Montana Bonus Points Help

Joined
Jul 13, 2020
Messages
68
I’m hoping that someone can help clarify Montana’s Bonus point system for me. I’m looking to hunt Antelope and Mule Deer next year during rifle season. Let’s just say I’m wanting to hunt unit 999 for example. I’m assuming that I would buy a bonus point for Antelope and one for Deer to increase my chances of drawing a tag for that unit. When I apply for the tags next year, I would apply for those units and not a “general” tag??? Is that correct? Sorry, Montana’s system is a little confusing to me.
 

waldo9190

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 10, 2018
Messages
265
Location
Minnesota
Bonus points help you draw the general tag, preference points help you draw limited entry units. You'll need to draw the general tag, and then hopefully draw the limited entry tag as well.
 

johnsd16

WKR
Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Messages
336
Location
North Idaho
That’s backwards. PP are for general licenses, BP are for LE permits. There are no general license for pronghorn so you can only buy BP for them. To hunt deer you need to draw a general license and then hunt a general area or you draw the general license (with PP) and then a LE permit (helped by BP) for a specific unit. So for deer you kind of need to know what your going for beforehand.
These MT questions come up a lot and I always debate internally on answering. The regulations aren’t that complicated if you spend the time.
 

bsnedeker

WKR
Joined
May 17, 2018
Messages
3,020
Location
MT
The other thing to keep in mind when applying for deer (and/or elk) is you have to draw the general license first and if you draw that you are also eligible for a limited entry permit as stated above. If you draw the general but aren't successful with the permit draw you have the option to return the general so you can save your money and your points to try again next year. It's a check box when you are applying so it all happens automatically if that's what you want to do.

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OP
M
Joined
Jul 13, 2020
Messages
68
The other thing to keep in mind when applying for deer (and/or elk) is you have to draw the general license first and if you draw that you are also eligible for a limited entry permit as stated above. If you draw the general but aren't successful with the permit draw you have the option to return the general so you can save your money and your points to try again next year. It's a check box when you are applying so it all happens automatically if that's what you want to do.

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So should I apply for a NR PP Combination license which will help draw a general tag and then a bonus point to draw the specific unit?
 

bsnedeker

WKR
Joined
May 17, 2018
Messages
3,020
Location
MT
So should I apply for a NR PP Combination license which will help draw a general tag and then a bonus point to draw the specific unit?
Yeah, a combo license (different name for a general tag) is a requirement for drawing a limited entry permit for deer or elk. So you apply for the combo you want (there are 3 different combo licenses - deer, elk, or big game which is both deer and elk). Once that draw is complete if you were successful and also applied for a limited entry permit you are now in that draw too. If you didn't draw a combo license you are not eligible for the permit draw so you can just buy points for next year at that point. If you are successful in drawing a combo license but unsuccessful in the permit you have the choice to either keep your combo license and hunt wherever the general tag is good (which is most of the state), or you can return it and just buy points for next year.

For pronghorn everything is limited entry so there is no general tag. You just apply for the unit you want and buy a point for next year if you are unsuccessful.



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