With general season at an end, elk hunters still have opportunity with late antlerless elk seasons in many hunting districts around the state.

Earlier this year, the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission approved changes to elk shoulder seasons in several hunting districts and hunters interested in participating should review the updated regulations online.

Elk shoulder season changes made by the commission include:

• a shoulder season in hunting district 314 that applies to elk B license 314-00 only and is not valid on public lands;
• extending shoulder season to Feb. 15 for HDs 262, 290, 298, 314, 390, 391, 393, 411 east of Montana Highway 238 only, 417, 502, 510, 511, 520, 530, 540, 560, 575, 580 and 590;
• including public lands in expanded shoulder seasons in HD 411 east of highway 238 and HDs 417, 530, 540, 580 and 590. These public lands include the Yellowstone Wildlife Management Area. The commission made this change in an effort to determine whether hunters would see more harvest with shoulder seasons being valid on public land.

Elk shoulder seasons provide the ability to harvest more antlerless elk. Several hunting districts remain above population objective even with late shoulder seasons. The extension applies to all elk licenses and permits valid for shoulder seasons in these hunting districts except in HD 314, where license 314-00 is now valid through Feb. 15.

The 2021 Deer, Elk, Antelope Hunting Regulations posted on the FWP website, show the changes. See the attached list of 2021 late elk shoulder seasons. For more information on elk shoulder seasons, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/hunt/elk-shoulder-seasons.

2021 LATE ELK SHOULDER SEASONS

Hunters must refer to the online 2021 Deer, Elk, Antelope Hunting regulations for specific hunting district details.

Download table: 2021 Late Elk Shoulder Seasons Dates (PDF)

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