Figuring Out Licenses in Montana

[Blackbart]

First off I am not there yet but we are moving to Hamilton and will be starting to try and figure out licenses, draws, and harvest numbers to decide where to start scouting.

I have been watching every video Randy has on YouTube and loving every minute. It seems there are a bunch of videos where he has the option to hunt either deer or elk and says there are extra licenses available over the counter.

I have just been looking at the interactive map in FWP's hunt planner and it does not seem that all districts have up to 2015 information available. I have already sent an email to the biologist in the Bitterroot and I do know at least one other hunter in the area (our real estate agent).

I'm going to buy Hunt On X maps and looking for more resources.

Is there an easy way to figure out the licenses? Can I buy a general license and hunt any district?

Luckily the missus likes to camp and hike so we'll be putting lots of miles on the truck and trails. Thanks for any information you can share about the processes and figuring this out.

 

[teamhoyt]

As a resident you'll be able to buy a deer and elk license every year otc. Also bear, turkey and many others. You can get the sportsman license and get a lot of these with a small discount. General tags are good for any general unit. You can also apply for a limited area that you can hunt. When you apply for the limited area you are applying for a "permit". In the case of elk your permit lets you hunt any general hunt and if you choose you can hunt the permit area under its restrictions also.

Successfully drawing a mule deer permit requires that you only hunt the permit area.
You can use the maps in the regulation book to decide on an area, then find the unit number in the regulations and it will tell you what general/limited opportunities and dates for that unit

 

[airlocksniffer]

Is there an easy way to figure out the licenses? Can I buy a general license and hunt any district?

We have OTC tags for deer and elk. Most if not all districts have some type of opportunity with a general OTC license but what is legal take can vary. For example, near Helena in HD 380, a general tag is good for a cow elk or spike elk during archery but only a spike elk during rifle season. Up along the Front, many districts are either sex elk all season long. You can also apply for special permits for either sex elk or cow elk (March and June deadlines respectively). Back to HD 380, the either sex special draw is one of the hardest draws in the state (1% success). If you draw this permit, it is used with your general elk license. If you download a copy of the 2016 hunting regulations from the FWP site (http://fwp.mt.gov/fwpDoc.html?id=73497), each HD will list what opportunities are available with an OTC general elk license and what special licenses/permits you can apply for. A general elk tag is a great tag and awesome country and critters can be had all over the state. Hope this helps.

 

[Southern Elk]

Here you go. The regs for each district are listed here.

http://fwp.mt.gov/fwpDoc.html?id=73503

 

[406LIFE]

PM Sent.