MTMooseUnit 111July 2026

Montana Unit 111 Moose Hunting Guide

Montana moose tags are among the most coveted big game permits in the American West, and Unit 111 is no exception. Hunters who crack this draw are stepping into a limited-entry opportunity that the vast majority of applicants will wait years — or even decades — to experience. This guide breaks down everything researchers need to know about Montana Unit 111 moose hunting, using harvest data compiled by HuntPilot to give a clear-eyed picture of what this permit actually delivers.

Shiras' moose occupy a unique position in Montana's draw system: the tags are scarce, the competition is fierce, and the animals themselves are the largest member of the deer family found in the lower 48. For hunters willing to invest the application years, Unit 111 offers a realistic shot at a mature bull in country that supports a huntable moose population season after season. Understanding the harvest trends and the application logistics is the first step toward putting this tag in your pocket.

Harvest Success Rates in Montana Unit 111

The harvest record for Unit 111 over the past four years paints a consistent picture of high hunter success — a hallmark of well-managed, limited-entry moose hunts where tag numbers are deliberately kept low relative to the population.

Here is the breakdown from the most recent seasons on record:

2024: 9 hunters in the field, 5 harvested — 56% success rate
2023: 9 hunters in the field, 6 harvested — 67% success rate
2022: 10 hunters in the field, 5 harvested — 50% success rate
2021: 10 hunters in the field, 10 harvested — 100% success rate

The multi-year average across 2021–2024 sits at roughly 68% success, which is exceptional by any standard in big game hunting. Even in the lower-end years like 2022 and 2024, half the hunters in the field came home with a moose. The 2021 season stands out as a perfect year — every tag filled — which speaks to a population dense enough to consistently put hunters on animals.

What is equally telling is the tag count itself. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks keeps moose allocations deliberately tight: Unit 111 has seen between nine and ten hunters afield in each of the past four seasons. This is not an accident. Low tag numbers preserve both the herd and the quality of the hunt. Hunters who draw this tag will not be competing with dozens of other permit holders in the same drainage.

The consistency of the data matters here. Four straight years of 50% or better success, anchored by that perfect 2021 season, indicates a stable, huntable population — not a unit experiencing boom-and-bust cycles. That kind of long-term stability is exactly what hunters should look for when evaluating whether a multi-year point investment is worth it.

Trophy Quality

The counties overlapping Unit 111 carry a meaningful trophy history for Shiras' moose — shared, as always, with neighboring units that fall within the same county boundaries. Trophy records logged at the county level cannot be attributed to any single unit with certainty, so hunters should treat the area's trophy pedigree as a regional indicator rather than a unit-specific guarantee.

With that caveat stated: the broader region shows moderate to strong trophy potential for Shiras' moose. Trophy-class bulls have been taken from this part of Montana, and the area has a documented history of producing mature animals. Given the strict tag allocations and consistently high harvest success, hunters who draw Unit 111 are encountering moose that have had time to mature — the management framework is not harvesting bulls before they reach their potential.

Shiras' moose are the smallest of the North American moose subspecies, but mature bulls in prime habitat still represent a legitimate once-in-a-lifetime trophy. For context on the species as a whole: Shiras' bulls scoring 170 or better are considered very good, and anything pushing 180 enters exceptional territory. Most hunters who successfully harvest in well-managed Montana units take mature bulls that fall well short of record-book minimums — but represent a trophy of a lifetime by any practical measure.

Herd Health & Population Trends

The harvest data available for Unit 111 provides indirect but meaningful evidence about herd health. Montana FWP does not issue moose permits casually — quotas are set conservatively and adjusted based on population modeling and aerial survey results. The fact that Unit 111 has sustained between nine and ten tags per year across four consecutive seasons suggests the agency has confidence in the local population's ability to absorb that harvest without decline.

The 2021 100% success rate deserves particular attention. When every hunter in a unit fills their tag, it typically reflects a combination of favorable conditions — good habitat, accessible animals, and a population distributed in ways that make encounters predictable. The slight dip in success rates through 2022–2024 (50–67%) is not alarming; it reflects normal year-to-year variation in weather, animal distribution, and hunter effort rather than any evidence of population stress.

Hunters should recognize that moose populations across the northern Rockies have faced pressure from warming temperatures, habitat changes, and predator dynamics in recent decades. Montana's limited-entry framework for moose is specifically designed to buffer against these stressors by keeping harvest well within sustainable thresholds. Unit 111's consistent tag numbers and strong success rates are a positive signal.

HuntPilot Analysis — Is Unit 111 Worth Applying For?

Short answer: Yes — but only for hunters prepared to commit to a long-term application strategy.

The harvest data tells a compelling story. A four-year average success rate hovering around 68%, with ten tags or fewer in the field each year, means that hunters who draw Unit 111 have a legitimate, high-odds chance of harvesting a mature Shiras' moose. That is not the case in every Montana moose unit — some districts see much lower success due to terrain, access challenges, or lower population densities.

The honest caveat is the draw. Montana moose tags are extraordinarily competitive. The forum conversation around these permits reflects a reality that any serious applicant already knows: hunters sometimes wait 15–20+ years before drawing a tag, and some never draw at all. This is a system where patience is not optional — it is the price of admission. Every year without a tag adds a preference point, and those points do meaningfully improve draw odds over time, but there is no shortcut.

For residents, the application cost is low enough that there is virtually no argument against applying: a $10 application fee, $8 license, and $10 point fee means the annual investment in a moose application is $28 before drawing a tag. That is an easy call for any Montana hunter with a moose on their bucket list.

For nonresidents, the calculus involves higher annual investment ($50 application fee, $65 license, $50 point fee = $165/year) plus a $1,250 tag fee upon drawing. Nonresidents should also understand that Montana moose draws are highly competitive across all residency classes — this is a long-term play. But for serious moose hunters, Unit 111's harvest metrics make it a unit worth stacking points toward.

The unit is not a DIY slam dunk — moose hunting in general demands patience, physical capability to handle a very large animal in the field, and logistical preparation — but the harvest data shows that hunters who draw are finding animals. For the right applicant, Unit 111 belongs in the application portfolio.

How to Apply for Montana Unit 111 Moose

Montana's moose draw is a preference point system administered through Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Hunters accumulate points each year they apply without drawing, and those points improve their position in the draw. Points are purchased separately as a "point fee" — a structure that incentivizes annual applications even in years when draw success is unlikely.

2026 Application Details

Residents:

Application opens: March 1, 2026
Application deadline: May 1, 2026
Draw results: May 15, 2026
Application fee: $10
License fee (required to apply): $8.00
Point fee: $10
Tag fee (upon drawing): $125
Total cost to apply (without drawing): $28
Total cost if drawn: $153

Nonresidents:

Application opens: March 1, 2026
Application deadline: May 1, 2026
Draw results: May 15, 2026
Application fee: $50
License fee (required to apply): $65.00
Point fee: $50
Tag fee (upon drawing): $1,250
Total cost to apply (without drawing): $165
Total cost if drawn: $1,415

The license fee is required to apply — hunters must purchase the applicable Montana hunting license before the application can be submitted. This is an often-overlooked step that catches first-time applicants off guard; plan to acquire the license before or during the application window.

For current draw odds by unit and point level, visit the HuntPilot Montana page at huntpilot.ai/states/mt. Draw odds shift annually based on applicant pool size and tag allocations — always check current data before deciding which units to prioritize.

Dates and fees are subject to change. Always verify current application details at the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks website before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Montana Unit 111 for moose hunting?

Moose hunting terrain in Montana's limited-entry units typically involves a mix of riparian corridors, wetland pockets, and timbered drainages — the habitat types that Shiras' moose depend on year-round. While unit-specific terrain details for Unit 111 are not available in the structured data, hunters should prepare for a hunt that likely involves significant physical effort to locate animals and pack out a very large ungulate. Moose are not small animals — a mature bull can exceed 800–900 pounds of field-dressed weight — and any serious applicant should plan their logistics accordingly before drawing this tag.

What is the harvest success rate in Montana Unit 111 moose hunting?

Unit 111 has posted strong harvest success over four recent seasons: 56% in 2024, 67% in 2023, 50% in 2022, and 100% in 2021. The multi-year average sits around 68%, which is exceptional for any big game species. Between nine and ten hunters have been in the field each year, and the consistent 50%-or-better floor across even the lower-end seasons reflects a well-managed unit with a stable moose population.

How big are the moose in Montana Unit 111?

The counties overlapping Unit 111 have a documented trophy history for Shiras' moose, with trophy-class animals taken from the broader region. Because trophy records are logged by county rather than by individual hunt unit, those records are shared with neighboring units — no specific unit can claim them exclusively. That said, the area shows moderate to strong trophy potential based on available historical records. Hunters drawing this tag should have realistic expectations for the subspecies: Shiras' moose are the smallest North American moose subspecies, but mature bulls in quality habitat are significant trophies by any measure. Expect a mature animal, not necessarily a record-book bull.

How long will I have to wait to draw Montana Unit 111 moose?

Montana moose draws are among the most competitive in the state for any species. The preference point system rewards consistent annual applications, but there is no defined "magic number" of points that guarantees a tag — draw odds depend on how many hunters apply at each point level each year. Forum discussions suggest many hunters wait well over a decade before drawing a Montana moose permit in any unit, and some applicants never draw. Residents and nonresidents alike should treat this as a long-term application commitment. For current draw odds specific to Unit 111 and your point level, visit the HuntPilot Montana page at huntpilot.ai/states/mt.

Is Montana Unit 111 worth applying for as a nonresident moose hunter?

The harvest data makes a strong case for Unit 111 as a legitimate target for nonresident applicants willing to play the long game. A four-year average success rate near 68%, combined with a small, stable tag pool, means hunters who draw this permit have a genuine opportunity to harvest a mature Shiras' moose. The annual application investment for nonresidents runs approximately $165 per year before drawing ($50 application fee + $65 license + $50 point fee), with a $1,250 tag fee upon drawing. For hunters serious about a Montana moose, that annual investment is modest relative to the reward. The key question is patience — nonresidents should enter this draw understanding it may take many years to accumulate enough points to be competitive.

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