# Leftover Montana Tags



## TVCJohn (Nov 30, 2005)

I got this from my outfitter a day or so back so it's pretty current. If anyone didn't draw in some other state and has a few (alot!) bucks laying around.....

Here are number of licenses still available:
*Big Game Combos: 2,522*
*Elk Combos: 1,935*
*Deer Combos: 1,561*


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## lilsean95 (Mar 6, 2007)

I am out here now hiked East Glacier to West Glacier then onto Yellowstone and finally the Grand Tetons and just spoke with a MDNR person and they told me the prices and I was BLOWN out of the water at the prices for Non-Residents. I am thinking its a great way of making money Oh well


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## buckykm1 (Dec 19, 2011)

Yep, they are not cheap, that is why there is over 4000 Non-Res left over Elk and Deer tags available yet. before there price increase, they were sold out 99.9% of the time after the draw.

Kevin


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## TVCJohn (Nov 30, 2005)

I think they are a rip-off. A while back I emailed the license bureau chief and offered a NR perspective on the cost of their NR tags and why I believe they are loosing "new" money. I did read a month or so back the legislature is meeting to reconsider the NR tag costs and structrure.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

The last time I hunt Montana a combo tag was combo tag was $875 now it's almost $1k. That's a lot of money for most guys.


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## buckykm1 (Dec 19, 2011)

Yes they are a little high.
But not that far out of line with several other States.
it seems like the last time I looked at NM 6 -8 years ago, it was only a 5 day season for Elk and was over $700.00.
AZ is a little longer season, and if I remember right, there Elk tag is over $700.00 too.
I don't remember what Utah is, but they don't give them away either.

To be Honest with you, I kind of like it now, at-least I know that I will get a MT Elk tag ever year.

As a side note, the first time I Elk hunted was in Colorado 1986, my Elk tag was $210.00, and they are well over $600.00 now.

Kevin


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## TVCJohn (Nov 30, 2005)

Oregon NR elk tag is $508, hunt tag is $148. Some units have general OTC tags gun and bow....no draw needed.


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## buckykm1 (Dec 19, 2011)

TVCJohn said:


> Oregon NR elk tag is $508, hunt tag is $148. Some units have general OTC tags gun and bow....no draw needed.






Yep, but, with gas at almost $4.00 a gallon, I would burn up more then the difference in tag prices, just in gas hauling all my gear out there.
I only get 10 to 11 MPG pulling my 14' tandem axel Cargo Trailer.
and Oregon really doesn't have a real good Elk population compared to other States.
I don't like the price of a MT tag, but I love to hunt there.


Kevin


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## TVCJohn (Nov 30, 2005)

buckykm1 said:


> Yep, but, with gas at almost $4.00 a gallon, I would burn up more then the difference in tag prices, just in gas hauling all my gear out there.
> I only get 10 to 11 MPG pulling my 14' tandem axel Cargo Trailer.
> and Oregon really doesn't have a real good Elk population compared to other States.
> I don't like the price of a MT tag, but I love to hunt there.
> ...


I can see it from a mpg perspective. I lived in Oregon for 6 years. They have a pretty good elk population of both species and there is a alot of land to hunt. Also 3 types of deer to hunt plus kitties and bears.


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## buckykm1 (Dec 19, 2011)

Yep, sometimes it just sucks to live in MI, they have so many more hunting opportunities out there. if I could talk my Wife into it, I would be living out west.

Kevin


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

Ahh, the ebb and flow of the law of supply and demand. Many of the western states thought that they were going to strike it rich with the ever increasing license fees but low and behold, they priced themselves out of the market for many hunters. 

I am new at this western hunt thing as this is the first year I have ever attempted a hunt out that way - in Montana for Elk/Mule deer. I was a bit stunned when the big game combo tag cost me a grand but this is most likely a once in a lifetime hunt so I just bit the bullet.

But let's do some math. This year there were 17,000 non-resident (NR) licenses available at a cost of $1,000 for a potential take of $17,000,000 to the state DNR. But, 4,000 of the licenses went unsold so they are only getting to get $13,000,000.

Now if the tag price was $750 and they sold out the allotment, they would take in $12,750,000. But if you consider the cost of my outfitter at $4,000 - let's say that is an average cost - selling out the other four thousand available tags brought in another 16,000,000 to the State. This is why many of the western outfitters associations are banging on the capitols door to get changes made - they are losing business in a big way.

Now on the plus side for us is the fact that we don't have to apply multiple years to get preference points in order to eventually draw a tag. I guy like me that gets the opportunity on the spur of the moment has the ability to go - it's costly but I still get the chance.

Also, if there are 4,000 less hunter per year who had a 50% success rate, that means over the last 5 years 10,000 less animals were taken. This gives a lucky guy like me a better chance of harvesting an animal - in this case, possibly two. Putting it in a light most favorable to me (this is my argument to the wife), it's $500 for the elk, $500 for the mule deer and they are throwing in grouse/pheasant and cut throat trout fishing for free. It sounds so good, I don't know why I'm not leaving right now :lol:


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## Wardo (Sep 10, 2007)

Success rate usually hovers right around 20% for elk.


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## buckykm1 (Dec 19, 2011)

There price increase, has definitely hurt the State, they may break even on the License money ?.
But with that many less hunters coming, it is without any doubt hurting the overall economy.
I know I bring almost everything with me, but I still buy gas, some groceries, gifts and other stuff.
And I believe most hunter buy a lot more then I do. IMO

Kevin


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## TVCJohn (Nov 30, 2005)

TVCJohn said:


> I got this from my outfitter a day or so back so it's pretty current. If anyone didn't draw in some other state and has a few (alot!) bucks laying around.....
> 
> Here are number of licenses still available:
> *Big Game Combos: 2,522*
> ...



6/11/14

http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/licenses/nowAvailableRedirect.html

Nonres Combo Countdown:
Big Game Combos: 2,277
Elk Combos: 1,870
Deer Combos: 1,249


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## TVCJohn (Nov 30, 2005)

Here's the April 2014 ES from the Montana Licensing and Funding Advisory Council that is going in for public comment and approval. Clearly they still want to shake down the non-residents to pay for their budget woes. They do not get it. It's frustrating to see this.



> LFAC Executive Summary
> 1
> EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
> The Licensing and Funding Advisory Council believes that Montanas fishing and hunting constituents value the current level of services provided by FWP. The Council also recognizes that FWP cannot maintain these services with the income generated by current license fees, and that the Legislatures last major license fee adjustments were made in 2005. With a goal of generating revenue for fish and wildlife management, and in the interest of simplifying the license structure, the Council recommends the following:
> ...


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## outdoor_m_i_k_e (Feb 3, 2005)

Hell, i think i have over $700 in my iowa bow tag. Between pref pts and the actual tag this year. And thats for a whitetail....

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## kingfisher 11 (Jan 26, 2000)

I know when I have my WY elk tag, $1100 for the tag and $50 a year until when ever? Right now I have $300 into pref points. Thinking of applying for a unit next year? I just want to make sure I don't waste all the years of waiting and $$$$. I will do a lot of homework before I apply for a unit. Problem is the older I get, the harder its going to be to get around.

I really like MT, I have heard the animals are down in many areas? Like any elk hunt, unless you have private access it will be a tough hunt. Whitetails are mainly in the river bottoms which are private.


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## TVCJohn (Nov 30, 2005)

When I did an elk hunt in MT, I found there was a lot of public land to access. You just have to hike in. I hunted right behind the bro's house.


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## Duwammer (Dec 26, 2001)

My brother called me today and said left over Wyoming cow elk tags go on sale July 10

I haven't been out their in several years and he thought maybe I should take the Mathews and meet him and a buddy and make it a bow hunting / scouting trip.

I'm currently sitting on 5 elk points and 5 deer points for Wyoming.

I've made several trips just to hangout with the guys, hunted some with no success, and hunted some and just ate my tag because I wanted bigger. 

Here's my best so far.








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## TVCJohn (Nov 30, 2005)

Nothing wrong with those....


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## bigfish87 (Mar 24, 2011)

My buddy lives in Montana and I'm flying out to video and call for him this Sept. We are going to hunt public land and backpack for a week straight. Should be the adventure of a lifetime. I couldn't bring myself to drop a grand on a tag plus fuel. So I'm flying for free. I'm sure I'll be back soon enough, I'm only 27. I'll be sure to post the video I create from that trip. Can not wait! Good luck to everyone this year!

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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