BOZEMAN – We anticipate better than average hunting opportunities for the upcoming fall hunting season. FWP Region 2 had a very mild winter in 2025-2026, on the heels of two previous mild winters. The winter was abnormally dry, but early summer conditions provided some needed moisture which should benefit animals heading into the fall. During spring surveys, biologists observed good recruitment for both deer and elk, and overall counts are trending upward in several areas, especially in the Upper Clark Fork.
Big game check stations will be open in Region 2 on weekends during the general season in Darby, Bonner, Anaconda and at the mouth of Fish Creek west of Missoula. Hunters are reminded to stop at all stations they pass, even if they haven't harvested anything.
Region 2 had its first chronic wasting disease (CWD) detection in 2023 in Hunting District (HD) 213 near Deer Lodge. There were no additional CWD detections until 2026 when two more positive mule deer were found in HDs 213 and 215. CWD sampling will be offered at the Anaconda check station and in Drummond to try to increase sampling efforts in the Upper Clark Fork. CWD sampling will also be offered at the Darby check station. Testing for CWD is voluntary and hunters wishing to have harvested elk, deer, and moose tested can submit samples themselves (more info at fwp.mt.gov/cwd), visit the CWD sampling stations, or stop by the FWP office in Missoula (3201 Spurgin Road) during business hours, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., during the general hunting season.
Fire activity has been moderate as of late August, with fire restrictions in place in some Region 2 counties. Hunters may encounter BMA closures or restrictions due to high fire danger in some areas. Hunters should check fire restrictions and closures before heading into the field: mtfireinfo.org.
For more detailed information on antelope, deer and elk numbers and hunting opportunities in western Montana, check out past editions of the FWP Region 2 Wildlife Bulletin, available online at fwp.mt.gov/r2-wildlife-quarterlies.
Elk
Some hunting season changes for 2026 include a new bull permit (250-26) in HD 250 only valid during rifle season (quota = 45), an extension of the 262-01 B license to Jan. 8 in HD 262, increased quotas for elk B 210-03 (500) and 211-00 (150), and an added restriction to elk B 201-01: "not valid in Mineral County."
There are some early-season antlerless hunting opportunities on private lands in several HDs in the Blackfoot, Upper Clark Fork and Bitterroot. Late season antlerless opportunities are also available in some districts. Hunters that hold these licenses are encouraged to reach out to private landowners early to secure access.
In 2026, biologists surveyed all HDs in the Upper Clark Fork during the winter. Aerial survey conditions were good despite the mild conditions and little snow. All HDs were within or above objective. The elk counts (3,015 elk) in the Philipsburg Valley (HDs 210S, 211, 212 and 216) and HD 291 have all shown increasing population trends in recent years. Survey data for HD 293 also suggests an increasing population trend within the area while HD 215 remained relatively stable. HDs 213 and 217 showed modest declines from the previous survey, but both remain substantially above their long-term averages and continue to support robust elk populations. Calf production remained generally good across the Upper Clark Fork and will likely fuel continued population growth. Bull counts were lower than normal this year, but the mild conditions allowed bulls to be distributed more widely, and therefore they were more difficult to find and count. Still, every HD continues to meet management objectives.
In the Bitterroot Valley, biologists surveyed all HDs in the spring, and all were within or above objective. HD 270 (West Fork) recorded the second highest elk count ever, with bull:cow ratios at 17:100 and calf:cow ratios at 32:100. The Eightmile-Turah herd in HD 204 continues to be over objective and river bottom herds in HD 260 continue to grow. The Stevensville (Bell Crossing) herd jumped from 120 to 205 elk, creating increased game damage conflicts and risks to motorists where elk frequently cross the highway.
In HD 201 west of Missoula, spring elk counts also indicate an upward trending population with this year's count (2,355 elk) in comparison to the previous year's count in 2024 and still within population objective. In the Blackfoot Valley, elk counts in HD 282 (Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area [WMA]) have also been trending upward over the last two years.
Elk distribution on private land in the valleys remains consistent, hunters interested in hunting these areas must obtain landowner permission prior to hunting. Additionally, many private lands within the region are enrolled in the Block Management Program (BMA). Access maps and the full guide to private lands enrolled in Block Management including rules and contact information are available online at Block Management Guides and Maps.
Mule Deer
Opportunities to hunt mule deer are somewhat limited in western Montana. Several districts require a permit to harvest a buck, awarded through the statewide application process that happened earlier this year. For the third season, several hunting districts allow mule deer buck harvest on the general license for the first three weeks of the general season only, so hunters are encouraged to read the regulations closely. The three-week season applies to HDs 204, 212, 213, 214, 215, 217, 240 and 292.
Overall, mule deer numbers in the region are down from historic levels but have shown evidence of trending upward in the last few years. This year, biologists reported high fawn recruitment in several survey areas in the Upper and Lower Clark Fork and Bitterroot Valley. Fawn recruitment in HD 270 in the Bitterroot Valley was 52 fawns per 100 adults, a 31 percent increase from the previous year. Across the region, several districts are showing an increasing trend in buck harvest, a positive indicator for more widespread mule deer population growth across the region. Hunters should expect conditions and success to be similar or better than 2025. Mule deer hunters should plan to go high in the mountains for the best opportunity for bigger bucks.
White-tailed Deer
White-tailed deer numbers are generally stable to increasing across the region. Region 2 continues to be a popular place to hunt white-tailed deer in Montana, contributing an average of 15 percent of the statewide harvest since 2004. Antlered harvest was above the long-term (20-year) average in 2025. Most harvest in Region 2 usually occurs in HDs 201, 202, 240, 260 and 285. Mild conditions during the 2025-26 winter led to early green-up conditions. Biologists conducted ground-based green-up surveys in April in HDs 201, 202, 285 and 292. Although fawn:adult ratios were lower than the previous year, overall recruitment and harvest trends point to a stable or increasing population in most of the region.
Some new opportunities for the 2026 season include a new B-license in HD 211 (quota – 25), and an either-sex opportunity the first week of the season on the general license in HDs 281, 285, 292, 293, and 298.
Following the December 2025 commission meeting, the cap on the number of deer licenses individual residents may hold in a license year have been reduced from seven to three for the 2026-2027 license years. The total of three may be represented by a general A license and two B licenses or three B licenses. This cap does not apply to deer licenses made available outside the fall hunting season during game damage hunts.
Overall, hunters should expect good hunting conditions and success to be average or above average this fall. As with other big game, the best opportunity will be away from roads and motorized access.
For more information on Region 2's white-tailed deer harvest trends, see the Region 2 white-tailed deer harvest report online.
Pronghorn
There are only a few pronghorn hunting opportunities in western Montana. Pronghorn numbers in HD 215 were up from last year but still down from the long-term average. FWP did not observe any pronghorn in HD 291 during the summer survey. Though recent years show a decreasing trend in the HD 291 antelope population, observing no pronghorn is likely due to the variable nature of conducting a single survey on a relatively small population. Hunting is limited to a few hunters who received a license through a special drawing.