Odd Laws Still on the Books
Taking home roadkill, a $10 hunter orange fine and the rodeo exception: real Montana sections
Lists of strange state laws get passed around with no section number attached. Every one below has one, read from the Montana Code Annotated.
Who handles this in Montana: legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the Montana directory.
| The law | What it says | Breaking it |
|---|---|---|
| The lawRoadkill | What it saysA peace officer, from a sheriff to a park ranger or campus security officer, may issue a permit to salvage an antelope, deer, elk or moose killed in a vehicle collision. | Breaking itNo permit, no salvage |
| The lawHunter orange | What it saysBig game hunters, and their outfitters and guides, wear at least 400 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange above the waist, except bow hunters in the archery season. | Breaking it$10 to $20 |
| The lawAnimal fights and rodeos | What it saysTraining or keeping an animal to fight, or taking part in an exhibition of animals fighting, is a felony, but rodeo events and hunting are expressly allowed. | Breaking itUp to $5,000, 1 to 5 years, or both |
Many laws that sound strange are city or county ordinances rather than state law; this page covers only the Code. Whether a particular act broke one of these sections is a question for a licensed Montana attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- MCA 87-3-145 — Permit to salvage game animals
- MCA 87-6-414 — Failure to wear hunter orange while big game hunting
- MCA 45-8-210 — Causing animals to fight -- owners, trainers, and spectators -- penalties -- exception -- definition
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Montana attorney.