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Montana deer hunting at a glance
| Where to apply | Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), online at fwp.mt.gov |
| Combination license and deer permit deadline | April 1 (11:45 p.m. MST in 2026), results mid-April |
| Deer B drawing deadline | June 1, results mid-June |
| Nonresident deer license | $760 Deer Combination or $1,312 Big Game Combination (2026), plus $60 in prerequisites |
| Resident deer license | $16 general deer license (2026) |
| 2026 seasons | Archery September 5 – October 18. Youth deer October 15–16. General October 24 – November 29 |
Fees and dates are from FWP for 2026. Confirm 2027 numbers when FWP releases them.
Mule deer or whitetail?
- Mule deer are found statewide, but eastern and central Montana’s prairie and breaks country is where many hunters go for open-country spot-and-stalk hunting. Some districts limit buck mule deer to permit holders.
- Whitetails are thick in river bottoms and farm country in the east and in western valleys. The November rut falls inside the general season, which is a big reason Montana whitetail hunts are popular.
Your general deer license is good for one deer. Which species and sex you can take depends on each hunting district’s rules.
Step 1: Draw a combination license
Nonresidents get a general deer license by drawing a Deer Combination (deer, upland bird, and fishing) or a Big Game Combination (adds a general elk license). The deadline is April 1. Most licenses go to applicants with preference points, and 25% are drawn at random among applicants with no points.
Read our step-by-step deer draw guide
Step 2: Add permits or B licenses
Some districts need a deer permit to hunt buck mule deer. Deer B licenses let you take extra antlerless deer, and some are sold over the counter.
Learn how the general deer license, permits, and B licenses work
Step 3: Pick your season
Archery runs six weeks from early September. The five-week general season runs from late October through November and covers the whitetail and mule deer rut.
See all 2026 Montana deer season dates
Step 4: Budget for it
A nonresident Deer Combination with prerequisites costs about $833. DIY trips usually run $1,600 to $4,700. Guided deer hunts commonly cost $4,500 to $8,000.
Break down the cost of a Montana deer hunt
Step 5: Guided or DIY?
Eastern Montana has huge blocks of BLM and state land and many Block Management areas, so DIY mule deer hunting is very doable. Prime whitetail ground is mostly private, which is where outfitters and leases come in.
Compare guided and DIY deer hunts
Requirements every hunter needs
- Hunter education if you were born after January 1, 1985.
- Conservation license ($10) and base hunting license ($50) for nonresidents.
- Bow and arrow license for archery-only seasons ($10 nonresident), plus bowhunter education or a prior archery license.
- Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Pass ($7.50, ages 16 and up).
- Landowner permission for private land. Block Management areas have their own rules and sign-in systems.
- CWD rules. FWP has carcass transport rules and testing. Check fwp.mt.gov/cwd.
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Also see discount guided hunts, self-guided and DIY hunts, and hunting leases.
Hunting elk too? See our Montana elk hunting guide.