Montana tag question

My hunting partner and I put in for a draw unit as a party. Our second choice was a general big game combo lic.
He forgot to pay the $10 permit fee for the draw unit. So he got booted and didn't get the LE permit unit. I drew the limited unit. He drew a general big game combo lic. Under the FWP system in my name it says I was successful in drawing the elk permit I wanted. Under the not successful it says I didn't draw a big game combo license, and didn't get the big game combo lic that was released. Now that my partner can't hunt in the limited draw unit we were going to hunt a general area when we hunted together and I was going to hunt the limited alone when he couldn't be there. Can I hunt a general unit?? Says I was successful in drawing my elk permit for the unit I wanted. So I must have some kind of elk license and not just a permit.

You can't draw a permit without first having drawn a general elk license. If you get your permit, you will get your elk tag too. You can hunt general areas and your permit area.

Thanks Gerald, that helps ease the pain of my partner not getting his permit a little