2023 Montana alternatelist

Good problem Deucebump !
Last year I drew General Elk, General Mule Deer, Cow Elk and Antelope. The Holy Grail. My Brother drew General Mule Deer, Cow Elk and a Limited Entry Elk tag he's been applying for for 16 or 17 years (no antelope for him) - all tags were in the same district (except my general elk of course). Quite the year.
Good Luck on your once in a lifetime tag !
 
OldDog said:
Good problem Deucebump !
Last year I drew General Elk, General Mule Deer, Cow Elk and Antelope. The Holy Grail. My Brother drew General Mule Deer, Cow Elk and a Limited Entry Elk tag he's been applying for for 16 or 17 years (no antelope for him) - all tags were in the same district (except my general elk of course). Quite the year.
Good Luck on your once in a lifetime tag !
Click to expand...
Thanks OldDog! I should have added I should also have an MT antelope tag since I have 4 bonus points, but ya never know. Pretty sure Im scrapping the ID hunt at this point.
 
#82 here, first time I had a number less than 2000 I think. Hoping to pick it up and make use of it this fall but ive got a pocket full of tags already
 
I will be there with or without the tag nov 16 so hopefully 260 ties or beats last year for when it’s available
 
Anybody with past experience know approximately how long it takes to go through the list? Or how the process works as far as how long you have to buy the tag once they send you the email?

(Curious because I assume Ill get the offer email since Im #66, but will be in the backcountry for about 2 weeks aug/early sept. with no cell service.)
 
Deucebump said:
Anybody with past experience know approximately how long it takes to go through the list? Or how the process works as far as how long you have to buy the tag once they send you the email?

(Curious because I assume Ill get the offer email since Im #66, but will be in the backcountry for about 2 weeks aug/early sept. with no cell service.)
Click to expand...

How I understand it:
  • Tags are offered till FWP either issues all the returned tags or keeps offering till mid-NOV
  • Approx half of the tag offers are accepted by Alternate List hunters, so if FWP gets 201 total tags returned, #400 on the Alternate List might be offered a tag if FWP can work through the list fast enough
  • I think I'm correct to remember that a hunter has 5 days to decide - FWIW, my gripe is that 5 days is way too long, consequently prolonging the time needed for FWP to work through the list
  • A biz person might suggest that if FWP shortened the tag offer decision to 48 hours, 100% of the returned tags would be re-issued by the end of OCT and FWP would recover 100% of the tag fees
Based on 3-year history, #66 will be offered the tag by the first week of September.

[Edit to add that the info I'm sharing is from old MT FWP emails and that the FWP people were very kind/helpful. Deer Combo license returns range from 200+ to 300+ tags per year.]
 
Last edited:
#538 in the elk combo...Glad I drew a WY deer tag and was able to pick up a type 6 leftover elk tag this morning for the same area...MT is not in the cards for me this year. Good Luck to all waiting on their number to be called.
 
Deucebump said:
Anybody with past experience know approximately how long it takes to go through the list? Or how the process works as far as how long you have to buy the tag once they send you the email?

(Curious because I assume Ill get the offer email since Im #66, but will be in the backcountry for about 2 weeks aug/early sept. with no cell service.)
Click to expand...
I was offered a tag on august 8 in 2021 and I was top 10
 
Thanks guys thats the info I was looking for. Unfortunately I have a feeling Ill miss my window but fingers crossed it works out. (Plan is to be backpacking from 8/30-9/9)
 
Deucebump - what Hill Difficulty and J_volt said.
Early / mid August FWP starts contacting people. They contact in blocks, 25 or 50 (can't remember) at a time. First come, first get for the tag(s) available. If no one buys the tag in the specified time, the next lot is contacted until tags are gone. Several years ago my brother got the call from FWP 3 days into the season while we were hunting elk. There was a mule deer tag available.
That wasted a day of hunting for a trip to Miles City and a strategy meeting at a local establishment.
It was worth it.
 
Hill Difficulty said:
.....
  • A biz person might suggest that if FWP shortened the tag offer decision to 48 hours, 100% of the returned tags would be re-issued by the end of OCT and FWP would recover 100% of the tag fees
Click to expand...

I assume they re-sell the majority of the returned licenses and clear significantly over 100% of "tag fees".

A non-resident "any-reason" 80% refund on a Deer Combo nets FWP at least $173 "profit" (20% of the combo license fee, plus $32.50 of nonrefundables ($10 Conservation license, $15 Base hunting license and $7.50 Aquatic Invasive Species Pass) and any Preference and Bonus Point fees.)

Completing re-issues earlier is preferable, but a 48 hour turnaround seems unreasonable and I doubt FWP could keep up with that pace.
 
Checking in for 2023, I’m lucky enough to be sitting at #32 for Deer combo alt list. Dad on the other hand is sitting at #738 this is our first year applying for this list, question is does dad have a shot? We will be getting into town November 10th either way. Thanks in advance.
 
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