Hunting Season Enters Its Last Week

Check Stations in NW Montana Match Last Year’s Numbers

The general deer and elk hunting season is entering its final week.

Throughout the first five weeks of the season, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ game check stations in northwest Montana have processed over 9,000 hunters, indicating participation levels similar to the previous year, even as harvest rates differ across species and regions.

Hunters in the area have checked in 831 white-tailed deer, including 636 bucks, along with 71 mule deer and 46 elk. The overall harvest rate remains nearly unchanged at 10.5 percent, mirroring last year’s figures.

While check stations provide a glimpse into hunter efforts and harvest rates, they only reflect a portion of the total harvest in the region. Hunters are reminded to stop at any check station they encounter, regardless of whether they have harvested an animal.

The general deer and elk season for 2025 continues until November 30, with check stations open weekends from 10 a.m. until approximately 1.5 hours post-sunset. Region 1 stations can be found on U.S. Highway 2 west of Kalispell, Montana Highway 83 north of Swan Lake, Highway 200 west of Thompson Falls, and Highway 93 near Olney.

Hunters can still find opportunities as winter approaches. Certain areas offer elk hunting opportunities, and Montana’s Muzzleloader Heritage season for deer and elk is set for December 13-21, 2025.

As the season concludes, hunters are encouraged to express gratitude towards Montana landowners for their access and share their experiences through an online platform. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is facilitating this initiative to gather thank-you notes for the landowners who have supported your hunting experience. These messages will be shared with the landowners at season’s end, and notes can be submitted online at https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/thank-a-landowner.

Chronic Wasting Disease Awareness

Hunters are vital in assisting Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks with monitoring chronic wasting disease (CWD). Testing is voluntary in most of northwest Montana, but it is mandatory for specific licenses near Libby, including the White-tailed Deer B License 199-20 in Hunting Districts 100, 103, and 104, and the Mule Deer Permit 103-50 in Hunting District 103.

Hunters can have their animals tested at CWD sampling stations, most FWP offices, or by collecting and mailing samples independently.

FWP advises obtaining a negative test result prior to processing or donating the meat.

If the animal tests positive for CWD, FWP will provide guidance to the hunter on proper carcass and meat disposal, along with instructions on how to request a new license.

Hunters are encouraged to dispose of carcass waste responsibly to help prevent the dissemination of CWD and other diseases. High-risk parts such as the brain and spinal tissue should ideally be left at the kill site or disposed of at a Class II landfill when feasible.

In northwest Montana, hunters can have their animals tested this fall as follows:

General Deer & Elk Season

• Hunters may self-submit samples
• Visit the Libby CWD Sampling Station at the Montana Department of Transportation shop on US Hwy 2, open Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays from 10 a.m. until dusk.
• Check in at a game check station operating on weekends
• Go to the Region 1 office in Kalispell (490 N. Meridian) during business hours, Monday–Friday.

For additional information on CWD, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/chronic-wasting-disease/

Muzzleloader Heritage Hunting Season

The Muzzleloader Heritage hunting season is scheduled for December 13-21, 2025.

• During this season, a hunter can take a deer or elk using any unused license or permit that remains valid on the last day of the general hunting season.
• Hunters are permitted to utilize plain lead projectiles and a muzzleloading rifle charged with loose black powder, loose pyrodex, or an equivalent substitute and ignited by flintlock, wheel lock, matchlock, or percussion mechanisms with percussion or musket caps.
• The muzzleloading rifle must have a minimum caliber of .45 and can have no more than two barrels.
• Hunters may not use muzzleloading rifles that require the insertion of a cap or primer into the open breech (inline models), can be loaded from the breech, or are equipped with optical magnification.
• Pre-prepared paper or metallic cartridges, sabots, gas checks, or other similar manufactured loads that enclose the projectile from the firearm’s rifling or bore are also prohibited.
• Many of Montana’s Wildlife Management Areas undergo seasonal closures from December 2 to May 14, with dates varying by site. Prior to heading into the field, hunters should examine regulations for each hunting district. A list of WMAs and their seasonal closures can be found online at https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/wildlife-management-areas.