How to register for Montana game damage hunts

Hunters work with landowners to control wildlife damage on crops

Registration is now open for big game hunters in Montana who are interested in participating in game damage hunts,

Hunters can register for the game-damage hunts through MyFWP.

Hunters also can register to be placed on a bison game damage roster. Occasionally, a bison is found outside of the authorized hunting season and outside of the bison tolerance zone near Yellowstone National Park.

Montana FWP is compiling a list of hunters to call for quick removal of the animal. These hunts could be during the warmer months of summer and will require quickly field dressing the animal.

For more information about bison hunting, click here. To register, hunters can log into their MyFWP account or click “look up draw results, register for lists” within the menu.

Then select a preferred hunting district(s) for potential deer, elk, antelope and bison damage hunts and submit. Hunters are asked to sign up for districts where they know the landscape and can respond quickly to game damage issues typically within 24 to 48 hours.

The Hunt Roster sign-up closes July 15, and a randomly generated list will be created from the online registrations and will be posted to MyFWP accounts by July 20. FWP will contact hunters if they are selected for a damage hunt opportunity via phone and/or email, so hunters are asked to ensure they have accurate contact information in their licensing profile.

FWP may also utilize other means of hunter selection in lieu of the Hunt Roster, including first-come, first-served advertised opportunities, unsuccessful special license or permit applicant lists or lists of names supplied by landowners depending upon each damage situation.

For more details on the FWP game damage assistance program visit: https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/landowner-programs/game-damage-program.