Moose Hunters' Odds

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Big game hunters hold Montana’s vigorous moose population in high regard. This year 22,994 hunters applied to be in the drawing for a moose license—20,892 of them resident and 2,102 nonresident hunters. From among this pool of applicants, only 617 succeed in getting a license—595 residents and 22 nonresidents. That is a three percent chance of drawing a moose tag.

Based on past statistics, more than 80 percent of this year’s moose hunters will be successful. Bull moose make up about 70-75 percent of the harvest and 25-30 percent are antlerless moose.

Montana produces a good moose. Since the 1930’s when records were first kept, 277 Montana moose have surpassed either the Boone & Crockett minimum score of 155 or the Pope & Young score of 125. The scores are a combination of the width and length of the antler palm, the number of points on the edge of the antlers, and the circumfrence of the beam.

The largest male moose on record in Montana weighed 1,117 pounds. 

For more information on game records visit FWP’s Montana Big Game Records web page.