PDF MONTANA - Complete Hunting Resource

MONTANA 2016

SOPVEECRIVEISE W

MONTANA

MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PARKS

1420 East 6th Avenue ? PO Box 200701 ? Helena, MT 59620-0701 | 406-444-2535 ? fwp.

NOTE: THIS INFORMATION IS NOT INTENDED TO REPLACE MONTANA'S OFFICIAL HUNTING REGULATIONS. USE IT ONLY AS A GUIDE. REFER TO THE STATE

REGULATIONS WHEN APPLYING.

ELK AND DEER

In this issue, we will only be covering Montana's top deer and elk hunts. Montana prints several sets of regulations, covering all of the different species, and each has their own release dates as well as staggered application periods. In the April issue, we will cover the best moose, sheep, mountain goat, and antelope hunts the state has to offer. This will leave plenty of time for you to make the right decision before the application deadline.

2 016 M O N T A N A N O N - R E S I D E N T F E E S

Conservation License (included in the combination license) Archery Stamp (mandatory for all archery hunts) Bonus Point Fee per Species (Optional) Youth Big Game Combination Come Home to Hunt Combination Big Game Combination Elk Combination Special Elk Permit

$10 $10 $20 $510.50 $510.50 $1,001 $851 $9

Montana's regulations will be

Deer Combination

$597

available for download online at

Special Deer A Permit

$5



Wolf Permit (can purchase up to 5)

$50

or by calling 406-444-2535. The non-

resident General and Special deer and

elk applications must be submitted APPLICATION PAYMENT:

online or postmarked by March 15th. For paper applications, payment for

MONTANA'S 2016 HUNTING

the application and tag fees must be

SEASON DATES:

PAPER APPLICATIONS:

made by money order or cashier's

The application must be postmarked check payable to Montana FWP. No

by the U.S. Postal Service or submitted personal or company checks will be

Deer/Elk Archery Sept 3-Oct 16

online at accepted. For online applications, Visa,

index.html by March 15th.

MasterCard, American Express, or

Deer/Elk General Firearm Oct 22-Nov 27

ONLINE APPLICATIONS:

debit are accepted. Whether applying online or on paper, tag fees must be

Deer/Elk Archery Backcountry Sept 3-14

You may apply online for Montana's big game tags. Applicants will need a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or debit card to apply, and a convenience fee of $1.25 plus approximately 2.5% of the total purchase will be added

paid for at the time of application. All refunds will be mailed to unsuccessful applicants in the form of a check.

WITHDRAW/AMENDMENT

Deer/Elk Firearm Backcountry Sept 15-Nov 27

Backcountry Units: 150, 151, 280, and 316 There is no archery season in HD 316.

to the application fees. This is well OF APPLICATIONS:

worth it as it eliminates the chance There is a withdraw form that will be are not allowed to reapply after your

of your application getting lost in the available online. You must print it off application has been withdrawn.

postal system, which can cause you to and mail it back to the Montana FWP.

be rejected. You may apply online at You will forfeit your application fees, N ON -RESIDEN T TAG Q U O T A :

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. but the tag fee will be refunded. You Elk and deer non-resident applicants are

MONTANA 2016

OVERVIEW

allocated "up to" 10% of a unit's quota, not guaranteed. If a non-resident applies for a deer or elk permit area that has less than a quota of 10, the application will not be considered for the drawing.

DRAW ODDS: We have calculated the draw odds by dividing the number of non-resident applicants by 10% of the available tags, without respect to bonus points.

SEQUENCE OF THE DRAW: Everyone's first choice is awarded before anyone's second choice is considered.

PARTY APPLICATIONS: Party applications are available for elk and deer with a maximum party size of five. Bonus points will be averaged and rounded to the nearest whole number.

DRAW RESULTS: For deer and elk tags, draw results will be available mid-April.

REFUNDS: Applicants who are successful in drawing a General tag will then be placed in the Special drawing. For Big Game Combination or Elk Combination licenses, you will be able to choose from the following, if unsuccessful in the Special drawing: keep your General Combination license to use on the general seasons, receive an 80% refund of the license, or, if drawn for a Big Game Combination license and unsuccessful in drawing a Special elk permit, elect to receive a $306 refund for the elk license and be issued a Deer Combination license to use for the general deer seasons. These options do not exist if you only apply for the Deer Combination license. If you successfully draw a Deer Combination

license but are unsuccessful in the Special drawing, you can still return your license for an 80% refund by August 1st or a 50% refund before the start of the general hunting season.

PREFERENCE POINTS: Preference points are issued for the General Combination drawing. The Montana preference point system is voluntary and costs $50 for nonresidents. Seeing as Montana has not sold out of their General Combination licenses for several years, we discourage anyone from purchasing them as they are not needed.

BONUS POINTS: Bonus points will be issued for the Special deer and elk drawings. The Montana bonus point system is voluntary and costs $20 for nonresidents per species. Bonus points for deer and elk are squared in the

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MONTANA 2016

OVERVIEW

drawing. For example, if you have 3 bonus points, you will have 9 points in the drawing plus that year's application, equaling 10 chances in the drawing. If unsuccessful, you will be awarded another point and will have 4 points going into next year's drawing. You may skip two consecutive years of applying without losing your points. If you skip the third year or draw your first choice, your points go back to 0. Party applications will have their bonus points averaged and rounded to the nearest whole number. Bonus points are not used or lost in second and third choice drawings.

LEFTOVER LICENSES: Leftover General Combination licenses for deer and elk will go on sale within a week after the draw results have been posted. The licenses will be available online, through the mail, and at any Montana FWP office. All licenses will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

YOUTH APPRENTICE HUNTER PROGRAM: New in 2015, this is another opportunity for youth hunters, ages 10-17, to get out in the field hunting deer only prior to having taken hunter education. An apprentice hunter must be accompanied by a mentor who is at least 21 years of age. Apprentice hunters cannot apply for limited-entry draws. However, if you plan on hunting an unlimited unit, you must send an application to FWP headquarters. Contact the licensing department directly with any further questions.

YOUTH HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES: Youth ages 12-15 may harvest a cow elk with their elk license without having to draw a cow permit. Once again, the FWP Commission is allowing legally licensed hunters

10-15 years of age to hunt deer during the statewide two-day, youth-only deer season, which runs October 20-21. See the regulations for further information.

HUNTER ORANGE REQUIREMENTS: Any person hunting or accompanying a hunter as an outfitter or guide must wear a minimum of 400 square inches of hunter orange material above the waist that is visible at all times.

WAITING PERIODS: There is no waiting period to apply if you have previously drawn an elk or a deer tag.

ACCESS PROGRAM: Montana has a Block Management program, which is a cooperative program between private landowners and Montana FWP. Block Management

LANDOWNER TAGS: Montana landowners, residents and non-residents, may qualify for preference in the Special license/permit drawing for deer and elk. Landowners may designate a family member or employee to be placed in the draw for a tag. There is 15% of the limited draw tags set aside for landowners.

HUNTER EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: Anyone born after January 1, 1985 must have taken a hunter education course to purchase a hunting license in Montana. In order to purchase an archery license, you must provide a certificate of completing a bowhunter education course or provide any prior year's bowhunting permit from any other state, prior to applying.

MINIMUM AGE TO APPLY AND TO HUNT: An 11-year-old youth who will be 12 years old by January 16, 2017 may purchase a hunting license and apply for any drawing but cannot hunt until after August 15, 2016.

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FOY WALKER WITH COTTONWOOD OUTFITTERS

MONTANA 2016

OVERVIEW

helps landowners manage hunting have no more than two barrels; and ?Bowhunters must purchase a $10

activities and provides the public with must only use plain lead projectiles.

archery stamp before applying for

free hunting access to private land Sabots or other similar power and

an archery only hunt.

and sometimes to adjacent or isolated range-enhancing manufactured loads

public lands. Currently, hunters can hunt that enclose the projectile from ?Two-way communication devices

about 7.3 million acres of private land the rifling or bore of the firearm

may not be used to hunt big

for free. Program funding comes from are prohibited.

game in Montana. This rule does

the sale of various licenses. A regional

not prohibit the possession or

Hunting Access Guide is published MAPS:

use of two-way communication

annually by August 15th, which lists the Regular Montana BLM maps may be

devices for safety or other

Block Management Areas enrolled for obtained by calling 406-896-5000.

legitimate purposes.

that year and explains how to gain Other topographical maps may

access to them. Call 406-444-2602 for be obtained by calling the USGS at COMMEN TS:

more information.

406-329-3024.

Montana is known for having a

complicated application process for

SUPER TAGS:

HARVEST REPORTING

non-residents. First, non-residents need

Chances are available for moose, REQUIREMENTS:

to apply for one of the Big Game, Elk,

bighorn sheep, mountain goat, Montana does not have harvest or Deer Combination licenses in the

antelope, elk, deer, bison, and reporting requirements for deer general draw, and then they apply

mountain lion. One Super Tag will be and elk.

for special, limited-entry deer and/or

drawn for each species and can be

elk permits, both of which are due by

used in any hunting district, including WOLF UPDATES:

March 15th. For 2016, there will again

Montana's most legendary trophy As of February 16, 2016, there was be 17,000 Big Game Combination and

districts. Revenue from the Super a total of 186 wolves harvested in Elk Combination tags and 4,600 Deer

Tag sales is used to enhance hunting Montana. The wolf trapping season Combination tags. You should see

access and boost FWP enforcement will end on February 28, 2016, and the leftover licenses available after the

efforts. Unlimited Super Tag chances wolf hunting season will end on March draw again this year.

may be purchased at $5 each. Super 15, 2016. We will cover the Montana

Tag chances may be purchased wolf information in the October Over one-half of Montana is privately

online at issue. If you plan on hunting elk in owned, which causes some major

index.html.

Montana, make sure you have a wolf access issues in certain areas. It has

tag in your pocket. That's the best $50 been a huge limiting factor for a self-

PRIMITIVE WEAPON

you could spend.

guided hunter to find a solid place to

RESTRICTIONS:

hunt. Something that Montana offers

For archery, your bow must meet all D ID YOU KN OW:

to help with private land access issues

of the following requirements to be ?Legally licensed hunters 10-15 is the Block Management program,

legal: must be handheld, must be at

years of age may hunt deer which is a cooperative effort among

least 28" in length, and may have no

during the statewide two-day, both private landowners and the

more than 80% let-off. The arrow must

youth-only deer season on Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

meet all of the following requirements

October 20-21.

Department. They have a Regional

to be legal: must be at least 20" in

Hunting Access Guide that lists lands

length, the total arrow weight must ?There is no special season for enrolled in the program and should be

be more than 300 grains, broadheads

muzzleloader hunting in Montana, available annually on August 15th.

must weigh 70 grains or more and have

but muzzleloaders may be used

two cutting edges, and expendables

during the general hunt.

If you are a trophy mule deer hunter,

are legal if they expand to at least 7/8".

we don't recommend that you apply

The following equipment restrictions ?A crossbow may be used during at this time as there are very few

apply only to weapon restriction areas:

the general hunting season but not trophy bucks being harvested across

muzzleloaders must not be capable of

the archery season.

the state. Although Montana is a

being loaded from the breech of the

great state to focus your efforts on

barrel; may not be loaded with any pre- ?Archery equipment with electronic hunting trophy bull elk, you will need

prepared paper or metallic cartridges;

devices attached or with sights to beat the odds and draw a limited-

must be charged with black powder,

that use tritium or electronics entry permit. If you are unsuccessful

pyrodex, or an equivalent; must

are illegal.

throughout the West, Montana's

be ignited by a percussion, flintlock,

General deer and elk tags are always

matchlock, or wheellock mechanism; ?Trail cameras are illegal to use a solid fallback to get an opportunity

must be a minimum of .45 caliber; may

during the hunting season.

hunt under your belt.

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MONTANA 2016

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MONTANA DEER AND ELK UNITS

M O N T A N A E L K P O P U L A T I O N O B J E C T I V E S T A T U S 2 015

NOTE: THESE MAPS ARE FOR GENERAL REFERENCE ONLY. REFER

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TO THE STATE PROCLAMATION FOR EXACT BOUNDARIES.

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