Montana Surplus still an option? (How many usually get returned?)

[Irrelevant]

There's always whitetail B tags.

 

[8andcounting]

There's always whitetail B tags.

And R7 mule doe tags

 

[Irrelevant]

And R7 mule doe tags

that's a bummer... I'll stick to the wt

 

[PAelkhunter]

Guessing #1521 isn't good . Amazing a sell out and an additional 2,000 for alternate.

I’m in the same boat at #1009. Everyone wants to spend their stimulus $$$ to go hunting in Montana apparently.

 

[SteelWool]

#126 for me. I’m guessing that’s bad.

 

[MThuntr]

FWP just sent an email that they're going to do the same process for the rest of the leftovers. Sign up starts next week for deer and elk

Changes to surplus license process for 2020 To give residents and nonresidents a more equitable opportunity for surplus licenses, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has developed a new system for issuing surplus licenses. Resident and nonresident hunters will be able to sign up for the new Surplus License List, with some sign-ups starting next week. Surplus licenses are leftover licenses from the special license and permit drawings FWP conducts each year. To sign up for the Surplus License List, resident and nonresident hunters can sign up through the MyFWP portal: https://myfwp.mt.gov/fwpExtPortal/login/login.jsp. As licenses become available, the list will be randomized. Hunters at the top of the list will be contacted via email with instructions to finalize their purchase. Hunters must keep their email address current in their ALS record. Payment of the license fee is not required to sign up on the Surplus License List. Obtaining a license from this list has no effect on your existing preference points. Hunters must finalize the purchase of the license/permit within the timeframe specified in the email, otherwise, your opportunity will be offered to the next hunter on the randomized list. FWP may offer opportunities that have not sold out through the Surplus License List to over-the-counter customers at our internal and external license sale providers. License numbers: The total number of Deer B licenses/permits a hunter may hold each year (through a combination of licenses acquired through drawings, purchased over the counter and through surplus sales is a total seven). Hunters electing Deer B license/permit opportunities will have the option to purchase two through the Surplus List. For Elk and Elk B licenses a hunter may hold a maximum of three each year. Only one of the three can be a general elk license, and two could be Elk B licenses through various sources such as the original drawing, game damage, or surplus. If you do not hold a general Elk license, you could obtain up to three Elk B licenses. Hunters electing Elk B license opportunities through the Surplus License List may only purchase one. However, additional opportunities up to your maximum of three may be made available through over the counter or damage hunt sales. For antelope licenses, a hunter may hold up to three in a year, of which, one can be either sex. Hunters electing Antelope license opportunities will have the option to purchase one through the Surplus License List. When to sign up: The Surplus License List sign-up timeframes referenced below are based on when the original drawing date for each species is scheduled to occur and are subject to change from year to year. Deer & Elk Permits, Deer B & Elk B License/Permits: July 21 through Aug. 7 Antelope, Antelope B, Swan, Crane, Special Mountain Lion: Aug. 12 through Aug. 24 Nonresident Hound Handler License: Sept. 16 to Sept. 28 Nonresidents who hold a NR Native license, Youth Combo license, or NR College Student Combination license may purchase Deer B and Elk B licenses at half price. For more information, contact the FWP licensing office at 406-444-2950 or [email protected].

 

[Bambistew]

I haven't tracked this in a while, but it used to be around 5% of combo tags would be returned every year. If you are in the low/mid 100s you should get a tag. This year may be weird though. Seems like more people will be hunting tags they draw due to more vacation time available? No clue.

Good luck, hope you guys can snag a tag. MT can be a fun hunt.

 

[sneakypete]

I was on the big game combo list three years ago and my number was 425. I got an email two days before the season opened If that helps anyone.

 

[AggieHunter]

2000 out of like 2400

 

[teej89]

2000 out of like 2400

my wife got 1800, womp womp womp.....

 

[matthausarchery]

I signed up for the elk only alternate list from what I can see there are 854 people in line on that one.

How many are on the deer list and how many are on the combination list?

How do these numbers compare to the past? And which tags do you think people are more likely to return? Its hard to guess with the current state of affairs...

 

[8andcounting]

Almost 2700 on the deer combo list . Usually 300-400 returned per year for deer , big game and elk combos . Last year was deceiving cuz there was only one alternates list just the deer combo list so all big game combos returned , the deer part got given to those on the list plus those with deer combos that returned tags . So it was higher ( probably roughly double than normal)

 

[Wildabeest]

Has anyone gotten on the surplus list for Elk-B in 314. Any idea of odds on actually drawing that? My son has a friend who really wants to get into hunting, so we invited him to hunt with us this fall. Would be nice if he had a tag in his pocket, and that looks to be the only things he’d have much chance at getting jumping in this late.

 

[8andcounting]

Can buy a white tail doe tag otc

 

[Wildabeest]

I’ve not seen any whitetails in 314. We hunt the northern end of it.

 

[8andcounting]

I’ve not seen any whitetails in 314. We hunt the northern end of it.

I’m not a guide haha , I’m just telling you your options for a tag ..... has to be some whitetails around

 

[Wildabeest]

I’m not a guide haha , I’m just telling you your options for a tag ..... has to be some whitetails around

Thanks @8andcounting. We’ve got him on the list for Elk B. Fingers crossed.

 

[Perlodid]

Looks like the original numbers given were incorrect. Just received an email from MT FWP saying that the numbers were not randomized "as a result of a brittle and antiquated licensing system", they were in the order people signed up. They randomized them now. Went from 199 to 395 for the deer combo here

 

[Wildabeest]

The suspense with MT tags is never “if” they’ll screw something up, but “how”...

 

[sneakypete]

I just heard from my hunting partner, he went from 25 to 617