AmmoSight

Montana Bison 385-21

Bison License 385-21 — Either Sex in Hunting District 385 — Gardiner, rifle only, Sep 15 – Nov 14, 2026. 93% public land, mostly National Forest.

No points in this draw. Every applicant has the same chance each year.

No nonresident draw results are on file for this hunt. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks publishes resident results only, or none by residency. The numbers below are the resident draw.

Your odds · 2026 draw

<1% Same for everyone

about 1 in 439, every year you apply

Every applicant has the same chance each year: in 2026, 5 tags (all residencies) went to 2,193 first-choice applicants (all residencies).

Points: none, same chance every year

Tags
5
Applicants
2,193
Success
—

First-choice residents.

Odds by Year, 2018–2026

odds (tags ÷ applicants) applicants per tag
1.2% 1.0% 0.8% 0.6% 0.4% 0.4% 0.3% 0.3% 0.2%
2018
81:1
2019
98:1
2020
126:1
2021
159:1
2022
230:1
2023
273:1
2024
343:1
2025
388:1
2026
439:1

Odds (tags ÷ applicants) ran from <1% to 1% across 2018–2026. Applicants per tag: 81:1 in 2018, 439:1 in 2026.

What It Costs · 2026 Resident Fees

Closes May 1 · 193 days
Cost to Apply
$28
If You Miss
$28
If You Draw
$153

The $10 application fee, Bison (nonrefundable, per species) is not refunded. The $10 base hunting license is not refunded. The $8 conservation license is not refunded. Drawing adds the $125 resident Bison license (drawing; bought on or before Aug. 1 if drawn).

Optional, not counted above: Bonus point only (no application) (July 1 - Sept 30, per species) $15.

Opens
Mar 1, 2027
Closes
May 1, 2027
Results
about May 15

Next application window: Open Mar 1 – May 1, 2027 (expected). Dates are last cycle's, rolled forward until Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks publishes 2027.

▸ Every Fee, With Sources
385
Hunting District 385 in full →

Details

Odds in This Draw · 2026 Draw

Who Chance Applied Drew
Everyone <1% — 5

First-choice tags drawn ÷ first-choice applicants, as published. As a lower choice, 385-21 drew no one in 2026, so lower-choice odds are left out.

Draw results: Montana FWP 2026 Bison Drawing Statistics Report, p. 1, retrieved Sep 1, 2026.

How It Hunted, 2023

WhoHuntersHarvestSuccess
All of Hunting District 385 — 2 —

Across every license type in Hunting District 385, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks counted 2 bison taken in 2023 (hunter counts not published). Montana's figures blend mandatory reporting with a phone and mail survey. FWP does not publish district-level hunter counts for elk or antelope, so success rates are missing for those. Source: Montana FWP 2023 Bison harvest by state-licensed hunters.

Other Licenses Valid in Hunting District 385

  • 385-20 Bison License 385-20 — Either Sex Nov 15 – Feb 28 · 40 tags · 9,659 applied <1%
  • 385-77 Bison License 385-77 Nov 15 – Feb 15 · 0 tags · not open to residents in 2025 —

Odds for a first-choice resident. * fewer than 5 tags.

▸ Legal Cartridges 23 on file for Montana bison

23 cartridges on file are legal for bison with a rifle in Montana. Rules and sources: Montana hunting laws.

.22-250 Remington from $0.98/rd .223 Remington from $0.43/rd .243 Winchester from $1.11/rd .25-06 Remington from $1.82/rd 6.5 Creedmoor from $1.01/rd 6.5 Grendel from $0.72/rd .270 Winchester from $0.15/rd 7mm-08 Remington from $1.84/rd 7mm Remington Magnum from $2.05/rd .30-06 Springfield from $1.11/rd .300 AAC Blackout from $0.60/rd .300 Winchester Magnum from $1.25/rd .30-30 Winchester from $1.08/rd .308 Winchester from $0.82/rd .338 Winchester Magnum from $2.61/rd .350 Legend from $1.10/rd .35 Whelen .360 Buckhammer .400 Legend .444 Marlin .450 Bushmaster from $2.02/rd .45-70 Government from $1.97/rd .50 Beowulf
▸ Sources 16
  1. Montana FWP 2026 Bison Drawing Statistics Report, p. 1 · draw results, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
  2. Montana FWP 2025 Bison Drawing Statistics Report, p. 1 · earlier draws, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
  3. Montana FWP 2024 Bison Drawing Statistics Report, p. 1 · earlier draws, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
  4. Montana FWP 2023 Bison Drawing Statistics Report, p. 1 · earlier draws, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
  5. Montana FWP 2022 Bison Drawing Statistics Report earlier draws, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
  6. Montana FWP 2021 Bison Drawing Statistics Report, p. 1 · earlier draws, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
  7. Montana FWP 2020 Bison Drawing Statistics Report, p. 1 · earlier draws, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
  8. Montana FWP 2019 Bison Drawing Statistics Report, p. 1 · earlier draws, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
  9. Montana FWP 2018 Bison Drawing Statistics Report, p. 1 · earlier draws, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
  10. Montana FWP 2026 Moose, Sheep, Goat Hunting Regulations draw rules, fees, seasons, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
  11. Montana Legislature 2026 MCA 87-2-113 Application fees, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  12. Montana Legislature 2026 MCA 87-2-116 Base hunting license… fees, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  13. Montana FWP 2026 Hunting Requirements fees, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  14. Montana FWP 2023 Bison harvest by state-licensed hunters harvest, retrieved Sep 2, 2026
  15. Montana FWP 2026 Bison Hunting Districts boundary, retrieved Sep 2, 2026
  16. Montana FWP 2026-2027 Bison Hunting District Landcover… land ownership, retrieved Sep 2, 2026

About These Numbers

Odds are from the 2026 draw, the latest on file, computed from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' published results (first-choice tags drawn ÷ first-choice applicants, as published). They are what happened in that draw, not a forecast. Under five tags a percentage carries a *, because one applicant either way swings it. A dash means the agency did not publish the number, and a date marked expected is last cycle's schedule rolled forward.

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Every report is checked against the agency source before we change anything.

We don't take applications: check Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks's site and apply there.

Prior-draw odds from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' results, not a forecast · All Montana bison hunts