2024 Montana Deer/Elk Season Dates

[Toast]

Does Montana produce their upcoming season dates any further than a couple months in advance (like CO posting season dates for 6 years)? I'm unable to find anything for 2024, but with the past four years looking like:
Year | Archery Opener | Rifle Opener
2020 | 9/5 | 10/24
2021 | 9/4 | 10/23
2022 | 9/3 | 10/22
2023 | 9/2 | 10/21

Is it a safe assumption that 2024 will follow the same trend?
Archery Opener: 9/1/2024
Rifle Opener: 10/20/2024

 

[MThuntr]

Archery is the First Saturday of September and General is the Saturday 5 weeks before the Sunday after Thanksgiving (sounds confusing but hard to type out) so more likely.
Archery 9/7
General 10/26

 

[Toast]

Archery is the First Saturday of September and General is the Saturday 5 weeks before the Sunday after Thanksgiving (sounds confusing but hard to type out) so more likely.
Archery 9/7
General 10/26

Very helpful. Thank you.

 

[MThuntr]

Very helpful. Thank you.

I'm often wrong so hold your thanks until a few other guys chime in

 

[MTHunter1321]

I'm often wrong so hold your thanks until a few other guys chime in

Unless the commission changes something I think you’re correct. I know that in years past when the Saturday of Labor Day weekend is August still, then archery opens the following weekend. If that Saturday is September then archery starts then. I think it happens every 5-6 years or so when the archery opener doesn’t fall on Labor Day weekend. I think your dates are about 99% probable for 2024.

 

[Toast]

Yep - you're right. Went back and looked: the last time Sept 1st fell on a Sunday (like it will in 2024) was in 2019, where the season dates were 9/7 and 10/26.

 

[MTGomer]

over the counter crossbow and rifle season will start on January 1 and end on December 31 in 2025.

 

[sclancy27]

Next year is a leap year, so 9/7 archery will start. Everything else falls in line with that

 

[BuckRut]

The season is always worked backwards off of Thanksgiving weekend. General rifle always end on Thanksgiving weekend and is 5 weeks long. General archery always ends the Sunday before general rifle opens and is 6 weeks long. With the exception of some R2 deer units that only have a 3 week general rifle season.

 

[Toast]

As a man with a 10/26 anniversary..

 

[bigsky2]

I wish they would just open on the same dates every year like Wyoming. It’s nice when archery opens at the beginning of September and you can hunt bulls that are still hanging out in their summer spots. Next years dates are about as bad as they get for archery hunting bulls that you’ve scouted in the summer.

 

[406bobcat]

Montana definitely needs to copy WY on a few things, not to hijack the thread....

- Open seasons on the same dates, not weekends
- Only require an orange hat, instead of orange vests
- 3pts or better for Mule Deer

 

[antlerradar]

I wish they would just open on the same dates every year like Wyoming. It’s nice when archery opens at the beginning of September and you can hunt bulls that are still hanging out in their summer spots. Next years dates are about as bad as they get for archery hunting bulls that you’ve scouted in the summer.

For me it is just the opposite. I have some spots that the old bulls got to after they leave the cows. Next years season dates just about guarantees that I will not draw a tag.