Regulations
Regulations for upcoming seasons are posted online throughout the year. Upland Game Bird regulations are typically posted mid July.
All downloads below are in PDF format.
Plan Your Hunt Online
Launch maps, obtain legal descriptions, regulations, and statistics all in one place.
These dates are provided only as a general reference. Check current regulations or use FWP's online Hunt Planner for specific dates.
2025 SEASON
Mountain Grouse: Sept. 1 - Jan. 1
Partridge: Sept. 1 - Jan. 1 (except for portion of Carbon County, where it is Sept. 1 - Jan. 10)
Ring-necked Pheasant: Oct. 11 - Jan. 1
Youth Hunt: Sept. 27 - Sept. 28
Sage Grouse: Sept. 1 - Sept. 30
Sharp-tailed Grouse: Sept. 1 - Jan. 1
Falconry: Sept. 1 - March 31
Upland Game Bird
Details: Residents 12-17, 62 or older, and the disabled may purchase for half cost ($3.75). Nonresidents 12-17 may purchase for half cost ($55).
Fees:
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Resident: $7.50
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Nonresident: $110
3 Day Upland Game Bird
Details: 3-day license for nonresidents. The license is not valid for sage grouse at any time or for ring-neck pheasants during the opening week of the season.
Fees:
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Resident: N/A
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Nonresident: $50
Upland Game Bird 3-Day Preserve
Details: Nonresidents need a Conservation and Base Hunting License as prerequisites. Valid only on state-licensed private Shooting Preserves.
Fees:
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Resident: N/A
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Nonresident: $20
Nonresident Montana Native Upland Game Bird License
Details: For a former resident who was born in Montana, with current resident relative, other qualifications apply.
Fees:
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Resident: N/A
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Nonresident: $55
Availability
Upland Game Bird licenses are available Over the Counter.
Want more birds? Habitat is key for game bird production, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks collaborates with private landowners, public land managers, and conservation organizations to enhance, conserve, and manage lands for game birds.
Montana’s broad diversity of habitats provide for an array of wildlife, including nine upland game bird species.
Three of the nine game bird species are not native to Montana yet arguably are the more popular game birds to hunt: Ring-necked Pheasants, Gray Partridge, and Merriam’s Wild Turkey.
Learn more about Montana’s upland game birds, including their habitat requirements, diagnostic characteristics, and general distributions, by visiting the Montana Field Guide links:
Wondering where to start? Check out FWP’s Hunter Access programs.
Learn how Montana FWP and other state and tribal agencies use federally awarded dollars to fund access programs:
Pheasant Release Sites
FWP’s pheasant stocking program releases birds on state lands with suitable habitat around Montana every fall. In 2023, nearly 12,000 birds will be released on wildlife management areas, fishing access sites, and some school trust lands around the state.
