How to Get a Hunting License as a Montana Landowner

So how do you get a hunting license as a landowner in Montana?

Let’s break it down.

Step 1: Understand Your Hunting District

Montana is divided into hunting districts, each with its own tag rules:

• General Units: Licenses are available over the counter — no lottery.
  
• Limited-Entry Units: Tags are awarded through a drawing. These include many trophy elk areas.
  
• Special Draw Units: Require accumulating preference points over several years to increase your odds.
  
  

Knowing which district your land falls in is step one — because that determines whether you're in for an easy buy or a multi-year wait.

Step 2: Explore the Landowner Preference Program

Landowners in some districts may qualify for landowner preference tags.

These don’t guarantee a tag every year, but they can improve your chances if:

• You own at least 160 contiguous acres
  
• The land provides habitat for the species you're applying for
  
• You meet the resident or non-resident status criteria
  
  

Some units offer every-year access, while others only provide tags every second or third year, depending on management objectives.

Step 3: Apply the Right Way — and Early

Each spring, the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) department opens application windows for both residents and non-residents.

Your best chances come from:

• Buying preference points (you can do this even if you’re not applying that year)
  
• Applying for the right district based on your land location
  
• Consulting with someone who knows the tag strategy game
  
  

Step 4: Consider Hiring an Outfitter

For non-resident landowners especially, booking a hunt through a licensed Montana outfitter can help with tag availability and application logistics.

Erik Erickson — land broker and owner of Forbidden Ridge Outfitters — knows which areas offer the best chances based on your land’s location and your target species. His team has boots-on-the-ground experience in Montana’s toughest-to-draw units.

Step 5: Get Expert Advice Before You Buy

The easiest way to set yourself up for hunting success in Montana is to buy land in a unit that already fits your hunting goals.

Erik Erickson is a licensed broker, rancher, veteran, and outfitter who knows how hunting tags, landowner rights, and district strategies actually work.

He helps clients:

• Identify property in ideal hunting zones
  
• Understand tag cycles and limitations
  
• Prepare for future ownership with a clear plan
  
  

Ready to Hunt Right in Eastern Montana?

Before you buy — or before you assume anything about your hunting rights — get expert guidance from someone who knows the hunting units, land regulations, and local access issues of Eastern Montana.

Erik Erickson is a land broker, outfitter, veteran, and lifelong rancher based in Joliet, just outside of Billings. He helps buyers and landowners navigate hunting regulations across Carbon, Yellowstone, Stillwater, and surrounding counties.

Call 406‑861‑5558 or visit mtlandandranch.com to connect with Erik and plan your path to a successful hunt — backed by the right land.