Last year Montana voters approved I-161 which raised the price of non-resident big game licenses and removed the outfitter sponsored tag system. The numbers are starting to roll in from the 2011 big game draw and it appears that non-resident applications are down significantly from 2010. The Billings Gazette has a write up about the applications and potential left over tags for this fall.
"Obviously the price is an issue," said Ron Aasheim, Fish, Wildlife and Parks' bureau chief. "Last year we had about 8,000 people who didn't draw. This year we're under by about 1,200." About 15,800 nonresidents applied for the 17,000 big game or elk combination licenses for the upcoming season. That means that every hunter who applied for either the $912 nonresident big game combination license, or the $812 elk combo license will receive one. Last year, more than 19,000 nonresidents applied for similar tags.
Maybe they will wake up now and change the price back to the $643.00 it was at. If you ever get a chance to draw the non-resident combo tag which it looks like you can get over the counter now is worth every penny. You get a deer tag and an elk tag and you can hunt archery and if you are not succf you can come back for rifle season. I went up a few years ago by myself and shot a nice buck the first day and an elk three days later and got out before the storms came hard. By far one of the best hunts I have ever been on.
"Obviously the price is an issue," said Ron Aasheim, Fish, Wildlife and Parks' bureau chief. "Last year we had about 8,000 people who didn't draw. This year we're under by about 1,200." About 15,800 nonresidents applied for the 17,000 big game or elk combination licenses for the upcoming season. That means that every hunter who applied for either the $912 nonresident big game combination license, or the $812 elk combo license will receive one. Last year, more than 19,000 nonresidents applied for similar tags.
Maybe they will wake up now and change the price back to the $643.00 it was at. If you ever get a chance to draw the non-resident combo tag which it looks like you can get over the counter now is worth every penny. You get a deer tag and an elk tag and you can hunt archery and if you are not succf you can come back for rifle season. I went up a few years ago by myself and shot a nice buck the first day and an elk three days later and got out before the storms came hard. By far one of the best hunts I have ever been on.
