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Region 6 Surplus Hunting Licenses Again in Short Supply
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Hunting - Region 6
This news release was archived on Thursday, August 16, 2012

 

Final drawings for antlerless deer “B”, antlerless elk “B” and pronghorn antelope licenses are now taking place, and hunters in Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Region 6 are reminded that there will again be reduced numbers of licenses being sold as “surplus” this year.
 
That’s because big game populations in many hunting districts are still recovering from heavy losses that occurred during the harsh winter of 2010-11. A subsequent bout of epizootic hemorrhagic disease last summer also killed many white-tailed deer in some parts of the Region, prompting FWP biologists to reduce hunting harvest quotas even further.
 
In past years special permits and licenses were commonly left over in many hunting districts after the drawing was completed because not enough people applied for them. These leftover tags were then sold over the counter at vendors and through the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov as “surplus.”
 
Many hunters had become accustomed to purchasing multiple licenses right into the fall hunting season. But this year extra licenses from the drawing -- available only on a first-come, first-served basis starting on Aug. 6 -- are expected to be gone soon after they’re offered for sale.
 
 “A reduction in a license quota in a hunting district means an increase in competition for those licenses,” said Plentywood-area Wildlife Biologist Drew Henry.  “A specific listing of surplus licenses and permits will be available in early August. Hunters are encouraged to purchase their licenses as early as possible if they want to be successful.”