My outfitter told me earlier this week that the FWP dept. was flabbergasted that they'd had more hunter apps than statewide quota. Apparently the world record bull was killed there last year? Maybe some of you all on here knew that. I didn't.

Checked on line this morning:

"Successful
2017 ELK PERMIT
- 270-45 was your 1st choice
Not Successful
2017 GENERAL - ELK COMBO"

That's messed up. Plus, they have 853.00 of mine for my "not successful" part.

I'll call the outfitter later. And perhaps this'll all work out swimmingly, but if I'm not able to hunt this fall up there, I am done with this particular western state.

Nothing like a big elk in the papers/internet to get hunters to apply. Happened to me several years ago in Wyoming when they killed a big one and it was in the papers on on the internet. Best of luck sorting it out.

It's a pretty bad arse archery elk though.

I don't hunt/support states that do draw hunts. If everyone did it too they would all go back to OTC.

CR, how does this work? Says successful on one part, not on the other, I'm just used to CO, so... Hope you get to go somehow though. Do LO's there get any preference?

I couldn't disagree more with this statement.
OTC will decimate a population quick in states that are highly sought after. Some states dont have population resources like the WT population that TX has.
Can you imagine what Iowa's WT population would look like with OTC tags for NR? Many NR's will kill a young animal just to say they killed on their trip and feel successful. The Iowa DNR does a great job of managing their deer herd. AZ does a great job managing their elk herd. IMO, more states should model their lotteries like Iowa. I say this and I hunt out of state every yr and this would hurt my hunting opportunities but I would support it.

This is just my opinion and not supported by facts in any way.

To the OP, best of luck figuring this out.

Luck of the DRAW

Outfitter emailed me back. MT system crashed during the draw and they're telling everyone to ignore what their individual number page says and wait a few days. They now have a mess on their hands.

Question: are they keeping the $853? I ask because for residents trying to draw they used to keep all but$5 for the unsuccessful ones, now they keep every penny, draw or not...bunch of bandits...

I don't really know yet. Your not making me feel better about your beautiful state.

That's dumb. Called North American wildlife management 101. Have to have population controls both max and min limits.

How would that work for high demand hunts like sheep and goats? Even Texas has drawings for most of the hunts on public land. So I guess you don't support hunting in Texas????

You should get back your $ less 5 dollar application fee. Per Regs.

I haven't hunted Montana in several years but when I was you sent in the full amount then if not successful you got your tags if unsuccessful you got a check. The check was for most of your investment less a handling/drawing fee.

I don't really know yet. Your not making me feel better about your beautiful state. [/quote]

You should get back your $ less 5 dollar application fee. Per Regs. [/quote]


Thanks for that..I scanned the res and couldn't find it. I guess they only want to fleece the residents.....

Colorado is like that, if unsuccessful, they return all monies paid, less a few dollars for the "app fee". To keep the whole thing would be a scam IMO, there would be no motivation to even dispense a tag and I don't even see where a state could pull that off for very long.

I know they keep 50.00 from an unsuccessful mountain goat app. That's why I've about decided to just find a BC outfitter.

None of them will keep all your tag fees on an unsuccessful draw. Most now make you buy a license you will never use and all charge an application fee. The buying the license part is when it started getting a little over the top IMO.

System went down a couple times but should be good now. Whatever your status is right now should be right. Mine was messed up too but it's back up, I drew deer tag. It had different things for two days and then went down completely, they sent out a message in Facebook that they would update Facebook when it was back up.

no they wouldn't.

If you drew a limited Elk tag, why are you mad about them not giving you a general permit too?

Thanks cmc. But mine still shows the same - successful on the tag, but not successful on the general license. 'Makes no sense.

You have to have the general license to legally hunt.

Yep, just read up on the Montana regs... let the rant continue. That's super goofy. I would call somebody at MFWP and inquire about it.

Montana is pretty much the only state I don't apply for permits or bonus points, but that was because I assumed there would be extra licenses most years... I drew NM elk, and now waiting on Utah, Colorado, and Nevada. Then just putting in for bonus points everywhere else.