Hunting Land in Glacier County, MT: Reservation Rules

Most of Glacier County sits within the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, and that changes who can hunt big game there in a way a standard Montana hunting-license guide won't tell you. Buying a parcel inside the reservation boundary specifically for its hunting potential means understanding tribal rules first -- deeded ownership alone doesn't settle the question.

This page covers what's specific to Glacier County. For the general explanation, see the national guide.

Inside the reservation boundary, non-tribal members generally cannot hunt big game -- even on land they own

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks' own tribal-partnerships guidance states that big-game hunting within the boundaries of a tribal reservation by non-tribal members is illegal under a Fish and Wildlife Commission rule, with only limited exceptions. That rule applies to the Blackfeet Reservation, which covers the large majority of Glacier County outside its eastern edge near Cut Bank. Critically for a land buyer, this restriction is not about who owns the underlying title -- it applies whether the parcel is Blackfeet tribal trust land or privately-held fee land owned outright by a non-tribal-member buyer. A deed showing you as the fee owner of a Glacier County parcel inside the reservation boundary does not, by itself, give you or your guests the right to hunt big game on that land the way ordinary Montana FWP licensing would almost anywhere else in the state.

The exception: a limited tribal lottery, auction, and first-come permit system open to non-members

Blackfeet Nation Fish and Wildlife runs its own annual hunting program that includes a defined, limited path for non-tribal members. Under the 2025-2026 program, premium species -- Shiras moose and mule deer -- are allocated by lottery or auction, while elk, whitetail deer, black bear, mountain lion, antelope, gray wolf, and mountain goat tags are available on a first-come, first-served basis; a signed non-member permit agreement is required before any tag is issued, and species availability varies year to year (no moose or elk hunts were scheduled in at least one recent season). The Tribe also runs a separate, publicized bison-hunt lottery open to all applicants, tribal and non-tribal alike. None of this runs through Montana's standard drawing system -- applications, licenses, and auction bidding go through Blackfeet Nation Fish and Wildlife's own online licensing portal or its Browning office, (406) 338-7207.

What this means if hunting access is part of why you're buying

Before valuing a Glacier County parcel on its hunting potential, first confirm whether it sits inside the Blackfeet Reservation's exterior boundary -- a separate question from its fee-or-trust ownership status, covered on this county's tribal-trust-land-status page. If it's inside the boundary, contact Blackfeet Nation Fish and Wildlife directly to confirm the current season's species list, lottery/auction/first-come rules, and non-member permit-agreement requirements before assuming you or anyone you invite can simply walk out your own back door with a rifle during Montana's general season. If the parcel is instead on the county's eastern edge outside the reservation boundary, ordinary Montana FWP hunting-district rules and block-management programs -- covered in the national hunting-land guide -- apply as they would anywhere else in the state.

Hunting Land in Glacier County, Montana

Inside the reservation boundary, non-tribal members generally cannot hunt big game -- even on land they own

The exception: a limited tribal lottery, auction, and first-come permit system open to non-members

What this means if hunting access is part of why you're buying

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