Montana draw 2026

[bigsky2]

The commission did every one who lives here a favor and cut 2500 tags. Plenty of NR knew that and as a consequence less applied - i doubt its got a lot to do with NR perception of quality. The season time and length are much bigger drivers.

Which is exactly what @Perlodid said.

I doubt its got much to do with a reduction of 2500 tags either. My guess would be gas prices and inflation.

 

[Forkyfinder]

I doubt its got much to do with a reduction of 2500 tags either. My guess would be gas prices and inflation.

If what you were saying was true - why wouldnt the elk combo be going down too?

 

[8andcounting]

If what you were saying was true - why wouldnt the elk combo be going down too?

There was a lot of folks with 1 pp thy needed to apply (so 2pp after they bought one at app)

 

[bigsky2]

If what you were saying was true - why wouldnt the elk combo be going down too?

Maybe it is quality then. There's still thousands of deer tags available. I just can't imagine someone thinking "there's 2500 less tags, so its not even worth my time to apply."

 

[DFS]

it will be interesting to see if 2500 less tags is even noticeable. I doubt it will be.

 

[Forkyfinder]

it will be interesting to see if 2500 less tags is even noticeable. I doubt it will be.

5K might have been. Thank your commissioner.

 

[8andcounting]

5K might have been. Thank your commissioner.

Well it’s a start isn’t it ? Like reducing residents to a total of 3 deer instead of 8 . It’s a start

 

[Forkyfinder]

Maybe it is quality then. There's still thousands of deer tags available. I just can't imagine someone thinking "there's 2500 less tags, so its not even worth my time to apply."

Maybe it is "quality" - itd be a lot more likely that than the measly 35 dollar increase that should have been 85 on a base hunting lic.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Well it’s a start isn’t it ? Like reducing residents to a total of 3 deer instead of 8 . It’s a start

Agree. Not sure why anyone likes to shoot mule deer does - plenty of R/NR who do and then wonder why the population sucks.

 

[8andcounting]

Agree. Not sure why anyone likes to shoot mule deer does - plenty of R/NR who do and then wonder why the population sucks.

When the commission approved the reduction from 8-3 in December the amount of R throwing a fit on Facebook cuz they couldn’t kill 8 mule deer was ridiculous. When scrolling a few profiles some of these same folks hat posts in late October and November complaining they couldn’t find enough deer to fill tags … tells you what you need to know

 

[Forkyfinder]

When the commission approved the reduction from 8-3 in December the amount of R throwing a fit on Facebook cuz they couldn’t kill 8 mule deer was ridiculous. When scrolling a few profiles some of these same folks hat posts in late October and November complaining they couldn’t find enough deer to fill tags … tells you what you need to know

Man - wouldnt it be great if we managed elk (up to 8 elk b tags) that way?

Thatd be great for elk managment and populationd.

 

[Pagosa]

Hard to believe the applicant increase for the limited entry tags elk tags in central and eastern Montana. Several districts have went from 1200-2500 applicants tp over 4,000 applicants in just the 5-7 years. I assume this is an result of hunters wanting a better hunting experience with more game sightings and less hunter pressure?

 

[cgasner1]

Hard to believe the applicant increase for the limited entry tags elk tags in central and eastern Montana. Several districts have went from 1200-2500 applicants tp over 4,000 applicants in just the 5-7 years. I assume this is a result of hunters wanting a better hunting experience with more game sightings and less hunter pressure?

I’d bet it’s bears and pressure everyone is scared of bears and would rather hunt a le tag

 

[8andcounting]

I’d bet it’s bears and pressure everyone is scared of bears and would rather hunt a le tag

Some truth to that

 

[Forkyfinder]

Hard to believe the applicant increase for the limited entry tags elk tags in central and eastern Montana. Several districts have went from 1200-2500 applicants tp over 4,000 applicants in just the 5-7 years. I assume this is an result of hunters wanting a better hunting experience with more game sightings and less hunter pressure?

Many of them might be guys that used to hunt breaks archery units and have moved due to draw lower draw rates/ tag quotas too.

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

I've been looking at deer/elk permit draw odds. It's pretty wild to see how hard to draw some utterly rotten permits are. Bridger range mule deer 3% odds for residents?

 

[cgasner1]

I've been looking at deer/elk permit draw odds. It's pretty wild to see how hard to draw some utterly rotten permits are. Bridger range mule deer 3% odds for residents?

652

 

[8andcounting]

652

The amount of folks with pretty high points that burn them here is alarming

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

twelve thousand applicants threw in for a 380 elk permit

 

[Randy11]

Where else are people supposed to apply for deer?

Pretty basic math that with so few LE units to apply, odds will be terrible.