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Bull elk standing in a green Montana meadow

Montana Draw Odds for Residents and Nonresidents

Montana elk, deer and antelope draw odds for every permit and license drawing, split into resident and nonresident views, with odds at each bonus-point level from FWP's 2023 to 2026 drawing statistics and a next-year outlook.

Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Ryan Hagerty) via Wikimedia Commons, public domain. Credits

Pick a species

Bonus points vs preference points explained

Deadlines

Deer and elk permits: FWP's 2026 window ran Mar 1 to Apr 1, 2026 (11:45 p.m. Mountain), with results in mid-April. FWP has not posted 2027 dates yet; the April 1 deadline has held in recent years.

Elk B, deer B, antelope and antelope B licenses: FWP's 2026 window ran Mar 1 to Jun 1, 2026 (11:45 p.m. Mountain). FWP has not posted 2027 dates yet; the June 1 deadline has held in recent years.

Deadline reminder: Montana deer and elk permit drawing

Deadline Apr 1, 2027. Expected: the April 1 deadline has held in recent years (11:45 p.m. Mountain).

Add to calendar (.ics) Includes an alert 7 days before.

Deadline reminder: Montana B license and antelope drawing

Deadline Jun 1, 2027. Expected: the June 1 deadline has held in recent years (11:45 p.m. Mountain).

Add to calendar (.ics) Includes an alert 7 days before.

Frequently asked questions

How does the Montana permit drawing work?

It is a weighted random drawing. Each first-choice application gets one chance plus its bonus points squared, so more points raise the odds without a fixed cutoff.

What share of Montana permits can nonresidents draw?

Up to 10% of the permits in a drawing, as shown in each hunt's quota split in FWP's report.

When are Montana applications due?

In 2026, deer and elk permits and nonresident combination licenses closed Apr 1; elk B, deer B, antelope and antelope B closed Jun 1.

Download the Montana table (CSV)

Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), 2026 Drawing Statistics reports (MyFWP drawing statistics, FWP application and drawing dates). Tables, outlooks and text are TagCanyon's own; FWP does not warrant or endorse them. Not affiliated with FWP. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026.

Four hunters in camouflage kneeling with their mule deer bucks at Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, Montana

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Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS Mountain Prairie) via Wikimedia Commons, public domain. Credits