Bonus Points Available For Moose, Sheep & Goat Hunters

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Resident and nonresident hunters who fail to draw one of Montana’s coveted special big game licenses in 2001 can start to collect bonus points that will give them a leg up for the next season’s special moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat drawings. According to FWP’s Dave Mott, Montana’s new bonus-point system will be used to improve the odds of drawing hunting licenses or permits that are in high demand. In Montana, for example, the odds of drawing some bighorn sheep permits are as high as 1 in 100. The fee to participate in the voluntary bonus-point system is $2 for Montana residents and $20 for nonresidents, payable with the big game drawing application fees. The application deadline for the moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat drawings is May 1. The system will begin recording bonus points for moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat applicants in 2001. Here’s how the bonus system works:

• Applicants accumulate one bonus point for each unsuccessful year. Each bonus point essentially becomes an extra chance in future drawings. For example, applicants would have one chance to be drawn the first year they apply. If unsuccessful, they would have two chances to be drawn the following year and three chances the next year, and so on until they received the license. Once successful, the applicant loses all bonus points for that species.
• An applicant loses all bonus points if he or she fails to apply for a permit or license for more than two consecutive years for a particular species. There is an exemption for Montana residents with full-time active military status.
• Bonus points are accumulated independently for each species and only for "first choice" districts. An applicant may skip two concurrent years of participation without forfeiting accumulated points, but if an applicant skips the third year--or has errors that eliminate the applicant from the drawing--all accumulated points will be lost.
• Rejection of an application because of applicant error is equivalent to failure to apply.
• Points are non-transferable.
• FWP will contact bonus-point participants each year to report their accumulated points. It will be the applicant’s responsibility to report any discrepancies.