Montana nonres elk point question

[ez_willie]

I know this is old. I just applied for second preference point. My dads 81 and has no points if he gets a preference point now he’d have one for next years draw. Would that average with my two and give us good odds. It’s mainly a sight seeing trip. He decided to start elk hunting this year. We did Colorado and had a good time. Thanks for any help.

I’m not understanding how you just bought a PP?

 

[ez_willie]

I’m not understanding how you just bought a PP?

Never mind I can’t read. Yes, buy your dad one now as well before dec 31. Then each buy one when you apply as a party with 2 each giving you 90%+/- to draw.

 

[Jon C]

Never mind I can’t read. Yes, buy your dad one now as well before dec 31. Then each buy one when you apply as a party with 2 each giving you 90%+/- to draw.

Thank you

 

[Minute_of_Antelope]

The General tags aren't that difficult to figure out. Trying to get a limited entry tag if you dont want to hunt a general tag as a backup, thats a racket..

Ok; so how do guys do it? I’m sitting here with 2pts going into this draw but don’t really want to hunt the general and would like to build up LE points.

I’m still learning MT so I realize I sound kinda dumb

 

[Scottf270]

You must apply or lose preference points. If you draw the general tag, you will be entered into the permit draw.

If you don't draw the permit, you can turn in the general tag, but lose some money and your preference points. Then your back to trying to draw the general tag with one point to be entered into the permit drawing again.
It's a screwed up way to draw.

I think a better way would be to attach a general tag to the permit and make a hunter choose to go all in on the permit tag but have no chance to still hunt general if they fail to draw. This would anger some guys but would make a guy commit fully to if he really wants the special permit tag.

It would clean up some of the competition for the special area tags in my opinion.

 

[wind gypsy]

Ok; so how do guys do it? I’m sitting here with 2pts going into this draw but don’t really want to hunt the general and would like to build up LE points.

I’m still learning MT so I realize I sound kinda dumb

There's no good way. You either apply for LE tags with low odds in the LE draw and live with eating the significant fee for returning a general tag and burning preference points for a general tag you didn't use or you sit on the sidelines buying bonus points and dont apply until your odds are a little better for the LE tags. With the harder to draw LE tags you're kind of stuck on eating $ for general tags if you want to apply for them.

I hunted General season every year as a NR '15-20 and LE archery tag in '22. Haven't applied for anything there since '22 as I can usually draw something elsewhere that is more enticing and predictable. I'll hop back in someday if there's still a reasonably drawable LE tag I want to hunt more than what I can draw in other states.

 

[Minute_of_Antelope]

There's no good way. You either apply for LE tags with low odds in the LE draw and live with eating the significant fee for returning a general tag and burning preference points for a general tag you didn't use or you sit on the sidelines buying bonus points and dont apply until your odds are a little better for the LE tags. With the harder to draw LE tags you're kind of stuck on eating $ for general tags if you want to apply for them.

I hunted General season every year as a NR '15-20 and LE archery tag in '22. Haven't applied for anything there since '22 as I can usually draw something elsewhere that is more enticing and predictable. I'll hop back in someday if there's still a reasonably drawable LE tag I want to hunt more than what I can draw in other states.

Appreciate the response and I think I understand. So it sounds like an ok strategy is to just accumulate bonus points over the years. Can you buy bonus points without buying general tags or preference points?

I know you aren’t Google but I can’t seem to find a straightforward answer. Thanks again!

 

[wind gypsy]

Appreciate the response and I think I understand. So it sounds like an ok strategy is to just accumulate bonus points over the years. Can you buy bonus points without buying general tags or preference points?

I know you aren’t Google but I can’t seem to find a straightforward answer. Thanks again!

Yes, you can buy bonus points without applying indefinitely. Preference points are the one that gets lost if you don’t apply for 2 consecutive years.