2nd and 3rd Choices

[Brian in Montana]

As long as I've been buying hunting licenses and tags, I have never quite been able to wrap my head around how exactly the 2nd and 3rd choice works. I always add a 2nd and 3rd but anything I've ever drawn was my 1st. I've read the process in the regs more than a few times and still don't quite think I got it. Anyone care to explain it in dumb-person speak?

Ever drawn a 2nd or 3rd choice in MT?

 

[ImBillT]

Depends on the state. I don’t know how MT works. In NM, they look at every choice on your app. If your first is available, you get it, if not, they check your second, if it’s filled also, they check your third. In AZ they check you first two, if you don’t draw on your first two then they go on to the next person. After looking at every application, if there are tags remaining, then they start back at the top and check everyone’s 3rd-5th. So in AZ, 3-5 only matter for hunts with near 100% odds.

 

[el unit]

In MT last year, I drew my 2nd choice deer permit, but not my first choice deer permit. 1st choice was very low odds and got me a deer pref. point. The 2nd choice was a much easier deer permit to draw and got it without using any of my points.
Don't know if that helps you or not.

 

[Big Sky Guy]

I think I understand it: You can only draw a second if 1. You don’t draw your first choice and 2. There’s less people that put in for your second choice as their first choice than there are tags. I’ve only drawn second choice when it was an unlimited tag (specific region mule deer buck).

Make sense?

 

[mtmuley]

I think I understand it: You can only draw a second if 1. You don’t draw your first choice and 2. There’s less people that put in for your second choice as their first choice than there are tags. I’ve only drawn second choice when it was an unlimited tag (specific region mule deer buck).

Make sense?

Yep. mtmuley