Montana Non-Resident Combo

[Chrisamx]

Hello,
Currently have three points for NR Elk/Deer Combo Tag. Is there any advatage to buying the bonus points if I'm only points buidling at this time?

Thanks In Advance

Chris

 

[Brianb3]

Well, I would think with more points the odds of drawing are you better, so I’d probably buy it if I were you.


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[Indian Summer]

Montana bonus points system sucks. In Wyoming once you have enough points you get the tag. In Montana you might never draw. People with less points than you can draw. It’s totally random. As soon as they went to that system, I quit buying points and walked away.

 

[Dos Perros]

If you have 3 preference points you're going to draw next year. Do you plan to also apply for a permit?

 

[The10%]

Montana bonus points system sucks. In Wyoming once you have enough points you get the tag. In Montana you might never draw. People with less points than you can draw. It’s totally random. As soon as they went to that system, I quit buying points and walked away.

Hows it random? 3 points will be guaranteed to draw next year, 2 pt maybe 75% and 1 pt 0%, 0 pt 40%

I bet it takes me 10 years to get my next WY gen tag

 

[Indian Summer]

Hows it random? 3 points will be guaranteed to draw next year, 2 pt maybe 75% and 1 pt 0%, 0 pt 40%

I bet it takes me 10 years to get my next WY gen tag

You are talking about preference points and licenses. The bonus point system for limited quota permits is completely different.

 

[The10%]

You are talking about preference points and licenses. The bonus point system for limited quota permits is completely different.

Oh gotcha, I missed that part

 

[Doc Holliday]

Hello,
Currently have three points for NR Elk/Deer Combo Tag. Is there any advatage to buying the bonus points if I'm only points buidling at this time?

Thanks In Advance

Chris

If you did not apply for the NR Combo in 2022 or 2023, then as of January 2024 you will only have 1 pref point.

If you are only building points then you should only be buying bonus points. Don’t buy a NR pref point until the September prior to the year you will hunt

 

[Scottf270]

Still a lot of confusion over preference points vs bonus points. The original poster stated non resident big game combo not special unit permit.

I personally like the change to Montana's system. Keeps guys from buying points to "use later". Should go a long way towards weeding out those who use Montana as a back up state. I like the "apply or lose them" preference point system.

I do see the issue with receiving a general combo tag and then not drawing the special permit.

 

[Erict]

If you did not apply for the NR Combo in 2022 or 2023, then as of January 2024 you will only have 1 pref point.

This has been hashed out plenty and still misunderstood. If you did not apply for the NR Combo in 2023 then any accumulated PREFERENCE POINTS are lost.

BONUS points are not "reset" - you keep what you purchased until drawn (or give up).

 

[Doc Holliday]

This has been hashed out plenty and still misunderstood. If you did not apply for the NR Combo in 2023 then any accumulated PREFERENCE POINTS are lost.

BONUS points are not "reset" - you keep what you purchased until drawn (or give up).

"any accumulated pref points" are at the time of draw" which was in the Spring. If he purchased his 3rd NR pref pt this month, then he will have that in January 2024. He will lose the one purchased in sept 2021, and the one purchased in sept 2022 because he didn't put in for the consecutive license years of 2022 and 2023. This is all assuming he purchased his first NR pref pt in sept 2021. He can then go into the draw in 2024 and purchase a second pref pt and have 2 going into the 2024 draw. If he doesn't put in for 2024, then he will be at 0 in January 2025, unless he buys another NR pref point in Sept 2024, and will again only have that 1 point in January 2025. The only way guys ever have 3 NR pref points going into the draw is if they did not pull a tag the year before when applying and buying a pref point with their application. That's why no one ever has more than 3 points when you look at the draw stats.

It's a simple as, don't buy a NR pref point until the year before you are going to apply.

I never said bonus points reset. Read my post again.

 

[Erict]

"any accumulated pref points" are at the time of draw" which was in the Spring. If he purchased his 3rd NR pref pt this month, then he will have that in January 2024. He will lose the one purchased in sept 2021, and the one purchased in sept 2022 because he didn't put in for the consecutive license years of 2022 and 2023. This is all assuming he purchased his first NR pref pt in sept 2021. He can then go into the draw in 2024 and purchase a second pref pt and have 2 going into the 2024 draw. If he doesn't put in for 2024, then he will be at 0 in January 2025, unless he buys another NR pref point in Sept 2024, and will again only have that 1 point in January 2025. The only way guys ever have 3 NR pref points going into the draw is if they did not pull a tag the year before when applying and buying a pref point with their application. That's why no one ever has more than 3 points when you look at the draw stats.

It's a simple as, don't buy a NR pref point until the year before you are going to apply.

I never said bonus points reset. Read my post again.

OP stated he has 3 PP. The only way he can have 3 is if he applied for a license in 2023 and 2022. If he skipped applying for a license in 2023, he has "failed to apply in consecutive years" and all PP are reset to "0". The only way one can bank a PP in the July-Dec period is if it is PP #1.

There are other ways to get to 3 PP without buying PP the previous year by being part of a group application where the average is low because of other hunters in the group. One can also get to 3 PP with various outfitter PP variations.

No one ever has more than 3 PP because the law does not allow it.

I mentioned bonus points because the OP said bonus not PP and wanted it clear - not directed at your post.

 

[Doc Holliday]

OP stated he has 3 PP. The only way he can have 3 is if he applied for a license in 2023 and 2022. If he skipped applying for a license in 2023, he has "failed to apply in consecutive years" and all PP are reset to "0". The only way one can bank a PP in the July-Dec period is if it is PP #1.

There are other ways to get to 3 PP without buying PP the previous year by being part of a group application where the average is low because of other hunters in the group. One can also get to 3 PP with various outfitter PP variations.

No one ever has more than 3 PP because the law does not allow it.

I mentioned bonus points because the OP said bonus not PP and wanted it clear - not directed at your post.

We are saying the same thing, just in different ways. All anyone needs to remember is do not buy any NR pref points until the summer prior to application attempt.

NR combo pref points in MT are unique in that they cannot be banked years on end. That causes the confusion, in addition to people (like OP) not really knowing how many points they have, and just going off how many they have paid for.

 

[Indian Summer]

Still a lot of confusion over preference points vs bonus points. The original poster stated non resident big game combo not special unit permit.

I personally like the change to Montana's system. Keeps guys from buying points to "use later". Should go a long way towards weeding out those who use Montana as a back up state. I like the "apply or lose them" preference point system.

I do see the issue with receiving a general combo tag and then not drawing the special permit.

He asked if there was any advantage to buying bonus points.

And I agree… put a stop to point creep from the start. If you don’t want to hunt don’t buy and save a point. You’ll just lose it unless you hunt. Nice!

 

[Chrisamx]

He asked if there was any advantage to buying bonus points.

And I agree… put a stop to point creep from the start. If you don’t want to hunt don’t buy and save a point. You’ll just lose it unless you hunt. Nice!

I do want to hunt, however, as I wait for retirement, which is close, I wanted to have points in bank to help with my once in a lifetime hunt. If I wait until after I retire, then it could be many more years before I actually draw. So, basically it sound like I'm wasting money hoping to have any points when time comes when I can go?

 

[Packer9037]

The best day to come up with a plan to hunt elk that works for you was yesterday. The next best day is today.

For some people, getting into the points game makes sense. For others, it's a complete waste of time. Because I got into the point game just a couple years ago, I'll probably use those points to get into a little less populated area instead of waiting for premier hunts to come up. And if hunting is your goal, you should have a chance each year to find a cow tag in a western state if your draws fall through.

 

[Indian Summer]

I do wan to hunt, however, as I wait for retirement, which is clos, I wanted to hsave points in bank to help with my once in a liftime hunt. If I wait until after I retire, then it could be many more years before I actually draw. So, basically it sound like I'm wasting money hoping to have any points when time comes when I can go?

In Montana, if you were thinking, long-term, as in future hunts, then you should only buy bonus points. Not preference points. You would start buying preference points two or three years before you were ready to hunt. In Wyoming there’s only one kind of point, preference. Those are the ones to buy there.

 

[Chrisamx]

In Montana, if you were thinking, long-term, as in future hunts, then you should only buy bonus points. Not preference points. You would start buying preference points two or three years before you were ready to hunt. In Wyoming there’s only one kind of point, preference. Those are the ones to buy there.

I do have points in WY as well, but it looks more like I will be hunting MT before and possibly sooner than I planned.