Montana Next Year--guidance needed figuring out the system there

[Smartweed]

My plan is to branch out and begin to hunt Montana, in addition to Colorado. The difference in the licensing systems, especially versus the Ohio and Pennsylvania systems, has me a bit befuddled. Can someone please steer me to an article or guide that makes the system less confusing. I am not an idiot but feel like I have a PhD after learning the Colorado system. Montana just seems enough different that I am having a tough time finding out where to start. I just want a general combination elk/deer tag somewhere that I can hunt public land, not even concerned with getting a bull tag. Please point me in the right direction. Thanks in advance.

 

[RaghornHS]

Montana isn't as difficult as you're making it out to be. If you want the elk/deer combo, that's what you apply for. This year all of the elk/deer combos were awarded in the draw, meaning odds of drawing were not 100% as they have been for many years recently. I didn't draw but was able to purchase a surplus NR elk combo, which is fine. My focus was going to be on elk anyway.

The link below will get you to the online licensing system. The application deadline is typically March 15 with draw results out about a month later. So...get your app in by the deadline and wait for draw results. Look for surplus NR tags after the draw if you are unsuccessful. MTFWP posts the remaining NR tag counts on their website under the "Hunt" tab.

https://app.mt.gov/als/index/index.html

Good luck!

 

[fishing4sanity]

Watch this video and see if it answers your questions. Randy also has a couple of other videos which might help understand draws in general, as well as specifics in other states.
[video=youtube;EuguYX7QxiU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuguYX7QxiU[/video]

 

[Smartweed]

Thanks for the help guys. I guess it's just tough when I'm trying to make up for twenty five years of not going out west, and trying to do it in three years! I keep mixing up systems out there, here in Ohio it's pretty straight forward-you buy a tag and you hunt.

 

[JohnCushman]

If you're looking at Colorado next year, I'll be putting together a group of guys to hunt together during either 2nd or 3rd rifle seasons. I'm doing it this year and have a nice little group of guys together, but there's a lot of interest in doing it next year. Depending on interst I might do a group during archery and one during a rifle season. Cow muzzleloader tags are easy to get as a second choice or leftovers and it overlaps archery.

 

[Smartweed]

Thanks for the offer John, Colorado is where I first started a couple years ago, got lucky and got an early cow rifle tag. Didn't even see an elk but it was the wildest and most addicting hunting we ever did. I'll keep your hunt in mind, always looking to go new places.