Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks published its annual hunting forecast for 2026 so people can prepare for the upcoming season. Regional summaries explain what hunters may encounter with deer, elk, and pronghorn across the state.

The document is not limited to big game. It also offers an outlook for the upland game bird season, covering trends in grouse, partridge, and pheasant. Those projections incorporate the agency’s spring survey results along with weather and other data.