Montana Leftover Tags

[NWDomer]

1,700 leftover Big Game combo tags (Elk and Deer) and 2,100 leftover elk tags. That's what my guide tells me anyway. If you miss your draw in Oregon maybe think about heading to Montana? I've planned on going for over a year and half so no diff to me but maybe for a few of my fellow ifish brothers and sisters it's an option. So there you go.

[GLA]

Wow leftovers. I rember the days before the wolves they were hard as heck to get, now they have left overs.

[Maverick Maxcat]

The deer herds in northern and eastern MT were wiped out by a bad winter, then blue tongue last summer. No reason to hunt if there's no animals......which is why I didn't put in for OR this year!

[Firedog]

Used to put in for Montana every year, Havent for the past few years since the wolves moved into the area we hunted then the big price hike. Do really miss going over there though, loved the SW area.

[NWDomer]

For my 2009 hunt there were plenty wolves in our area. I wish we would have had tags because we had a 40 yard shot on two of them opening day. Plenty of elk too. Filled 4 tags the first two days. For my 2012 hunt I mentioned to my guide that was going to buy a wolf tag just in case. He told me that because they are now being hunted he rarely sees or hears them anymore. But they are still there. Plenty of grizzlies also. We saw 4 of them.

Can't wait to get back in there.

[eastforkslayer]

how does one find out how to get a left over tag? did your outfitter say?

[hunterdk1]

Correct me if i'm wrong, its been a few years since I went to Montana, but if you are planning a DIY hunt, I think you had to apply for a hunt inn the first place. I don't think you can buy over the counter there. Might have to buy it from an outfitter?

[WapitiBob]

...

[hilclimber]

Originally Posted by hunterdk1

Correct me if i'm wrong, its been a few years since I went to Montana, but if you are planning a DIY hunt, I think you had to apply for a hunt inn the first place. I don't think you can buy over the counter there. Might have to buy it from an outfitter?

The last couple of years there havent been enough applicants for available tags. Therefore the undrawn tags go up first come first serve.

[eastforkslayer]

Originally Posted by hilclimber

The last couple of years there havent been enough applicants for available tags. Therefore the undrawn tags go up first come first serve.

do you know if they have any still. cant seem to find out, or dont know where to look.

[hilclimber]

I don't...but go to montana fish and game and state parks. They should have it on their website?
http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/licenses/default.html

[thehide]

Same thing last year and they sold out in two days.

[Northwest Pest]

Sure is nice they have leftovers....I grew up there and put in for 4 years with preference points and got no tags......I pretty much decided to tell my home state to blankety blank. Then I hear they have leftovers??????Blows my mind.

[BigfishJohnson]

Originally Posted by Northwest Pest

Sure is nice they have leftovers....I grew up there and put in for 4 years with preference points and got no tags......I pretty much decided to tell my home state to blankety blank. Then I hear they have leftovers??????Blows my mind.

As an avid Montana hunter from Oregon I love what has happened with available leftover tags. When they eliminated the guides having a tag allotment it freed up many more nonresident tags and coupled with lower herd sizes due to wolves and grizzlies and the increased costs of the tags themselves has resulted in many leftover tags. You can also pick up draw units that were unlimited with a special form from the Dept of fish and game. There are elk units available and also deer units available. I love hunting in Montana as it is still like Oregon used to be 40 years ago. I hunted archery last year in Montana and saw only 2 other hunters in the woods in 17 days. Looking forward to hunting in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness again this year!! For archery hunters Montana is a great place!!

[Coho-gill]

I was planning on a special dream hunt into the Bob Marshall Wilderness but I am having a mobility problem with my hip. I can not ride horses that far. I have hunted for a week by myself before but would consider teaming up with someone of like interests and outlooks to head bow hunting to Montana mid-September. I will probably go by myself but for a variety of reasons having a hunting partner makes sense. Anyone in the same boat?
Steve - Salem

[BigfishJohnson]

Originally Posted by Coho-gill

I was planning on a special dream hunt into the Bob Marshall Wilderness but I am having a mobility problem with my hip. I can not ride horses that far. I have hunted for a week by myself before but would consider teaming up with someone of like interests and outlooks to head bow hunting to Montana mid-September. I will probably go by myself but for a variety of reasons having a hunting partner makes sense. Anyone in the same boat?
Steve - Salem

I am interested in if you have hunted in the Bob Marshal before. I hunted nearby there last year and didn't find as many elk as I had down in the Lee Metcalf area. We had about 4-5 bulls going each day and this lsted almost 2 weeks. What has been your experience in the Bob. I also am hunting alone for the first part of the season as my two hunting buddies want to finish out in Oregon on the 23rd and then hunt Montana for the last two weeks so that leaves me with no partner for the middlet of September (best part of the rut) and I too dont like to be by myself for that long and that far back in. You may contact me by direct email if you want at burton.s.johnson1@gmail.com

[NWDomer]

Originally Posted by eastforkslayer

how does one find out how to get a left over tag? did your outfitter say?

Call the Fish, Wildlife & Parks office in Helena, MT. Really nice folks who will help you.

Voters eliminated Outfitter Tags by special election. It's all draw now or buy leftover tags over the counter. Well, now it's online of course.

[Queets30#]

Anyone know if there could possibly b tags left still?

[BigSkyKidd]

There should still be surplus tags left, do not think they have even been put on sale yet. It is usually in July or August when they sell them, should have some info on MFWP website.

[BigSkyKidd]

I just looked on line and the drawing results for antelope and deer b are not posted yet so there is no way of telling if there are any surplus yet.

[thehide]

If you go to fwp.mt.gov, click on the (2) in the banner at the top you can purchase a non-res combo or non-res elk tag right now.

[Queets30#]

Thanks for the info the hide. Gonna buy a tag in the a.m.

[jeffotto]

And for those of you opting for a guided hunt; do your home work! Review archives on this site regarding outfitters in Montana. Hate to see you end up wishing you had like myself in '11.