If you missed the boat on a Montana hunting tag this year, don’t pack away your camo just yet. Think of this as the “VIP Waitlist” for the Big Sky Country.
According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Nonresident Alternate’s List is officially opening up. Here’s the lowdown on how to snag a second chance:
The “How-To”
- The Window: Sign up on MyFWP between May 1 and June 1.
- The Catch: You can only pick one list to join: Big Game Combo, General Elk, or General Deer.
- The Cost: It’s free to join the list. You only pay if your name gets pulled and you actually want the tag.
- The Logic: FWP takes all the licenses returned by hunters who couldn’t make it and randomizes a list of hopefuls to buy them.
Why?
- Zero Risk: Joining the list doesn’t mess with your hard-earned preference points.
- The Waiting Game: Once the list is randomized in mid-June, you can check your spot. While things are usually quiet in the summer, the action picks up significantly in early fall as people realize they can’t actually make their trip.
Basically, it’s a low-effort, high-reward move for any nonresident hunter. Just get your name in the hat by June 1 and keep your fingers crossed that someone else’s change of plans becomes your big break.