Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks says there was an increase in illegally-taken mountain lions in central Montana in 2025.
According to wardens, five mountain lions were harvested in Region 4, and three hunters admitted they purchased their lion license only after shooting the animal.
The hunters were cited for hunting without a valid license or unlawful possession of wildlife. Total fines and restitution amounted to $3,605.
All of the illegally-taken lions were confiscated.
Game Warden Sgt. Trent Farmer said in a news release: “These are really just crimes of opportunity. Hunters are encountering lions while hunting deer or elk and then trying to buy a license after the fact. Hunters who want to harvest a lion need to plan ahead and purchase a license before the season begins.”
Full details on 2026 mountain lion hunting regulations, seasons, and quotas will be released later this summer.
Region 4 stretches from Glacier County to Petroleum County, and includes Lewistown, Great Falls, Havre, and Fort Benton.
From the Montana Field Guide:
A large cat with an elongate body, powerful limbs, small head, short face, short rounded ears, long neck and long, round, black-tipped tail.
Two color phases: buff, cinnamon, and tawny to cinnamon rufous and ferruginous, and silvery gray to bluish and slaty gray; young are buffy with dark spots, and the eyes are blue for the first few months; color of upperparts is most intense midorsally; sides of muzzle and backs of ears are black; underparts are dull whitish with buff wash across the belly; end of tail is dark brown or blackish; adult total length 171 to 274 cm in males, 150 to 233 cm in females; adult tail length 53 to 81 cm; greatest length of skull 172 to 237 mm in males, 158 to 203 mm in females.
Eyes set forward on head for sight hunting. Adult males weigh 150 to 190 lbs., females 70 to 120 lbs. Solitary, except for females accompanied by males or kittens. Females den in caves, rock crevices, brush piles, etc. with kittens and leave them there while hunting; usually hunt by stealth at night and cover unused food for later use. Males territorial, and large male home ranges may overlap smaller ones of females.
Residents should report any possible mountain lion sightings immediately to law enforcement or to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.
