Clarification on MT Bonus Point?

[teej89]

I'm starting to collect points in Montana this year and was just going to wait until July to get the preference point since I won't be hunting it this year. Then I read about the bonus points and it squares my points. To get the bonus points do I have to purchase a license check the bonus point box and then when I don't draw I get everything refunded except $5 for the draw and $20 for the bonus point?

I guess if this is my first year I may as well just get the preference point in july since if you square one you get... one lol

Or say I have 5 points, i apply for the bonus point to square em, so I have 25pts to that specific draw but if I don't hit I start next year with 6 points then? With that said I should only participate in the bonus system when I want to draw my first choice. If I'm not going to hunt in the fall just get the pref pts in july.

Thanks guys!
T.J.

 

[----]

The $50 preference point is for the combo license that there's been surplus of for the last 5 or 6 years. There is no point to buying them at this point and they have nothing to do with the individual unit permits.

In order to build bonus points, which are what count towards permits, you have to apply for a combo license and at the the same time apply for individual permits. If you don't draw you can refund all but 200 or so dollars.

It's a ripoff for nonresidents, and building points really doesn't pencil out unless you plan on hunting MT most years. There's no way I would pay 200 dollars a year for our points.

 

[teej89]

The $50 preference point is for the combo license that there's been surplus of for the last 5 or 6 years. There is no point to buying them at this point and they have nothing to do with the individual unit permits.

In order to build bonus points, which are what count towards permits, you have to apply for a combo license and at the the same time apply for individual permits. If you don't draw you can refund all but 200 or so dollars.

It's a ripoff for nonresidents, and building points really doesn't pencil out unless you plan on hunting MT most years. There's no way I would pay 200 dollars a year for our points.

Shoot well thanks for the information! Glad I didn't go ahead and buy the MT points then.

Thank you!

 

[Elk247]

Permits for bull elk and buck tags now have to be applied for when you put in for a combo tag in march now. The drawing in June is only for B tags (antlerless) not sure if you can gain preference for them or not someone else might know. You don't loose 200 if you just want a B tag. Also you don't need a combo tag to apply.

 

[8andcounting]

You lose 20% if u choose to get refunded if u don't draw your permit . That's why I think only way to do it for NR is to go anyways , if u don't draw the permit then take the option to still receive your gen big game combo , or take the deer combo option and get roughly 300 back for the elk portion of it

 

[Gerald Martin]

I second everything Randy11 says. Montana's general units are very good. The draw units are not so much better that I would spend a couple hundred dollars every year on building bonus points. If you are going to hunt Montana anyway, I WOULD apply for a special permit area by March 15 but only if I were planning on hunting anyway.