How Montana’s Deer and Elk Draw System Actually Works — And How Not to Get Burned by It

If you’ve ever sat down to apply for Montana deer and elk tags and felt like you needed a law degree to sort it out, you’re not alone. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks runs one of the most layered — and frankly unforgiving — draw systems in the entire West. A single mistake in your application can mean losing preference points, burning bonus points, or flat-out missing the deadline window entirely. GOHUNT put together a video walkthrough that every Montana hunter should watch before hitting submit, and we’ve embedded it below. But first, let’s break down the mechanics so you actually know what you’re looking at.

Montana Isn’t Just One Draw — It’s Several

The first thing to understand is that Montana’s system isn’t a single lottery. You’re navigating a layered structure that includes general licenses, special permits (B tags), and limited entry permits for specific hunting districts. General deer and elk licenses cover a broad swath of the state and are available over the counter for residents — but if you want to hunt a specific limited entry district, you’re entering a separate draw with its own odds and point requirements.

Limited entry permits are where the real complexity lives. Districts like those bordering the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Missouri Breaks east of Lewistown, or the high-pressure elk country around the Elkhorn Mountains can require anywhere from three to ten-plus preference points to draw at realistic odds. If you’re a nonresident eyeing a specific unit without checking current point creep, you could be planning a hunt that’s realistically five years away.

How Montana’s Preference Point System Works

Montana uses a modified preference point system — not a pure bonus point system like some other Western states. Each year you apply and don’t draw, you accumulate a preference point for that species. When the draw runs, applicants are sorted by preference points first, with ties broken by a random number. This is different from states like Colorado or Wyoming that use weighted random draws, so strategies that work elsewhere don’t automatically translate here.

A few things that catch hunters off guard:

• You must apply to accumulate points. Simply paying a fee and sitting out the draw won’t bank you a point in Montana — you have to submit an actual application for a limited entry permit each year.
• Points are species-specific. Your deer points do nothing for your elk application and vice versa. Build your point bank intentionally based on the species and unit you’re targeting.
• Combination licenses matter for nonresidents. Nonresident hunters are required to purchase a combination license that bundles deer and elk tags together. This affects overall cost and how you structure your application — especially if you’re planning around a single species or a specific season window.

Deadlines and What Happens If You Miss Them

Montana’s FWP typically opens the license draw application period in late winter, with deadlines historically falling in mid-March for most species. Missing that window doesn’t just mean you don’t draw — it means you don’t accumulate a preference point for that year either, which can set your long-term strategy back significantly. Always verify the current deadline directly at fwp.mt.gov, since dates can shift year to year and no third-party source — including this one — should be your final check before submitting.

Where to Focus Your Applications

For hunters just starting to build points, lower-pressure general units across eastern Montana — particularly in the prairie country between the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers — often offer solid deer hunting on over-the-counter tags with no draw required. If elk is the goal and you’re starting from zero points, look at general archery or late-season shoulder seasons in districts where pressure is lower and tags are more accessible while your limited entry points accumulate in the background.

Hunters targeting the Rocky Mountain Front near Augusta or Choteau, the Beartooth country south of Billings, or any unit adjacent to Wilderness Study Areas should research point requirements two to three years before they plan to hunt — not the spring they want to pull the trigger.

The Bottom Line

Montana’s public lands genuinely offer some of the best deer and elk hunting in the country, but none of that matters if you can’t get a tag. Watch the GOHUNT video above for a visual walkthrough of the draw interface and application structure, then cross-reference everything with the current FWP regulation booklet before you finalize your submission. The deadline won’t wait, the draw won’t make exceptions, and a little preparation now is worth a whole lot more than a hard lesson in March.