Bowfishing in Montana is legal — but it comes with a tightly defined set of rules that vary depending on where you are in the state. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) divides the state into three fishing districts, and bowfishing access differs significantly across each one. Shoot in the wrong water or target the wrong species, and you’re looking at fines and restitution costs that can run well into the hundreds of dollars.
Whether you’re targeting common carp on an eastern reservoir or trying to figure out what gear is actually street-legal, this guide breaks down the bowfishing laws in Montana district by district so you can head out informed and stay on the right side of FWP regulations.
Important Note: Montana fishing regulations are updated on a two-year cycle. The 2026 FWP regulations booklet is the current governing document as of June 2026. Always download the latest PDF from fwp.mt.gov/fish/regulations and check district-specific exceptions before your outing.
Is Bowfishing Legal in Montana?
Yes, bowfishing is legal in Montana — but not everywhere, and not for every species. All waters in the Western Fishing District are closed to bow-and-arrow taking of game and nongame fish, except as noted under District Exceptions. That means the default rule in western Montana is a blanket closure, and you can only bowfish where FWP has explicitly opened the water.
Bowfishing is legal in some central and eastern districts of Montana for non-game fish, the most popular of which is carp. Bowfishing is also permitted for some paddlefish on Fort Peck Dredge Cuts with a specific permit. So if you’re planning a bowfishing trip, the Central and Eastern Districts are where most of your legal opportunities will be found.
Montana waters are split into three districts — Western, Central, and Eastern — and regulations vary by district, but bowfishing is allowed for certain species. A valid fishing license is required. Bows count as lines for the purpose of determining line limits. That last point matters: if you’re allowed two lines in a given water, your bow counts as one of them.
If you’re also interested in general hunting and fishing rules across Big Sky Country, the hunting laws in Montana overview covers the broader regulatory framework managed by FWP.
What Fish Can You Bowfish for in Montana?
Bowfishing has specific regulations and is generally restricted to invasive species like carp and suckers — check regulations carefully. Montana does not publish a single statewide list of legal bowfishing species; instead, what you can target depends on your district and the specific water body you’re fishing.
Spearing and bowfishing are allowed for nongame fish such as carp, or designated species such as northern pike through the ice. Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is by far the most pursued bowfishing target in Montana, particularly in the reservoirs and slower rivers of the Central and Eastern Districts.
Suckers are another legal nongame target where bowfishing is permitted by district exception. On the other end of the spectrum, game fish — including trout, walleye, bass, and pike in open-water situations — are off-limits to bow-and-arrow harvest unless FWP regulations explicitly authorize it for a specific water.
Key Insight: Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) represent a unique case. Bowfishing for paddlefish is permitted at Fort Peck Dredge Cuts with a specific permit, but this is a tightly regulated exception — not a general rule. Check the FWP paddlefish regulations page for current tag availability and season dates.
Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) are completely off-limits to bowfishing. Bull trout fishing is permitted in only three Western District waters, and all other waters in Montana are closed to intentional fishing for bull trout. When fishing in the three designated waters, each angler must have a valid Bull Trout Catch Card. These fisheries are very restrictive because bull trout are listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Bowfishing for bull trout is never authorized.
For a comparison with neighboring states, see how bowfishing laws in Minnesota and bowfishing laws in Arizona handle nongame species lists differently.
Bowfishing License Requirements in Montana
There is no separate bowfishing license in Montana. Your standard fishing license covers bowfishing, but you need to make sure you have the full license stack required of all anglers in the state.
A valid fishing license is required for all types of fishing on state waters for anyone 12 or older. Most anglers over the age of 12 need two licenses to fish in Montana: a Conservation License and a Base Fishing License that is available for 2 days, 10 days, or the full season.
The Angler Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Pass (AISPP) is required for all individuals who fish in Montana. This program was initiated by the 2017 Montana Legislature to help fund the fight against aquatic invasive species. The AISPP is not optional — it applies to bowfishers just as it does to rod-and-reel anglers.
| License Component | Who Needs It | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Conservation License | All anglers 12+ | Required before purchasing a fishing license |
| Base Fishing License | All anglers 12+ | Available as 2-day, 10-day, or season pass |
| AIS Prevention Pass (AISPP) | All anglers 15+ | Required for all who fish Montana waters |
| Children 11 and under | No license required | Must still follow all regulations and limits |
Anyone 11 years old or younger is not required to have a fishing license, including a Conservation or AIS Prevention Pass. Youth anglers (11 or younger) must still observe all limits and regulations.
As of the 2025–2026 regulation period, a resident adult (ages 18–61) pays $21.00 for a season fishing license, plus an $8.00 Conservation License and a $2.00 AIS Prevention Pass, for a total of $31.00. Nonresident license fees are higher — contact FWP or visit fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/fishinglicenses for current nonresident pricing.
You can purchase your license online at the Montana FWP website and do not have to print it. You can show it on your smartphone or tablet instead.
Legal Bowfishing Equipment in Montana
Montana’s regulations define what counts as lawful archery fishing equipment. Getting this wrong can turn a legal outing into a violation, so pay attention to the specifics.
Legal archery equipment is any hand-drawn and released longbow, recurve bow, compound bow, or rubber-band-assisted (sling) bow to which an arrow is attached by a line and equipped with a harpoon-style point or wire-barbed point. The key elements are the line attachment and the appropriate point — standard hunting broadheads are not the same as bowfishing points.
The use of night vision equipment or electronically enhanced light-gathering optics, including all lights used for locating and shooting at fish, is legal. Crossbows are prohibited except with a special director’s permit that may be issued if an individual is permanently disabled.
Crossbows are unlawful for bowfishing in Montana under standard regulations. This is a firm prohibition — crossbows are not simply restricted to certain seasons or species, they are banned outright unless FWP issues a disability accommodation permit.
- Legal bows: Longbow, recurve bow, compound bow, rubber-band-assisted (sling) bow
- Required arrow setup: Arrow attached by a line, equipped with a harpoon-style or wire-barbed point
- Lights and optics: Legal, including electronically enhanced light-gathering devices
- Crossbows: Prohibited without a special FWP disability accommodation permit
- Bow counts as a line: Your bow counts toward your legal line limit for the water you’re fishing
Spears and bows count as lines for purposes of determining line limits. In most Montana waters, anglers are limited to two attended lines. If you’re bowfishing and also want to run a rod, that uses both of your allowed lines.
For a look at how equipment rules compare in other states, check out the bowfishing laws in Ohio and bowfishing laws in Pennsylvania guides.
Where You Can and Cannot Bowfish in Montana
This is the most critical section for Montana bowfishers, because location determines legality more than any other factor. Montana’s three fishing districts have very different default rules.
Montana is divided into three fishing districts: Western, Central, and Eastern. The Western District covers all waters west of the Continental Divide. The Central District covers the central portion of the state, and the Eastern District covers the eastern third.
Western District: All waters are closed to bow-and-arrow taking of game and nongame fish, except as noted under District Exceptions. This is the most restrictive district. You cannot bowfish in western Montana unless FWP has specifically opened a water body for it under the Exceptions to Standard Regulations. Always look up your specific water in the regulations booklet before assuming it’s open.
Central and Eastern Districts: Bowfishing for nongame fish is generally permitted where the district standard regulations allow it, but individual water bodies may still carry exceptions. Identify which fishing district you will be fishing, read the standard regulations that apply to all waters in that district, and look up the specific water to see if it is listed as an Exception to the Standard Regulations. If it is identified in the Exceptions, those regulations take the place of the Standard Regulations. If not listed, the District Standard Regulations apply.
Pro Tip: Fort Peck Reservoir and the Yellowstone River corridor in eastern Montana are among the most popular bowfishing destinations for carp. Always confirm your specific access point is not subject to a special exception before shooting.
Beyond district rules, several categories of water are always closed regardless of district:
- FWP fish hatcheries and rearing ponds
- Waters where FWP operates fish traps or posted structures
- Water-supply lakes and hazardous areas as posted
- Tribal reservation waters (a tribal permit is required — state regulations do not apply)
- National Park waters (Glacier and Yellowstone have their own separate rules)
Montana’s Stream Access Law does not apply to canals and ditches. Under Montana’s trespass law, permission to access these waters is implied if the land is not posted, but that implied permission may be revoked at any time. It is best to obtain the explicit permission of the landowner.
If you’re curious how access rules compare in other states, the bowfishing laws in Virginia and bowfishing laws in North Carolina articles cover similar public-access questions.
Night Bowfishing Rules in Montana
Night bowfishing is one of the most popular ways to target carp, and Montana’s rules on fishing after dark are relatively permissive — with one important caveat tied to your equipment.
Fishing is allowed at all hours during open fishing seasons unless otherwise specified in District Exceptions to Standard Regulations. That baseline means night bowfishing is legal wherever bowfishing itself is permitted, as long as your specific water doesn’t carry a time restriction in the Exceptions.
The use of night vision equipment or electronically enhanced light-gathering optics, including all lights used for locating and shooting at fish, is legal. This is a significant advantage compared to some other states — Montana explicitly permits the use of spotlights, submersible lights, and enhanced optics for locating fish at night. Boat-mounted lights are a standard part of most night bowfishing setups, and they’re fully legal here.
That said, always check the District Exceptions for your specific water before heading out at night. Some waters carry time restrictions or seasonal closures that override the statewide default. Fishing is allowed 24 hours a day during open seasons unless specifically restricted, which is rare. Restrictions are uncommon but they do exist, particularly on certain trout waters in the Western District.
Pro Tip: Carp are highly responsive to light at night, moving into shallower, warmer water after dark. Eastern Montana reservoirs and river backwaters produce the best night bowfishing action from late spring through early fall when water temperatures are warmest.
For a comparison of night bowfishing rules in neighboring states, see the bowfishing laws in Missouri and bowfishing laws in Tennessee guides.
Saltwater Bowfishing Rules in Montana
Montana is a landlocked state with no ocean coastline, so there are no saltwater bowfishing rules to follow. The state’s fisheries are entirely freshwater, managed across the Western, Central, and Eastern Districts described throughout this article.
Montana has hundreds of immaculate lakes and more than 170,000 miles of rivers and streams, providing top-notch freshwater fishing options. All of those waters fall under FWP’s freshwater regulations — there is no marine or tidal component to Montana fishing law.
If you’re planning a multi-state bowfishing trip that includes saltwater fishing, you’ll need to consult the regulations for coastal states separately. States like Virginia and North Carolina have both freshwater and saltwater bowfishing frameworks. For freshwater-only states in the region, the bowfishing laws in Minnesota guide is a useful comparison point, as Minnesota similarly manages only inland waters.
Montana’s focus remains entirely on protecting its native fisheries — including threatened bull trout and recovering paddlefish populations — while providing controlled harvest opportunities for invasive and nongame species like carp. That conservation focus shapes every bowfishing rule in the state, from district closures to species restrictions.
Before every outing, download the current FWP regulations booklet at fwp.mt.gov/fish/regulations, confirm your district’s standard rules, and look up your specific water in the Exceptions. If you have questions about a particular location, contact your regional FWP office directly — wardens are the authoritative source for water-specific guidance. You may also want to review roadkill laws in Montana and other state-specific wildlife regulations if you’re planning a broader outdoor trip in Big Sky Country.