MT Big Game Combo Refund?

• Feb 20, 2017

• #1

AvidIndoorsman

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First off I couldn't find anything in the numerous other threads clarifying license issues, but apologies anyway if I overlooked an obvious answer.

I recently moved from MT to CO and I want to keep up my elk and deer bonus points. This season there is almost no way I'm going to be able to hunt MT so unless I draw an amazing permit and put everything on hold I'm going to skip hunting MT this season.

I put in for a deer permit an elk permit and applied for the big game combo as I'm now a non-res... here are the FWP options if you don't draw an elk permit

80% Refund
Keep your Big Game
Refund Elk keep Deer

I want to get the 80% refund as I can't hunt, but what happens if I don't draw the elk but I draw the deer?

Seems like a lot of people probably apply for both so why isn't there an option to keep the Big Game if you draw either species? Seems like a huge flaw in the system, could you conceivably draw a deer permit and not have a combo because they gave you a refund because you didn't get an elk permit?

 

• Feb 21, 2017

• #2

S

schmalts

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You will have to refund the elk only portion. There is a 80% for turning in the deer-elk combo, and then there is a lesser refund for turning in the elk only half. You would do the latter.

 

• Feb 21, 2017

• #3

AvidIndoorsman

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So what happens if you do the 80% refund and draw a deer permit?

 

• Feb 21, 2017

• #4

Gerald Martin

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I think you can choose your options until a certain date. They will refund what you send back in. As schmalts said there is a lesser refund for the elk only portion than if you refund both deer and elk.

 

• Feb 21, 2017

• #5

D

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wllm1313 said:

So what happens if you do the 80% refund and draw a deer permit?

Click to expand...

I don't believe you can, because you have to have the deer tag in order to draw the deer permit.

 

• Feb 21, 2017

• #6

M

mn taxidermist

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If you refund the elk and keep the deer you will be refunded about 300 $

 

• Feb 21, 2017

• #7

AvidIndoorsman

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I called FWP as I probably should have to begin with, the front desk at Bozeman didn't know and transferred me to Helena who didn't know and transferred me to the Bonus point system coordinator.

Here is what I was told to do.

Select your Elk Permit Unit, select Deer Unit, and buy your Big Game Combo

-Select option 4. and get a $309 refund and keep your deer combo (If you don't draw the elk)

-Once you hear you didn't draw a permit for a deer license you can return your license for an 80% refund

I was told that they designed the refund values so they were close to the same so 80% of 1010= $808 and $309+.8(602)=$790.6

Also it is possible to end up with a deer permit and no license. I was told they thought about adding another option but decided it would make the process too confusing.

Schmalts and Gerald looks like you boys were right on the money!

 

• Feb 22, 2017

• #8

8andcounting

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I applied for big game combo plus elk permit and bonus point so it was $1,061 total , if I got no permit and elected too keep only deer tag I woulda got $309 back , so that deer combo would end up costing me $752. Well I more than likely woulda bought a elk b Tag for $275 anyways and where I hunt u can take a cow on the gen tag so I elected to take that route and keep the gen tag . Doing it other way only woulda saved me $40 or so plus then I woulda had to send back in again

 

• Feb 22, 2017

• #9

H

HalfAce

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$752 for a Montana Deer tag?!!! I know that's the price if your wanting to try and draw an Elk permit and return that elk portion if you don't draw, but that's a $tupid high price! The Wyoming higher priced special tag goes for $552. I don't know about you guys but i do not see how a Montana Deer tag can fetch that kind of price vs. a Wyoming tag. You can hunt elk in other states for that kind of money or less. Ridiculous.

 

• Feb 23, 2017

• #10

8andcounting

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Yes , it's high . If u buy just the deer combo without applying for permits it's about $600 I believe . Still high but I'll pay if because there is no place like Montana , u get 11 weeks to hunt and can hunt with rifle in the middle of the rut and there's tons of public land so to me it's worth it .