Help me understand the most confusing state. MT.

[KINGSNAKE]

So the past two years I have bought two preference points. One per year. I just checked my 2020 and 2021 statements. I only show one point on my Montanna account. Did I miss something. The first year it cost me $103. Last fall they charged me $51.70. Did I not buy something I should have? I'm getting tired of MT.

 

[WI in the west]

Did you maybe only buy a bonus point one of the years and a preference point the other?

 

[KINGSNAKE]

Year one was more expensive. Last September was in the 50s. I found my transaction numbers on my credit card statements. I went ahead and sent an email to game and fish. I didn't think it was worth trying to call right now. They ate probably getting a thousand calls a day with this great new reg

 

[Bull_n_heat]

Did you maybe only buy a bonus point one of the years and a preference point the other?

I'm pretty sure you bought one preference point (moves you up in line for a general tag) an done bonus point (more names in the hat for a limited quota tag, provided you draw a general tag)

 

[beauhunter]

I feel for you. I'm a lifelong resident of MT and I swear that I have to call FWP once a year, at least, to get some clarification on the regs. To my best understanding the preference points are only available to non-res as the general non-res license is issued to those with the most preference points. The bonus points are for the limited quota tags like @Bull_n_heat stated. If you log into your MyFWP account and click "View My Information" under the "MyFWP Information" tab you can select "Base Bonus and Preference Points". Hopefully it will show that you have two PP from the last two years of applying for a general license and possibly only one BP. I would assume that bonus point is the difference in price that you saw the first year. That would make the most sense to me but in the past there have been non-residents that drew quota tags without drawing a general tag. That was a fiasco that FWP had to go back and redraw everything as you have to have a general tag in order to apply for permits. My info below shows no PP since I am a resident and purchase my general tags OTC.

 

[KINGSNAKE]

Well I opened up account and only had.one preference point. So I sent an email to the department with my transaction numbers from my credit card statement. Hopefully they ca. Help me.

 

[Erict]

Look at the dates of your transactions. You cannot apply for a LICENSE w/PP after April 1, you cannot apply for PP ONLY before July 1. Most likely to me is that:

In 2020 you applied by April 1 for a LICENSE (deer or elk). Non-refundable fees would be $10 conservation license fee, $15 base license fee, $50 PREFERENCE POINT, $25 BONUS point, $3? online fee = $103.

In 2021 you applied after June 30 for a $50 PREFERENCE POINT only, plus online fee = $51.70.

Like beauhunter said above, check your FWP account and confirm what BONUS and PREFERENCE points are showing. PM/Start conversation with me if you show 0 BONUS and 1 PP.

 

[KINGSNAKE]

Both my purchases were in September 2020 and 2021.

 

[Erict]

Yep, that's odd. I called Montana FWP Licensing last week and got a helpful staffer on the phone quickly - may want to try. Please post an update. Good luck

 

[sneaky]

You need to read the new regs. Starting this year if you bought preference points two years in a row without applying they're zeroing those points. May be why you're only showing 1 point. If you don't apply for a license this year you'll lose the other one

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Erict]

Starting March 1, 2022. So there is no way they should be zeroed out under the new rule/law, at least not for a few weeks. Even the "current" rule/law does not explain it.

It does bring up the point of when will they start "zeroing out" PP. Because the law begins March 1, 2022, one would not have failed to apply in consecutive years as long as they apply for a license in 2023.

 

[johnsd16]

Looks like you bought a bonus point for deer and a bonus point for elk in 2020, those are for limited entry permits, then in 2021 you bought a preference point for deer, elk or deer/elk general tag. Very simple.

 

[KINGSNAKE]

So is the preference point you buy good for deer or elk. Or. Deer and elk?

 

[KINGSNAKE]

Yep, that's odd. I called Montana FWP Licensing last week and got a helpful staffer on the phone quickly - may want to try. Please post an update. Good luck

I called today and he checked my account. He could see my purchases in 2020 and 2021. They updated it and I now have 2 preference points. Super easy and great service. I guess in 2020 I bought a bonus point also. Now I have to apply for a tag this year. I explained to my wife I don't have a choice. Hehe.

 

[WCB]

I don't get it. Montana is not hard at all. I have never had an issue applying for anything. Better than 99% of the states with 10 different hunt codes for 3 different seasons.

 

[Dos Perros]

I don't get it. Montana is not hard at all. I have never had an issue applying for anything. Better than 99% of the states with 10 different hunt codes for 3 different seasons.

Lol what? I’ve been applying in MT for 8 years and I think it’s confusing.

Two different classes of points (bonus and preference)
The preference points are for elk or deer or both (weird)
Some percentage of general tags automatically go to folks with 0 points
You’re not even considered for a permit unless you first draw the general (which I guess begs the question, do you still get a bonus point if you don’t draw the general?)
You can buy points sometimes
But not if you applied
But when you apply you can tho
And the FWP can just willy nilly decide to issue a whole bunch of extra tags whenever they want if they feel like it

That’s weird and confusing.

 

[KINGSNAKE]

Lol what? I’ve been applying in MT for 8 years and I think it’s confusing.

Two different classes of points (bonus and preference)
The preference points are for elk or deer or both (weird)
Some percentage of general tags automatically go to folks with 0 points
You’re not even considered for a permit unless you first draw the general (which I guess begs the question, do you still get a bonus point if you don’t draw the general?)
You can buy points sometimes
But not if you applied
But when you apply you can tho
And the FWP can just willy nilly decide to issue a whole bunch of extra tags whenever they want if they feel like it

That’s weird and confusing.

Spot on. I was originally buying the preference points to archery elk hunt. Now things have changed this year on my schedule so I'm gonna apply for just a deer tag. Very weird. Do I ever loose my bonus point? Idk

 

[InkedElkSlayer]

Dos Perros/Kingsnake are dead on. I am from MT and have hunted MT every year since 89. Including 7 years as a non-Res from 05-11. There were some dumb application rules then, but it’s absolutely stupid now. Between myself, wife and kids, we apply for 7 different states now. MT is hands down the worst.
During the comment period this January I submitted comments. I cited Greg Lemon, MT FWP Spokesman’s quote, “The idea was, let’s just use the filter of science and simplicity and see where we end up.” I labelled each of my comments with “Science”, or “Simplicity”.
I didn’t just rant like most commenters. I have some knowledge of how response to comments and issue identification works. I brought up several topics to address along the lines of what you guys are talking about and several others. A couple of my comments about developing focus groups may have actually been heard. We’ll see, I think we have to comment, but most of the time I feel we’d be more useful yelling into a culvert pipe.
There is a title wave of bullshit being pushed and proposed in MT now. EVERYTHING is anti youth and family hunting. Privatization and The European Model of Game Management is the flavor of the week now.

 

[KINGSNAKE]

Randy Newberg for Governor!

 

[Rick M.]

Between the regs and the prices, I think Montana does a great job of disincentivizing out of state hunters. If I lived there, I'd be a fan .