March 15 is an important date for Montanans who enjoy the sport of elk hunting. 

Information and Education Coordinator for Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, Vivaca Crowser said deer and elk permit applications are due by March 15, with some important changes.

“The deadline is important this year because we have some changes here in Region 2 that might just slip under the radar for hunters who aren’t used to applying for some of these permits that they might want to have in hand this year, and we don’t want people to miss that,” Crowser said.

Crowser said the biggest change concerns antlerless permits that are replacing were formerly known as ‘B’ licenses that allowed for a second elk or a cow elk.

“Instead of that in many of our districts this coming season, you’re going to need a permit to harvest an antlerless elk, and we’re doing that to spread the harvest around.” She said. “We heard from a lot of hunters that they didn’t like the concept of one person being able to take a bull and a cow in the same district. This permit will allow you to harvest a cow, but you have to use it with your general license.”

Crowser said along with the new permit, the application must be submitted by March 15.

“The antlerless permits are available in the following districts; 200, 201, 202, 210, 211, 213, 214, 215, 216, 270, 281, 291 and 293,” she said. “That’s a long list, but the take-home there is that over half of our hunting districts do have these antlerless permits, so be sure to check and see if the place where you like to hunt you would have to have a permit to harvest a cow this year.”

More details are available on the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks website.

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