Montana Deer Tags

[MtnMuley]

Were there not left over tags last year?  After the alternate list guys had the chance to buy, weren't the left over tags available to anybody wanting them?  I realize a lot of these tags were turned in by outfitters and people deciding not to hunt, quite a while after the draw.  Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Not buck tags.  All the left overs go to the guys on the "alternate" list.  I think there were some outfitter tags and some landowner sponsored tags leftover for purchase, but not General NR buck tags.

Are you sure?  Usually the alternate guys buy the rest of the quota, but last year with all the tags available even after the alternate guys, it opened to the general public.  At least that is what I was told buy a guy went over and bought a combo tag November OTC.

[Pathfinder101]

I guess I am not positive, but I am sure that there were several guys on this site that were on the Alternate list that never got called.  .270Shooter comes immediately to mind...  Bigmike too...

[KimberRich]

APril 15th or so.

x2

I usually start getting serious checking the website for results around the first day of Turkey season.  Nothing like shooting a nice bird in the morning and finding out you got your Montana tag in the afternoon! Makes for a good day.

[KimberRich]

I was wondering if that was going to be the case.I figured all of the guides would still get there clients tags but i know that i have hunted there for the past five years until they increased 300 hundred dollars for the Big Game Combo.  I am guessing they will be selling over the counter tags now.

All the guides wont be getting them this year.. If their client doesn't draw in the general or the get one on the "alternate" list..  No more guaranteed tags.

[KimberRich]

Were there not left over tags last year?  After the alternate list guys had the chance to buy, weren't the left over tags available to anybody wanting them?  I realize a lot of these tags were turned in by outfitters and people deciding not to hunt, quite a while after the draw.  Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Not buck tags.  All the left overs go to the guys on the "alternate" list.  I think there were some outfitter tags and some landowner sponsored tags leftover for purchase, but not General NR buck tags.

The leftover outfitter tags went back into the pot.  Thus the tags given to the guys on the alternate's list.  There were no leftover landowner tags either after the alternate's list.  I only apply for Landowner Deer so am only up to speed on the numbers for that drawing for sure.  In years past, usually only 15-20 guys on the landowner tag alternate's list got tags.  I think that number was usually higher in the General Deer Drawing.  I'm not sure on the big game combo #'s.

[KimberRich]

One thing that chapped my a** this year with the new tag #'s and division of the old landowner tags was, the old outfitter tags were only disbursed between the General Deer and Big Game Combo (elk/deer). 

The prices went up across the board but the draw odds also went up slightly for general Deer and the combo.  I apply for the Landowner Sponsor Deer and my prices went up of course, but none of the tags put back in the drawing, were added to the landowner #'s.  So I have the same odds as last year with an additional $200 tacked on. 

[JLS]

Rich,

The rest of us are happy to share our pain!

[Pathfinder101]

One thing that chapped my a** this year with the new tag #'s and division of the old landowner tags was, the old outfitter tags were only disbursed between the General Deer and Big Game Combo (elk/deer). 

The prices went up across the board but the draw odds also went up slightly for general Deer and the combo.  I apply for the Landowner Sponsor Deer and my prices went up of course, but none of the tags put back in the drawing, were added to the landowner #'s.  So I have the same odds as last year with an additional $200 tacked on. 

I can see how that would be frustrating.  However, your chances of drawing a landowner tag have traditionally been around 70%, aren't they?  I looked into a lease a couple of years ago that would have come with a landowner sponsorship, and that is about what I found...
I could be wrong here, but with the prices going up so much this year, I would think your draw rate would be close to 90% even without more tags going into the pool...
The NR Deer A Combo rate for the rest of us schmucks was hovering between 20% and 25%, even with the economy.

[MtnMuley]

I guess I am not positive, but I am sure that there were several guys on this site that were on the Alternate list that never got called.  .270Shooter comes immediately to mind...  Bigmike too...

I was on the alternate list and was not chosen or called either.  I got on their website shortly after and read that all alternates were able to purchase their combos.  I chose not to at that time, but a friend who was 15?? on the list, bought his.  You had to check on your own, they didn't get a hold of you.

[alpine]

if i remember right the year before last (2009) they had so many big game combo tags returned it was first come first served but you had to be on the alt. list regardless of you number

[Pathfinder101]

I guess I am not positive, but I am sure that there were several guys on this site that were on the Alternate list that never got called.  .270Shooter comes immediately to mind...  Bigmike too...

I was on the alternate list and was not chosen or called either.  I got on their website shortly after and read that all alternates were able to purchase their combos.  I chose not to at that time, but a friend who was 15?? on the list, bought his.  You had to check on your own, they didn't get a hold of you.

Oh, well then you knew something that I didn't.  I drew last year, so I wasn't following the Alternate list.  Interesting.  If things hold up then with the price increase, then just about everyone that ponies up the money, wants to hunt, and knows enough to check back from time to time should be able to hunt MT.  Last year was a great year to go.  A lot of guys on this site killed big bucks.  That crazy freak snowstorm the week before Thanksgiving didn't hurt either...

[buckhorn2]

I don;t under stand either. We put in for the combo and never got drawn but a friends wife put in for montana by herself and got drawn. Non of us put in for left over tags. She called mt. and told them she drew but would not be able to go because her husband and his friends never got drawn and nobody wanted to over with only her tag and she said it was;nt fair. They asked how many had put in and not gotten drawn and she said 5 and herself they told her to sent the money and the other 5 would be issued tags I did;nt beleive it but we sent back in and all 5 got the combo tag and still have 1 bonus point for this year. I don;t know how it worked but only that it did.

[JLS]

It's because they had leftover Outfitter Sponsored Licenses, which then go as surplus to anyone who applied but did not draw. 

[Huntnphish]

However, your chances of drawing a landowner tag have traditionally been around 70%, aren't they?  I looked into a lease a couple of years ago that would have come with a landowner sponsorship, and that is about what I found...

 The landowner tag % are not that high and the entire landowner draw system is different than the general draw. The odds are not good if you have more than 2 people applying for the same deeded land.

[rb2506]

It's because they had leftover Outfitter Sponsored Licenses, which then go as surplus to anyone who applied but did not draw. 

actually you didn't even have to put in for the drawing, there were so many tags left after they opened it up to alternates they let anyone buy over the counter