Get 6 Elk Bonus Points in One Year with This New Legislation! – HB 505

House Bill 505 was introduced to allow Montana landowners to have 10 elk-only combination landowner sponsored tags for their deeded or leased lands. This means they are for sale directly from FWP for the same price as the normal nonresident general elk combination tags that you would win in the draw. These landowner tags would be in addition to the already elk-only combination tags that are offered by FWP. The verbiage of this bill does not indicate that these landowner sponsored tags will be available for the landowner to resell for a greater profit, but technically the landowner could sell those hunts for much higher of a price because they have guaranteed tags. Any landowner that has at least 640 deeded acres would be eligible for this consideration. 

This bill was introduced by Wylie Galt, Representative from Martinsdale, Montana who is related to the expansive Galt Ranch which is famous for its great elk hunting. This bill is meant to directly help Outfitters book clients instead of leaving their elk hunting fate up to the regular draw which has been about once every one or two years to acquire a permit. Is Montana ready to jump into the landowner tag game? 

Section 2 of this bill is somewhat of a shocker to me. It is an antlerless only elk hunting option where an applicant can apply for a cow elk only that is valid from August 15 – February 15 on private land for units where FWP determines there are too many elk per their surveys. Here’s the kicker. If you choose this option, you will not be eligible to apply for an elk permit for that year for anywhere else in the state. However, during that license year, since you are not participating in the elk permit drawing you can buy a bonus point, and since you participated in the antlerless-only option you will be awarded an additional five bonus points for your elk permit draw in the future. Jiminy Christmas! A six bonus point reward for NOT participating in the elk permit drawing for the year that you choose to hunt a cow only. Now that is a big deal. Just when you think you’ve heard it all for 2021…