Aug. 18–Nonresident hunting licenses failed to sell out before the application deadline for the fourth consecutive year, leading the state to offer the remaining licenses up on a first-come, first-served basis.
In 2010, a ballot initiative significantly raised prices for nonresident big game licenses. Before 2010, FWP instituted a lottery system as many more nonresident hunters applied than the state had licenses available.
Under the new prices in 2011, licenses undersold during the application period for the first time, although all the licenses were eventually sold, said Ron Aasheim, FWP administrator.
In 2012 and 2013, FWP did not sell all of the surplus licenses, and it remains to be seen if the state can sell the surplus this year.
Montana offers about 17,000 big game combination licenses and 6,600 deer combination licenses to nonresident hunters. As of Friday afternoon, more than 1,700 big game combos, nearly 1,700 elk combos and more than 550 deer combos remained.
The total undersold licenses amount to more than $3.3 million in potential revenue for FWP. Montana sells the big game combination license for $971, the elk combination license for $821 and the deer combo for $575.
FWP is considering asking the Legislature for the first fee increase to several hunting and fishing licenses since 2005, citing a $1.24 million budget shortfall.
Although several factors contributed to the shortfall, underselling licenses was “part of the issue,” Aasheim said.
Montana is below an 11 state average for resident fishing licenses and all resident hunting licenses except wolf. Nonresident hunting licenses are above the average for black bear, deer, elk, mountain lion and upland game bird, but below average for moose, mountain goat, antelope, bighorn sheep, turkey, wolf and most fishing licenses.
Montana’s big game archery season runs Sept. 6 — Oct. 19; and the general rifle big game season runs Oct. 25 — Nov. 30.