AmmoSight

Montana Bison 395-20

Bison License 395-20 — Either Sex in Hunting District 395 — West Yellowstone, rifle only, Nov 15 – Feb 28, 2027. 93% public land, mostly National Forest.

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

Your odds · 2026 draw

<1% (small sample) Same for everyone

about 1 in 419, every year you apply

Every applicant has the same chance each year: in 2026, 2 tags went to 838 first-choice applicants.

Points: none, same chance every year

NR Tags
2
Applicants
838
Success
—

First-choice nonresidents.

Odds by Year, 2018–2026

odds (tags ÷ applicants) applicants per tag
0.8% 0.9% 0.9% 0.8% 0.7% 0.8% 0.3% 0.3% 0.2%
2018
128:1
2019
113:1
2020
117:1
2021
130:1
2022
138:1
2023
128:1
2024
372:1
2025
343:1
2026
419:1

Odds (tags ÷ applicants) ran from <1% to <1% across 2018–2026. Applicants per tag: 128:1 in 2018, 419:1 in 2026.

What It Costs · 2026 NR Fees

Closes May 1 · 195 days
Cost to Apply
$117.50
If You Miss
$117.50
If You Draw
$1,367.50

The $50 application fee, Bison (nonrefundable, per species) is not refunded. The $50 base hunting license (annual, assessed with first hunting license or application) is not refunded. The $10 conservation license (prerequisite for all licenses) is not refunded. The $7.50 Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Pass (16 and older) is not refunded. Drawing adds the $1,250 nonresident Bison license (drawing; bought on or before Aug. 1 if drawn).

Optional, not counted above: Bonus point only (no application), Bison (July 1 - Sept 30) $75 and Bonus point only (no application) (July 1 - Sept 30, per species) $25.

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
West Yellowstone Ennis Dillon 395
Hunting District 395 in full →

Details

Odds in This Draw · 2026 Draw

Who Chance Applied Drew
Everyone <1% (small sample) — 2

First-choice tags drawn ÷ first-choice applicants, as published. As a lower choice, 395-20 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 395 — 13 —

Across every license type in Hunting District 395, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks counted 13 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 395

  • 395-77 Bison License 395-77 Nov 15 – Feb 15 · 0 tags · not open to nonresidents in 2025 —

Odds for a first-choice nonresident. * 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 17
  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 2026 Nonresident License Fees, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  15. Montana FWP 2023 Bison harvest by state-licensed hunters harvest, retrieved Sep 2, 2026
  16. Montana FWP 2026 Bison Hunting Districts boundary, retrieved Sep 2, 2026
  17. 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. How we compute these.

Report an error on this page

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 · Methodology · All Montana bison hunts