Montana Help

GetemDuck · Jan 7, 2009

Guys can you give me a hand. I'm trying to understand Montana Regs. I've talked with a CO there and was being told i want to apply for a "A" tag there and it is state wide. But I read on here and I read about guys applying for LE tags. So I'm guesting "A" Tags are not valid in LE units? Also I can't seem to find draw odds for these tags I was looking at the deer combo tag with upland and fishing included That way if one of the other people in my camp tag out early they can bird hunt or fish. Sorry for the questions it just seems every time I pick to go to a new state the first year is always rough learning their system. Thanks guys for all your help have a nice day.
~ Get'em Duck!

Christian · Jan 8, 2009

I can help you on the A tag. To apply in late spring in any LE hunt, you must first draw an A tag in the early spring drawing. If you don't draw the A tag, then you can't apply in the LE hunt. So in some years, you can't apply for an LE hunt even if you wanted to.
I don't know how to find out about the odds.

The Christian

7 · Jan 8, 2009

Odds are better if you apply for the elk/combo tag instead of just the deer tag.
7 Mag

npaden · Jan 15, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Jan-15-09 AT 10:45PM (MST)[p]Think of it as a "General" tag for most states. A resident can buy it over the counter and it is good for nearly the entire state. There are a few draw or LE areas for mule deer for residents and non-residents, but a non-resident must draw their non-resident general license first.

Historically the odds on a deer only combo license are a little under 20% and the odds on the deer/elk combo license is closer to 50%. If you email the state they will give you the applicant numbers, but remember that some of those applicants are going to have preference points from prior years so your odds are going to be a bit lower.

Is it worth the extra $400 to for an extra 30% drawing odds? That's what you have to decide.

GetemDuck · Jan 15, 2009

Thanks for the info. I was online looking for a 2009 regs and application but it says they wont be ready till march. But is the draw deadline in march?

~ Get'em Duck!

npaden · Jan 16, 2009

The draw deadline is March 15th. (Postmarked)

The final 2009 regulations might not be posted to the site until March, but you can fill out the application prior to that. The General tags aren't going to change any, but they might fine tune the quotas in some of the limited draw areas still.

The 2009 non-resident applications are available toward the bottom of this page - http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/licenses/applications.html

The online licensing system is working for 2009 applications as well, but I don't like paying the extra $$ for that.

Good luck.

GetemDuck · Jan 20, 2009

Thank you. I was hoping they would be up earlier because I need to send them off to my buddies and help them get them filled out right. I want to get us put in for a buddy tag so either we all draw or none of us draw.

I guess with 20% odds the deck is stacked against us. Two members of my group just swing the elk/deer combo or else we would go that route. I know a guy who has draw a elk/deer combo for two years straight. He says applying as a buddy form will hurt me????Is this true. I just don't want to risk one guy drawing and 3 guys not.

Thanks for all your help guys. Learning a new system each year is killing me I should just find a state and stick with it. But Colorado I was told had a bad winter kill and the deer hunting in the easier to draw units was pretty slow?
~ Get'em Duck!

npaden · Jan 20, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Jan-20-09 AT 04:27PM (MST)[p]Group drawing doesn't really help or hurt you. It just puts all your eggs in 1 basket.

If 4 people apply as individuals with 20% odds then there is basically an 80% chance at least 1 of you will draw and only a 20% chance that none of you will draw.

If 4 people apply as a group it's all or nothing. You have a 20% chance that all 4 of you get picked and an 80% chance none of you will get picked.

It comes down to whether any of your group would enjoy going on a hunt where they didn't have a tag. Lots of folks do that with elk hunting where they would need help to pack the animal out if they are successful.

Does that make sense?

I personally went for the deer/elk combo license for the better drawing odds. It's $643 instead of $343 for deer only so it is actually only $300 more. The # of applicants vs. the # drawn comes out closer to 60% on the deer/elk combo license, but that doesn't factor in preference points so I think your odds are a little lower than that without preference points. On the deer only the # of applicants vs. the # drawn is around 20% but that also doesn't factor in preference points so your actual odds would be even lower than 20% for deer especially since there are so many more people who don't get drawn that more than likely have preference points from the year(s) before.

I justified it by comparing the deer/elk combo license to the guaranteed outfitter deer only license that costs $1,100 and that's before you even pay the outfitter a dime. That makes the $643 seem like a bargain! ;-)

mtmuley · Jan 20, 2009

It is very easy. Apply for the combo. If you are succesfull, you can hunt deer AND elk in dang near the entire state. Plus, after you draw the combo, you can apply for our draw only areas for deer and elk. Most of these areas are tough for a resident to draw. If you and all your buds draw the combo, you can all hunt together. If you are just after a good time and average bucks and bulls, perfect. mtmuley