Montana apps/draw

[JPhelps]

I'm curious if anyone has an idea if Montana was under subscribed again?

We took a calculated risk and didn't buy a preference point based on the last few years and I am curious if it will bite us.  We put in for the big game combo .

Does anyone have a clue?  I thought Dale or someone else might have an inside source.

[archery288]

From what I have heard I think the odds of drawing without a preference point are pretty dang good! With a preference point should be a slam dunk.  I doubt they'll sell all the tags again, therefore allowing individuals to buy them over the counter. 

[SuperDave]

    

[JPhelps]

I hope you guys are right.  That was the justification I used for not buying the point.

[BLKBEARKLR]

I have no doubt I will be able to buy over the counter tags, I did not even put in for the big game combo. Will wait until they come out and pick them up in June once I get the wife settled down in Italy.

Hunting over there last year talked to some fish and game individuals and they said it is just going to get worse with not being able to get rid of all the tags.

Good luck hunting over there this year.

Joe

[6x6in6]

If people who applied, or at least those who chose not to apply are paying attention, generally speaking Montana's snow pack is running in excess of 100% of average again this year like last year.  It's another late winter shaping up for the 2nd year in a row.

My gut says, because of the snow pack, the economy, the price, etc, that they will not meet the combo quantity set aside. 
I chose not to apply and we shall see if I made an oops here.  Going to wait and see what happens in other draws and if I come up blank I may go after a leftover MT combo tag.

[bearpaw]

I'm curious if anyone has an idea if Montana was under subscribed again?

We took a calculated risk and didn't buy a preference point based on the last few years and I am curious if it will bite us.  We put in for the big game combo .

Does anyone have a clue?  I thought Dale or someone else might have an inside source.

There is no news coming from the MFWP or MOGA yet on availability, but I do expect there to be left over tags. Last year half my MT hunters bought left over tags.

[vandeman17]

My old man and I put in for just elk and then we put in for the hardest to draw special permit since our intention was to just get a bonus point and since they don't do ghost points, this was the best we could come up with. If you get your general tag and not the special permit then you get 80% of your money back. Basically we are just trying to build a few points for some better elk hunts down the road.

[huntnphool]

If people who applied, or at least those who chose not to apply are paying attention, generally speaking Montana's snow pack is running in excess of 100% of average again this year like last year.  It's another late winter shaping up for the 2nd year in a row.

 I don't know what part of the state you hunt but in the SE it wasn't the snow that was the problem. Last year it warmed enough to melt the snow but not dry out, then additional cold fronts froze the ground and created a lot of ice that kept the critters from feeding.

 The late spring did have a positive effect on the food, the deer and elk in the SE had loads of it.

 I spoke with my friends over there this weekend and the temps are warmer than here. Lows have been in the mid 40's and highs this week will be in the 70's, 75 expected for the weekend.

[buckhorn2]

We did;nt get drawn last year then bought over the counter and they still gave us a bonus point for this years drawing.

[6x6in6]

If people who applied, or at least those who chose not to apply are paying attention, generally speaking Montana's snow pack is running in excess of 100% of average again this year like last year.  It's another late winter shaping up for the 2nd year in a row.

 I don't know what part of the state you hunt but in the SE it wasn't the snow that was the problem. Last year it warmed enough to melt the snow but not dry out, then additional cold fronts froze the ground and created a lot of ice that kept the critters from feeding.

 The late spring did have a positive effect on the food, the deer and elk in the SE had loads of it.

 I spoke with my friends over there this weekend and the temps are warmer than here. Lows have been in the mid 40's and highs this week will be in the 70's, 75 expected for the weekend.

Thank you phool and I guess I could have spelled out "generally speaking" a little better to reflect District 2 and 3 which are the areas I primarily focus on.

[vandeman17]

Did any of you guys put in for a special permit. They have preference points and bonus points and they can get confusing. One is for the general non res draw and the other is for special draw. 

[Skyvalhunter]

I did put in for the special permit with the time frame of the general draw and special permit draw being the same time it does make a difference as opposed to years past. I like it better

[huntnphool]

Did any of you guys put in for a special permit. They have preference points and bonus points and they can get confusing. One is for the general non res draw and the other is for special draw. 

 I have been applying for a bull permit in the SE but have yet to draw one of the tags, I also pay for a preference point. If you apply for a special permit for elk and don't draw, they will buy back the elk portion of your combo tag, roughly $358

Thank you phool and I guess I could have spelled out "generally speaking" a little better to reflect District 2 and 3 which are the areas I primarily focus on.

 No worries, thats why I said I didn't know what area you were hunting.

[vandeman17]

Did any of you guys put in for a special permit. They have preference points and bonus points and they can get confusing. One is for the general non res draw and the other is for special draw. 

 I have been applying for a bull permit in the SE but have yet to draw one of the tags, I also pay for a preference point. If you apply for a special permit for elk and don't draw, they will buy back the elk portion of your combo tag, roughly $358

Thank you phool and I guess I could have spelled out "generally speaking" a little better to reflect District 2 and 3 which are the areas I primarily focus on.

 No worries, thats why I said I didn't know what area you were hunting.

We applied for the elk only combo tag because we didn't plan on hunting it at all UNLESS we got drawn because it is a great tag we applied for.