Montana 2023

[pickardjw]

Anyone know if Montana averages points if a group has mixed amounts?

They do average, and if the average is not a round number they round up I believe


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Montana, "considers the average number of points between all of the party members and then rounds to the nearest whole number for a final party permit total. For example, a party with an average of 2.33 points would enter the draw at two points while a party with 2.66 points would enter at three."

[Wingin it]

I’m curious to see how things shake out this year. Prices increased some and the economy is getting pushed to to the brink. People are still spending but will applications be down this year?

[Stein]

That's the same question that was asked when MT took the lead and went to 900 something.  People said they were done, no way no how anyone could go above $1k.  We all know the answer to that question.

They are oversold by a substantial margin.  My best guess is that the "best" price for MT is well north of $1,200.  That's $100 a month, well within the budget of tons of people more than willing to pay the price.  Sad for those that can't or won't for sure, but when we're talking about out of state hunting, you really need to put it in the same bucket as comparable stuff like Disney World, a cruise, major sporting events, etc.

[rem700300]

Anyone know if Montana averages points if a group has mixed amounts?

Montana does take an average of the group.If 3 guys put in together with let’s say 5 preference points their average would be 1.6. They do not round up or down.You would go in the draw with 1.6. Last year 73% of applicants with 0 points drew,0% of applicants with 1 point drew and 97% of applicants with 2 points drew.

[BULLBLASTER]

Anyone know if Montana averages points if a group has mixed amounts?

Montana does take an average of the group.If 3 guys put in together with let’s say 5 preference points their average would be 1.6. They do not round up or down.You would go in the draw with 1.6. Last year 73% of applicants with 0 points drew,0% of applicants with 1 point drew and 97% of applicants with 2 points drew.

Preference points are not rounded, actual average is used. Bonus points are rounded to the nearest whole point.

[vandeman17]

Anyone know if Montana averages points if a group has mixed amounts?

Montana does take an average of the group.If 3 guys put in together with let’s say 5 preference points their average would be 1.6. They do not round up or down.You would go in the draw with 1.6. Last year 73% of applicants with 0 points drew,0% of applicants with 1 point drew and 97% of applicants with 2 points drew.

Correct.

I just looked at gohunt odds and for non resident deer combo they show 74% with 0 points, 0% with 1 point, 97% with 2 and 100% with 3

[Magnum_Willys]

Buddy bought the bonus preference point last year - I said you just eliminated  yourself!  Heh yep. 

[pickardjw]

How do y'all know the preference points aren't rounded? Averaging/rounding for party apps isn't addressed in the preference point section of the Montana regs.

[vandeman17]

Buddy bought the bonus preference point last year - I said you just eliminated  yourself!  Heh yep.

If you aren't planning on hunting it this year, it would make sense to buy the point and then again when you apply next year. Other than that, if you want to hunt this year and have zero points, it doesn't appear to be a wise move to purchase a point AND apply

[ganghis]

I'll be buying a point and going in with 2 this year.  Curious how it will shake out though with all the people with 1 point not drawing last year.  Could be that the it's something more like 50% with 2 pts, 0% with 1, 50% with zero.  We shall see!

[pickardjw]

Montana FWP emailed me back real quick about pref point averaging and rounding. It's codified in Montana HB 637, not mentioned in the regs.

(7) Up to five applicants may apply as a party under this section. The department shall use an average of the number of preference points accumulated by those applicants to determine their priority in receiving licenses issued pursuant to subsection (5). The department shall use any fraction that results from the calculation of an average when determining that priority calculate the average rounded to the third decimal place."

So I'm not sure why anyone would apply as a group if one person has less than 1pt going forward. That would really put your group in no man's land.

[3nails]

Montana FWP emailed me back real quick about pref point averaging and rounding. It's codified in Montana HB 637, not mentioned in the regs.

(7) Up to five applicants may apply as a party under this section. The department shall use an average of the number of preference points accumulated by those applicants to determine their priority in receiving licenses issued pursuant to subsection (5). The department shall use any fraction that results from the calculation of an average when determining that priority calculate the average rounded to the third decimal place."

So I'm not sure why anyone would apply as a group if one person has less than 2pts going forward. That would really put your group in no man's land.

Is the general draw preference points or bonus points?

[vandeman17]

Montana FWP emailed me back real quick about pref point averaging and rounding. It's codified in Montana HB 637, not mentioned in the regs.

(7) Up to five applicants may apply as a party under this section. The department shall use an average of the number of preference points accumulated by those applicants to determine their priority in receiving licenses issued pursuant to subsection (5). The department shall use any fraction that results from the calculation of an average when determining that priority calculate the average rounded to the third decimal place."

So I'm not sure why anyone would apply as a group if one person has less than 2pts going forward. That would really put your group in no man's land.

Is the general draw preference points or bonus points?

preference

[3nails]

Montana FWP emailed me back real quick about pref point averaging and rounding. It's codified in Montana HB 637, not mentioned in the regs.

(7) Up to five applicants may apply as a party under this section. The department shall use an average of the number of preference points accumulated by those applicants to determine their priority in receiving licenses issued pursuant to subsection (5). The department shall use any fraction that results from the calculation of an average when determining that priority calculate the average rounded to the third decimal place."

So I'm not sure why anyone would apply as a group if one person has less than 2pts going forward. That would really put your group in no man's land.

Is the general draw preference points or bonus points?

preference

I've only been hunting Montana for 28 years. Still don't know the difference. 

[Stein]

They should just call them points.  There isn't common usage among "preference" or "bonus" qualifying terms and if you hunt multiple states it can get confusing.