Montana elk unit 380

Jdhunttrapfish

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Jun 18, 2019
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Looking toward the future for some out west elk hunting and I am wondering about unit 380, a freind of mine lives out there and 380 is where he is planning on hunting, he wants me to try and draw the tag as well, obviously since he's a resident so he can get that tag fairly easy, but from a non resident standpoint I'm not sure I can, I got a big game combo prefernce point this spring, from what I'm reading though it is a limited entry hunt and I should have got a bonus point instead? Just wondering if I'm on the right track here and kind of wondering what the odds are for a non resident to draw? Any help is appreciated
 

tntrker

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Aug 7, 2018
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Upstate SC
I may be mistaken, but a bonus point in MT cannot carry year to year, only the preference collects each consecutive year. The bonus point just puts you in the same category with others that bought the bonus point when drawing. Kinda like 2 separate draws, drawing with those without bonus point and a draw with those that paid for the bonus point. So you would keep buying Pref points and only buy the bonus point the year you hunt. Like I said, I may be mistaken but that's the way I THINK MT does theirs..
 
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J

Jdhunttrapfish

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Jun 18, 2019
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If you had started putting in 11 years ago your odds to draw this year would be ~3.5%. Your odds next year will be 0.03%. You're never getting that tag.
Wow I knew it could be bad but didnt think it would be that bad, looks like I might be hunting a general unit somewhere nearby
 

mtwarden

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no offense to your buddy, but the likelihood of him drawing a tag is almost nil as well; this is THE most sought after elk permit in the state- lots of folks putting in for a full lifetime and never drawing

definitely don't hold your hopes up for this permit
 

W1bowo

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Aug 24, 2019
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no offense to your buddy, but the likelihood of him drawing a tag is almost nil as well; this is THE most sought after elk permit in the state- lots of folks putting in for a full lifetime and never drawing

definitely don't hold your hopes up for this permit
+1
g.png
 
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J

Jdhunttrapfish

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Jun 18, 2019
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151
no offense to your buddy, but the likelihood of him drawing a tag is almost nil as well; this is THE most sought after elk permit in the state- lots of folks putting in for a full lifetime and never drawing

definitely don't hold your hopes up for this permit
Man, I will have to let him know about that, he just moved there a year ago and is getting his residency in a month or so, he might not have the full idea of what's really going on, he has permission to private land in 380 though so he said he might be able to pull a landowners permit? Thanks for the input
 
Joined
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If you want to hunt elk before you’re in an old folks home pick a different unit. Same goes for your buddy. We all dream of hitting the Power Ball for millions.
 

NoWiser

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Aug 15, 2013
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If I'm not mistaken, Montana squares bonus points. Your odds will start out at about zero and decrease each year. As someone above said, you and your buddy are not drawing that tag.
 

MT257

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Man, I will have to let him know about that, he just moved there a year ago and is getting his residency in a month or so, he might not have the full idea of what's really going on, he has permission to private land in 380 though so he said he might be able to pull a landowners permit? Thanks for the input

he won’t get a landowners permit only landowners and direct kin can apply to be put in that draw. And land owner tags are not allowed to be sold. I think in 380 you can shoot spikes on a general tag. I’d have to look at the regs again and suggest both you and your buddy do that to so that you don’t possibly make a mistake costing you your hunting privileges.
 
Joined
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Whitehall, MT
Draw the general elk tag and put in for the 380 tag. It's hard to draw, but you will be hunting elk every other year in a general unit so you might as well throw in for something that your friend can spend time scouting. It's possible that you may never draw, but 6,8,10 years from now you may decide you want to burn your points on a different unit and that's always an option. Don't listen to all the negativity....my wife has drawn the best elk tag in the state twice with one point each time. I've drawn a deer permit with less than 3% odds 3 times and two of those i had no points. People draw tough tags every year. Don't go into it with high hopes and you'll be fine.
 

SBAHunts

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Jul 19, 2017
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he won’t get a landowners permit only landowners and direct kin can apply to be put in that draw. And land owner tags are not allowed to be sold. I think in 380 you can shoot spikes on a general tag. I’d have to look at the regs again and suggest both you and your buddy do that to so that you don’t possibly make a mistake costing you your hunting privileges.
spikes & cows on a general tag in 380
 

aron

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Dec 27, 2012
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North Dakota
your odds for drawing will go down each year as point creep goes up. 380 is the unit every person applies as the permit knowing they won't draw to get the point and hunt the general tag.
 

exppi

FNG
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Oct 20, 2013
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SW Idaho
Point creep will be a problem. It’s still a lottery though and you never know when luck will strike. Spike in my avatar was from 380 on a general tag the year a family member had the bull tag.
 

Mt Al

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That's the dream spot. Saw a few pics of elk taken from there this year and wet myself.

I'm a believer that you can't win if you don't play, so I just put in because you never know.
 
Joined
May 8, 2017
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I may be mistaken, but a bonus point in MT cannot carry year to year, only the preference collects each consecutive year. The bonus point just puts you in the same category with others that bought the bonus point when drawing. Kinda like 2 separate draws, drawing with those without bonus point and a draw with those that paid for the bonus point. So you would keep buying Pref points and only buy the bonus point the year you hunt. Like I said, I may be mistaken but that's the way I THINK MT does theirs..

You have it flipped. You buy the PP to draw the general tag and Bonus points are accumulated year over year if you are unsuccessful. Montana squares their bonus points.
 

Scoot

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"Don't listen to all the negativity....my wife has drawn the best elk tag in the state twice with one point each time."

Or... listen to the negativity because it's totally realistic. Obviously somebody has to draw and you would have a chance, but it is so slim that you should probably never count on drawing it in your life time. Make your decisions accordingly.

Wherever you do end up, I hope you have a blast and find some elk to chase.
 

Jaker_cc

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Feb 24, 2016
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San Antonio, TX
Been in and around that unit a ton, if I drew that tag it would be better than winning the actual lottery. I don’t ever plan on it, ever, but if I ever did...... but I won’t
 
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