Montana Deer Tags

[DeerHarvester]

MtnMuley, you are correct.  The left over tags last year were opened up to everyone.  It was first come first serve  I know a guy who drove to the Mtn. FW headquarters and purchased a big game combo over the counter last year.   It was kind of silly why they even generated an alternates list.   

[MtnMuley]

I agree DeerHarvester.  The ALT list was created to rank those uncussessful in drawing, in a order to obtain available tags are they were returned, which was normally the case in MT.  Then all of a sudden last year their was a much higher than expected return of tags (a bunch from outfitters) which enabled anybody to purchase that was on the list.  Then, that late in the year most hunters even on the ALT list made other plans, and there was still a bunch of tags so it turned to an over the counter show.  Personally, I can only see this being the case for the years to come in MT unless quota of tags goes down, or outfitters are allowed guaranteed tags again.  This, along with the good-sized price increase, doesn't look like it will happen in the near future.  This in turn should allow pretty much anybody wanting to hunt that great state, the option.

[Pathfinder101]

On the other hand, if it happens again (and I can't see how it wont), then being able to buy an OTC Montana tag won't be such a bad thing.  Particularly if you don't fair well in the other state's draws...

[HenrySeattle2002]

How do you get on the Alternate List?

[MtnMuley]

If you are unsuccessful in the draw for a deer, elk, or combo tag, you can put your name in for free on the ALT list so be in a "ranking" order is anymore tags become available.

[HenrySeattle2002]

If you are unsuccessful in the draw for a deer, elk, or combo tag, you can put your name in for free on the ALT list so be in a "ranking" order is anymore tags become available.

Is the ranking based on your points or first come first serve?  Any idea when they will be drawing for Montana?

[Ridgerunner]

MT should be posted by April 15th, sometime the week of the 11th is what I was told.

[KimberRich]

If you are unsuccessful in the draw for a deer, elk, or combo tag, you can put your name in for free on the ALT list so be in a "ranking" order is anymore tags become available.

Is the ranking based on your points or first come first serve?  Any idea when they will be drawing for Montana?

They will have set dates like May 1st-May20th to put your name in the ALT list pool.  After the pool closes they will hold a random drawing with all the names to determine people's place on the ALT list.  You will not automatically be put into this drawing for ALT list placement if you were unsuccessful in the original draw.  So be sure to watch the website carefully as to when the ALT list pool is being collected.  Hopefully you get drawn in the first one and wont have to worry about any of it!!  Good Luck!

[KimberRich]

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.

I agree that the % are not that high.  I crunched all the numbers for the last couple years and I think the General was somewhere around 22% (2300 tags for ~ 10500 applicants I think) and the Landowner was somewhere around 35% (2000 tags with 5800 applicants I think).  They are better but no where near 70%.  These are the Deer only #'s.  I don't know about the Combo #'s for sure.  Also remember that in the Landowner drawing we do not accumulate bonus points.  That is a General Drawing thing only. 

I'm not sure how 2 different people applying for the same land would change the odds?  My family has 30 landowner Sponsorships (the state allows up to 15 per resident with 640 contiguos acres I believe???) and the #'s of successful hunter's generally coorolates with the overall average in the drawing. 

[KimberRich]

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

But you had to be on the Alternate's List to buy the Over the Counter tags.. At least for Deer.  Which I didn't understand??

I got drawn last year but my Dad, Uncle, and Cousin did not.  They all went on the Alt list.   My Dad got lucky and drew position #6, my uncle had #31 and my cousin had #34.   Sept. 1st came and went and they hadn't notified my Dad about a tag and shortly after they opened up the First Come-First Served Over the counter tags.  My Dad was showing as in position #1 on the website so he opted to hold out and try and get the ALT list tag.  My Uncle and Cousin mailed in their applications for the OTC tags and both received buck tags.  MFWP contacted my Dad 3 days prior to the rifle season opener with his tag.  So we ended up getting 4 buck tags but it was quite the process of applications and drawings and lists...

[bearpaw]

I am told by a very reliable source that deer tags were over subscribed and sold out.

[Ridgerunner]

what about elk tags?

[bearpaw]

Not too sure yet about the other licenses. Will try to remember to let you know when I hear something more definite on them.

[bearpaw]

Forgot to mention, it sounds like the deer should be high draw odds, from what I was told it's not a huge oversell.

[MtnMuley]

I just spoke with a reliable source from MT Fish and Game, and was told that deer combo's and elk combo's sold out, so there will be a draw.  As for the Big Game Combo's, as of right now, it's a possibility that some will be left over and become available on a first come first served basis on April 18th.  They have a few more post-marked apps to sort out before this becomes final.