Montana FWP Closes LMU 391 to Hunting of Male Mountain Lions

January 27, 2026
3:41 am

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Montana's Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission just dropped a curveball on big cat hunters: Lion Management Unit 391 is now off-limits to pursuing male mountain lions, slamming the door shut effective one-half hour after sunset on January 27th, 2026. This isn't some minor tweak—it's a targeted quota closure aimed at dialing back the harvest of toms in a specific hotspot, likely in response to population monitoring data showing males taking a hit. Hunters, mark your calendars and hit the FWP website for real-time quota checks, because this move underscores how fluid these seasons can be in lion country. Digging deeper, this closure spotlights the razor-thin line between sustainable wildlife management and overreach in the American West, where mountain lions roam vast public lands that double as prime hunting grounds for armed citizens exercising their rights. Montana's lion program has long been a model of hunter-driven conservation—quotas based on hard data from collaring and track counts, not emotional anti-hunting lobbies—but closing LMU 391 to males only raises eyebrows. Are we seeing early signs of pressure from urban enviro groups pushing for trophy restrictions that could cascade into broader seasons cuts? For the 2A community, it's a stark reminder: our Second Amendment freedoms extend to the pursuit of game with firearms, but bureaucratic quotas can shutter access overnight. This isn't just about cats; it's a bellwether for how state agencies balance harvest with habitat, and why pro-2A hunters must stay vigilant, funding conservation through tags and licenses to keep public lands open. The implications ripple outward—expect displaced pressure on adjacent units, potential shifts in lion demographics that could spike depredation on livestock or deer herds, and a call to arms (pun intended) for Montana hunters to engage FWP commissioners directly. If you're in the Treasure State or eyeing a cougar tag, pivot to open LMUs now, but keep powder dry for public input periods. This closure might stabilize populations short-term, but it fuels the debate on whether data-driven decisions truly serve sportsmen or just appease the no-hunt crowd. Stay informed, stay armed, and hunt on.

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Montana’s Fish, Wildlife & Parks Commission just dropped a curveball on big cat hunters: Lion Management Unit 391 is now off-limits to pursuing male mountain lions, slamming the door shut effective one-half hour after sunset on January 27th, 2026. This isn’t some minor tweak—it’s a targeted quota closure aimed at dialing back the harvest of toms in a specific hotspot, likely in response to population monitoring data showing males taking a hit. Hunters, mark your calendars and hit the FWP website for real-time quota checks, because this move underscores how fluid these seasons can be in lion country.

Digging deeper, this closure spotlights the razor-thin line between sustainable wildlife management and overreach in the American West, where mountain lions roam vast public lands that double as prime hunting grounds for armed citizens exercising their rights. Montana’s lion program has long been a model of hunter-driven conservation—quotas based on hard data from collaring and track counts, not emotional anti-hunting lobbies—but closing LMU 391 to males only raises eyebrows. Are we seeing early signs of pressure from urban enviro groups pushing for trophy restrictions that could cascade into broader seasons cuts? For the 2A community, it’s a stark reminder: our Second Amendment freedoms extend to the pursuit of game with firearms, but bureaucratic quotas can shutter access overnight. This isn’t just about cats; it’s a bellwether for how state agencies balance harvest with habitat, and why pro-2A hunters must stay vigilant, funding conservation through tags and licenses to keep public lands open.

The implications ripple outward—expect displaced pressure on adjacent units, potential shifts in lion demographics that could spike depredation on livestock or deer herds, and a call to arms (pun intended) for Montana hunters to engage FWP commissioners directly. If you’re in the Treasure State or eyeing a cougar tag, pivot to open LMUs now, but keep powder dry for public input periods. This closure might stabilize populations short-term, but it fuels the debate on whether data-driven decisions truly serve sportsmen or just appease the no-hunt crowd. Stay informed, stay armed, and hunt on.

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