Montana Preference Points Planning- 2024 & 2025 Elk Hunts

[Tman24]

I am a NR, I got my first point for MT elk last year (11/4/23). If I understand correctly I can buy another point this year before I apply for the draw. I am applying alone, what are my odds of drawing this year?

Correct you can buy another point when you apply to go into the draw with 2 points.
If you don’t apply this year you will loose the 1 point you have now.
Odds with 2 points, probably around 75-80%
Odds with 1 point is 0%, looking at past years

 

[ELKdeerMT]

7 pages about Montana NR point systems….i couldn’t make it past the first 4 comments… I thought they just went through their big exercises to “simplify the system.” Not sure it worked out quite as planned. What a friggen joke

 

[cjadams25]

I know there has been multiple threads on this topic, but obviously Montana has become a very difficult state to plan a hunt a couple years out, with the recent preference point changes. Just trying to make sure I have a good understanding of how the system works now. A party of four of us has been planning to hunt a specific unit for a while now, and we're looking at hunting two of us in 2024 and two in 2025. Current situation is 1 preference point for everyone. With the dates we want to hunt, goal is to maximize odds of not drawing before we want to, and also maximize our odds of getting the licenses in the specific years we want to go. In order to achieve this, my plan is as follows:

Party 1 (2024 hunt): Apply for elk Combination license this year, 2023, without purchasing a preference point. This gives best odds of not drawing, and the current preference point is maintained (without drawing ideally). In 2024, purchase a preference point and apply, which will put us into the draw with 2 preference points, and ideally a 90+ % chance of drawing the license.

Party 2 (2025 hunt): Do not apply this year, lose the current preference point. Buy a preference point in 2024. Buy a preference point and apply for an elk combination license in 2025, which will put us into the draw with 2 preference points, and ideally a 90+ % chance of drawing the license.

Does this strategy make sense to give us the best odds to pull the licenses in the years we want, being we already have a preference point?

Thanks for any help!

Hey so I wasn't able to find anything for sure but I was listening to a podcast that talks about the draw system in Montana and they were saying you're better off applying as a party. You'll actually have a better chance of both people drawing if you apply as a party. So I take back what I said earlier. Party one applies as a party in 2024 while party 2 buys a point, and party 2 applies in 2025

 

[mn_bowhunter]

Forgive my ignorance - as a NR if you don't apply for pref points every year they revert back to zero?

 

[ez_willie]

Forgive my ignorance - as a NR if you don't apply for pref points every year they revert back to zero?

Yes, if you don’t apply for the elk combo or big game combo license your pp will go back to zero.

 

[Felton]

You loose your preference points if you don’t apply for the tag, not if you don’t apply for preference points.

 

[ladogg411]

7 pages about Montana NR point systems….i couldn’t make it past the first 4 comments… I thought they just went through their big exercises to “simplify the system.” Not sure it worked out quite as planned. What a friggen joke

Easily the worst system in the west. And the most expensive to point accumulate for quality tags (because of the 80% refund issue).

Not even the legislature trusts the system - they ordered an audit when they realized everyone was confused about what was happening. And what was supposed to happen.

 

[cjadams25]

Forgive my ignorance - as a NR if you don't apply for pref points every year they revert back to zero?

This is straight from the regs :

All accumulated preference points, including any purchased at the time of application, will be used during the current drawing whether you purchase an additional preference point or not. The department shall delete a person's accumulated preference points if:- A person is successful in drawing a Nonresident Combination License.- A person who currently holds one or more preference points does not apply for a Nonresident Combination License in the next available drawing. Preference points may not be reinstated if a person is successful in drawing and elects to refund their Nonresident Combination License.

 

[Neckbone]

Correct you can buy another point when you apply to go into the draw with 2 points.
If you don’t apply this year you will loose the 1 point you have now.
Odds with 2 points, probably around 75-80%
Odds with 1 point is 0%, looking at past years

I am in the same boat as Tman. I purchased a PP year 2023. My plan was to purchase a second point and apply for a 2024 hunt. Problem I have is I need to push that hunt back to 2025 without losing a point..

What I am planning on doing is applying to hunt with my single point and hopefully not draw. If i dont draw I get to keep my one point and get awarded a second point. I can then go into 2025 with 2 points and decide if I want to purchase a 3rd at the time of application

This is a sound plan, correct?

 

[fatlander]

I am in the same boat as Tman. I purchased a PP year 2023. My plan was to purchase a second point and apply for a 2024 hunt. Problem I have is I need to push that hunt back to 2025 without losing a point..

What I am planning on doing is applying to hunt with my single point and hopefully not draw. If i dont draw I get to keep my one point and get awarded a second point. I can then go into 2025 with 2 points and decide if I want to purchase a 3rd at the time of application

This is a sound plan, correct?

Wrong.

You’ve got 3 options:

Go in with one point, hope to not draw. Buy another point next year. Don’t think you’re going to draw with one.

Go in with 2 points, hope not to draw. Buy another point next year. Very slight chance you won’t draw with 2.

Don’t apply, lose your point after the draw. Buy a point later this year, buy another next year at the draw.


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[Neckbone]

Wrong.

You’ve got 3 options:

Go in with one point, hope to not draw. Buy another point next year. Don’t think you’re going to draw with one.

Go in with 2 points, hope not to draw. Buy another point next year. Very slight chance you won’t draw with 2.

Don’t apply, lose your point after the draw. Buy a point later this year, buy another next year at the draw.


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Isnt option 1 what i said?

I have 1 point I purchased last year. Apply this year with the 1 point, hopefully do not draw, receive my PP for an unsuccessful draw, enter next year with 2 points in the bank

 

[Grundy53]

I am in the same boat as Tman. I purchased a PP year 2023. My plan was to purchase a second point and apply for a 2024 hunt. Problem I have is I need to push that hunt back to 2025 without losing a point..

What I am planning on doing is applying to hunt with my single point and hopefully not draw. If i dont draw I get to keep my one point and get awarded a second point. I can then go into 2025 with 2 points and decide if I want to purchase a 3rd at the time of application

This is a sound plan, correct?

You only accrue a point if you buy one.You don't get a point just for not drawing.

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[Neckbone]

You only accrue a point if you buy one.You don't get a point just for not drawing.

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Gotcha... But if I apply this year with my single point and do not draw, I have the option to purchase a PP this year. I can then enter 2025 with the 2 points and determine if its in my best interest to apply with the 2 points or purchase a third and apply.. correct?

Or I can apply with my 1 point, be unsuccessful, wait and purchase a second point and apply in 2025

Am I on the right track?

 

[Grundy53]

Gotcha... But if I apply this year with my single point and do not draw, I have the option to purchase a PP this year. I can then enter 2025 with the 2 points and determine if its in my best interest to apply with the 2 points or purchase a third and apply.. correct?

Or I can apply with my 1 point, be unsuccessful, wait and purchase a second point and apply in 2025

Am I on the right track?

If you apply then you can't buy a point after the draw. If you apply you have to buy the point then or not at all.

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[Neckbone]

If you apply then you can't buy a point after the draw. If you apply you have to buy the point then or not at all.

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10-4, no big deal tho. Apply with my 1, dont draw, apply next year with 2 is the plan then... freaking montana lol

 

[Grundy53]

10-4, no big deal tho. Apply with my 1, dont draw, apply next year with 2 is the plan then... freaking montana lol

That would work. You have a good chance to draw.

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[Neckbone]

That would work. You have a good chance to draw.

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Thanks for the info!

 

[Elkslut]

Hunt Backcountry podcast recently uploaded an episode with the Montana fish and game. They explained this exact situation.

 

[cjadams25]

That would work. You have a good chance to draw.

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The only thing I would add is to apply for an impossible draw permit just in case you do draw you can get your 80% refund because you won’t draw the permit

 

[holder171]

Neckbone I’m in the same boat as you and plan to do the same thing. I currently have 1 pref point and 1 bonus point. I don’t want to lose my pref point so I’m applying this year without buying another pref point and hoping I don’t draw and I’ll just buy another bonus point.


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