The deadline to register for the 2008 hunting season game damage hunt roster is July 15.
Hunts could take place anytime from August 15, 2008 through February 15, 2009. You only need a 2008 Conservation License to register. However, to actually hunt, some game damage hunts or management seasons may require a valid, but unused, hunting license or permit, while others may allow prospective hunters to purchase a license or permit before the hunt.
FWP will conduct a computerized random drawing process that will award a placement of all prospective hunters on the roster in the order in which they are drawn. The final rosters will be posted here on August 1.
FWP will contact hunters on the game damage and management season rosters when the opportunities arise. Given the uncertainty of game damage, participation in this process does not ensure a game damage hunt opportunity.
The effort to create hunter rosters is intended to generally streamline the game damage process. Montana's general five-week hunting season, and the creation of more either-sex seasons for big game, eliminated methods used in past years to generate lists of prospective game damage hunters.
Highlighted districts have a history of either game damage hunts, or previous early and late seasons hunts, but this does not indicate that a game damage hunt or management season will be used this year. Prospective hunters are limited to one hunting district per species so they can respond quickly when contacted to participate.
Game damage occurs when animals like elk, deer, and antelope concentrate on private farms and ranches and damage crops and property. FWP's game damage hunt rules explain how FWP will respond to the needs of landowners who provide public hunting during the general hunting season, yet who could nevertheless suffer losses due to wildlife damage.
Special management seasons will be created when needed to attend to large concentrations of game animals due to seasonal migrations, extreme weather conditions, restrictive public hunting on adjacent or nearby properties, and other factors.
