“The Big Sky Country” boasts of a healthy elk herd, with some 135,000 animals, good options for combining an elk hunt with a hunt for mule or whitetail deer, black bear, mountain lion or upland birds. With the state producing many record-breaking trophies, Montana is one of elk hunting magnets. Resident hunters buy their elk licenses over the counter for a nominal fee of $10-$20. General Combination Non-Resident Licenses for one elk are available only by limited draw, and cost $884; an elk-deer combo costs $1046. However, some “B” type elk licenses, valid only for antlerless animals and only for certain specific areas, are cheaper and may be available over-the-counter. Draw odds for special permits required to hunt the best units (the 4 and 5 hunting districts), with good access and a record of good trophies may be as 1-3%. Many outfitters operate in the remote wilderness in the west of the state, which may be hard to access for a DIY hunter, and/or on private land The archery season covers most of September and October, and the general season continues until December. The first weeks of the general season, when you can still catch up with late bugling action, may be best. “Shoulder seasons” that open earlier and close later than the regular season are set only for certain units, antlerless only, and typically only private land.