Shed Hunters in Montana Need to Check These New Rules

Having the privilege of growing up on a ranch in Montana, there are many things that I simply take for granted.  Drinking water from the stream, seeing game animals of all sorts, and impressive country.

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Of those things, riding in the backcountry searching for and rounding up cattle through the Highwood Mountains, allowed me pristine access to a commodity that has suddenly become big business.

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Shed Hunters in Montana Need to Check These New Rules

Over the years, I've been fortunate to collect some great samples of elk, mule deer and whitetail antlers.  And since we still continue to camp on our original ranch, we still occasionally find one while hiking.

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With the popularity of the sheds, the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks have had to instill regulations on some areas of the state, especially the more significant wildlife management areas, such as the Sun River Game Range, or the C.M. Russell Wildlife Management area.

Changes to Shed Hunting with the Montana Legislature Enacted for 2026

In 2025, the Montana Legislature enacted to policies and law for shed hunting in the state, most specifically to non-residents of the state.

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Effective in 2026, non-residents will need to pay a "$50 nonresident shed hunting license for Montana’s Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), and it prohibits nonresidents from picking up antlers on WMAs for the first seven days they are open in the spring".  The new law doesn’t impact resident shed antler hunters or nonresident shed antler hunters who are not on a WMA.

MFWP also wants to make sure that shed hunters are safe while out in the backcountry of Montana, offering the following tips:

• Montana is bear country and much of it is grizzly bear country. When you’re hunting shed antlers make noise, go with a partner or group, and carry bear spray. It’s always better to make efforts to avoid a surprise encounter than to have to deal with one.
• Make sure to know where you’re at and if you’re on private land, make sure to have permission. Block Management Areas (BMA) are not open for shed antler hunting.
• Avoid areas with wintering wildlife. Late winter and early spring can be stressful times for wildlife, particularly ungulates. Human activity can cause unnecessary stress.

You can learn more about shed hunting laws and regulations here.