Montana Spring Predator Hunting: Mountain Lion and Wolf Seasons Open Past Feb. 28

February 26, 2026
1:35 am

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Montana's wild backcountry just got a whole lot more exciting for predator hunters, as the state has extended its mountain lion and wolf seasons well beyond the traditional February 28 cutoff. This isn't some minor tweak—it's a bold move by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to manage surging predator populations that have been hammering deer, elk, and livestock herds. With cougar quotas unmet in key districts and wolf packs rebounding post-delisting, hunters now have until late spring in many areas to pursue these apex predators using hounds, calls, or spot-and-stalk tactics. Picture this: crisp March mornings in the Bitterroots, glassing ridgelines for a tom cougar or setting up for a howling wolf chorus at dusk. It's prime time for ethical harvest, and the extended windows mean more tags filled, fewer fawns lost, and healthier game populations heading into summer. For the 2A community, this extension is a masterclass in self-reliance and the practical firepower that underpins rural America's defense against nature's imbalances. We're talking AR-platform rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor for precise long-range wolf shots, lever-actions like the Marlin 1895 in .45-70 for thick brush cougar hunts, or even suppressed .300 Blackout builds for low-disturbance calling setups—tools that shine when federal overreach tries to kneecap state wildlife management. Montana's decision flies in the face of anti-hunting zealots and wolf reintroduction zealots who've flooded courts with lawsuits; it's a win for sovereign states exercising their rights, much like concealed carry reciprocity battles. Implications? Bolstered hunter turnout means more revenue for conservation (hello, Pittman-Robertson funds), reinforced 2A culture in flyover country, and a reminder that our Second Amendment heritage isn't just about urban defense—it's forged in the blood, mud, and brass of the hunting fields where we feed families and protect ecosystems. This isn't just a season opener; it's a rallying cry for pro-2A patriots to gear up, train hard, and hit the mountains. Grab your hounds, zero that optic, and make Montana's predators earn their keep—because when states like this prioritize science over sentiment, we all win. Who's packing for the hunt?

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Montana’s wild backcountry just got a whole lot more exciting for predator hunters, as the state has extended its mountain lion and wolf seasons well beyond the traditional February 28 cutoff. This isn’t some minor tweak—it’s a bold move by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to manage surging predator populations that have been hammering deer, elk, and livestock herds. With cougar quotas unmet in key districts and wolf packs rebounding post-delisting, hunters now have until late spring in many areas to pursue these apex predators using hounds, calls, or spot-and-stalk tactics. Picture this: crisp March mornings in the Bitterroots, glassing ridgelines for a tom cougar or setting up for a howling wolf chorus at dusk. It’s prime time for ethical harvest, and the extended windows mean more tags filled, fewer fawns lost, and healthier game populations heading into summer.

For the 2A community, this extension is a masterclass in self-reliance and the practical firepower that underpins rural America’s defense against nature’s imbalances. We’re talking AR-platform rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor for precise long-range wolf shots, lever-actions like the Marlin 1895 in .45-70 for thick brush cougar hunts, or even suppressed .300 Blackout builds for low-disturbance calling setups—tools that shine when federal overreach tries to kneecap state wildlife management. Montana’s decision flies in the face of anti-hunting zealots and wolf reintroduction zealots who’ve flooded courts with lawsuits; it’s a win for sovereign states exercising their rights, much like concealed carry reciprocity battles. Implications? Bolstered hunter turnout means more revenue for conservation (hello, Pittman-Robertson funds), reinforced 2A culture in flyover country, and a reminder that our Second Amendment heritage isn’t just about urban defense—it’s forged in the blood, mud, and brass of the hunting fields where we feed families and protect ecosystems.

This isn’t just a season opener; it’s a rallying cry for pro-2A patriots to gear up, train hard, and hit the mountains. Grab your hounds, zero that optic, and make Montana’s predators earn their keep—because when states like this prioritize science over sentiment, we all win. Who’s packing for the hunt?

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