Official Montana 2025 Draw Thread

[whaack]

I drew. General tag with my son and BIL. Sons first time going.

 

[HighVoltageHunter]

Another question. When applying for the Big Game Combo and purchasing my first preference point. Is that preference point automatically applied to the drawing or can I opt to not use it and apply with 0 preference points?

 

[Usi05]

Another question. When applying for the Big Game Combo and purchasing my first preference point. Is that preference point automatically applied to the drawing or can I opt to not use it and apply with 0 preference points?

I believe if you have it than it counts and there’s no way to not use it. I chose to apply with 0 points again this year knowing that if I bought a PP I’d have a zero % chance of hunting Montana this year. So buying a Pp when you have zero puts you in a tough spot.


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[T-Rex]

I didn't draw this year... ugg.

What other options are out there for elk season 2025?

 

[RusticRiver]

I didn't draw this year... ugg.

What other options are out there for elk season 2025?

Don't overlook the alternates list as a last resort, two friends picked up tags last year thru it. No one knows how Colorado is going to turn out, being the first year for draw, but I'm guessing there will be a good number of leftover tags.

 

[rambo2345]

You can apply for returned tags in Montana, leftovers in CO, or over the counter cows/spikes in Utah.

 

[realunlucky]

I didn't draw this year... ugg.

What other options are out there for elk season 2025?

Utah and Nevada are long odds but there's still a chance

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[Nmarth88]

Drew NR deer with 2 PP.

 

[Skerhunter]

All of the released tags get drawn in the main draw. Then, they are automatically returned. So they are actually drawn twice.

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I realize that is how the draw works. So how does someone with .1-1.9 points draw a tag and not show up on the report? Report clearly says all tags were drawn and no one in that point pool got a tag.

I realize deer tags can be drawn with less than 2, but not the combo or elk.

 

[Grundy53]

I realize that is how the draw works. So how does someone with .1-1.9 points draw a tag and not show up on the report? Report clearly says all tags were drawn and no one in that point pool got a tag.

I realize deer tags can be drawn with less than 2, but not the combo or elk.

If the report was only the first draw (not the released tags). No one with .1-1.9 drew.

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[Mdfowlman2]

I realize that is how the draw works. So how does someone with .1-1.9 points draw a tag and not show up on the report? Report clearly says all tags were drawn and no one in that point pool got a tag.

I realize deer tags can be drawn with less than 2, but not the combo or elk.

It is very likely that the stats shown are only looking at the primary draw and not taking the "released tags" into account

 

[Skerhunter]

If the report was only the first draw (not the released tags). No one with .1-1.9 drew.

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So you are saying the draw report lists tags drawn, but doesn’t account for tags returned. Because the numbers add up to the total number of available tags. The returned tags aren’t accounted for at all?

Where is this published?

 

[Mdfowlman2]

So you are saying the draw report lists tags drawn, but doesn’t account for tags returned. Because the numbers add up to the total number of available tags. The returned tags aren’t accounted for at all?

Where is this published?

think about it, if you don't account for release tags and only look at the data on the primary draw, you would come up with the same numbers. The number of available tags doesn't change.
If 1000 tags get redistributed in the release tag pool, they come from returned tags during the primary draw. It wouldnt change the number of tags

 

[Grundy53]

So you are saying the draw report lists tags drawn, but doesn’t account for tags returned. Because the numbers add up to the total number of available tags. The returned tags aren’t accounted for at all?

Where is this published?

How about you call Montana fish and wildlife and ask them? Maybe they can explain it to you.

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[Skerhunter]

think about it, if you don't account for release tags and only look at the data on the primary draw, you would come up with the same numbers. The number of available tags doesn't change.
If 1000 tags get redistributed in the release tag pool, they come from returned tags during the primary draw. It wouldnt change the number of tags

I get what you are saying but this is the first year I have heard about it and I have never seen it in the regs about the released tags being random. The regs say the opposite and if true their draw odds are no where close to accurate.

 

[fatlander]

I get what you are saying but this is the first year I have heard about it and I have never seen it in the regs about the released tags being random. The regs say the opposite and if true their draw odds are no where close to accurate.

We have this same conversation every, single, year.


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[Turkeygetpwnd38]

How about you call Montana fish and wildlife and ask them? Maybe they can explain it to you.

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There is what they say and what happens Released tags definitely go at random regardless of points. I know people it’s happened to. It also splits up group apps and that makes everyone angry every year….. They also said you could keep your preference points and apply every other year…. Then a lot of folks lost their points. They say released tags take away preference points (they do now), but I previously got a released tag and kept my points…. The list goes on

 

[cfounta1]

Drawn for big game combo. When will they post the number of applicants? Curious if it held steady or dropped

 

[Packer9037]

I get what you are saying but this is the first year I have heard about it and I have never seen it in the regs about the released tags being random. The regs say the opposite and if true their draw odds are no where close to accurate.

There is no other explanation than everyone who applied and didn't draw being thrown back into a pool as individual applicants and the released tags being random...good reread the official 2024 and 2023 threads. Guys with one point getting tags and people being split up and only 1 member of the group drawing. It's happened this year in this thread as well.

I don't know where it says in the regs that the released tag draw is done according to preference points but in practice it hasn't been that way the last few years I've personally been applying. Buddy got a released tag in 2021 with 1 point.

 

[Packer9037]

Group App Question - I see a few folks who applied as a group were split up and only one member of the group drew via a released tag. During the application process it looked to me like the only option when applying was to be entered into the released tag pool as an individual. Maybe there is a way to skip it if you are also applying for a LE permit but it didn't look like that to me. Anyone know if that's right or wrong? I can't find it in the FAQ section or in the license booklet anywhere?