Montana runs two separate point systems, and most confusion comes from mixing them up. Bonus points apply to limited draws such as elk and deer permits and B licenses. They are squared, so each point adds more entries, but every draw is still random. Preference points apply only to the nonresident combination licenses that carry a general elk and/or deer license. Those are a short line capped at three points, plus a random pool for people with none. For a nonresident, the combination license gets you in the door. A permit, if you want one, is a squared-odds lottery on top.

How you get points

Bonus points (residents and nonresidents) – At application: Answer “yes” to the bonus point question on each permit or license application. It costs $2 for residents and $20 for nonresidents per license or permit. – Point only: If you didn’t apply for that license type, buy a point from July 1 to September 30 for $15 (resident) or $25 (nonresident). – Limit: One bonus point per license type per year. – Age: You must be old enough to apply for that license or permit.

Preference points (nonresidents only, combination licenses) – At application: Add a point for $100 when you apply for a Big Game, Elk, or Deer Combination. – Point only: If you aren’t applying, buy one for $100 from July 1 to December 31. – Outfitter point: Clients of a Montana-licensed outfitter can buy a second $100 point at application. A license drawn with it is valid only while hunting with an outfitter. – Cap: No one can hold more than three preference points.

Prerequisites. Nonresidents need the conservation license ($10) and base hunting license ($50) when they apply, plus the $7.50 Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Pass at 16 and older. Residents need the conservation license ($8) and base hunting license ($10). Nonresidents must hold, or apply for, the right combination license before they can apply for a deer or elk permit.

How points are used in the draw

Bonus points: squared. Your accumulated points, including the one you buy this year, are squared, then you get one more entry for the application itself. With 3 points you have 3² + 1 = 10 chances. With 10 points you have 101. It’s still a random draw, so a zero-point applicant can win and a high-point applicant can lose.

Two rules catch people: – Points count only for your first choice. – You have to buy a point that year for your points to count. If you apply without electing a bonus point, your saved points aren’t used in that drawing. They aren’t lost, though.

Preference points: 75/25. For nonresident combination licenses: – 75% go to applicants in order of most preference points. – 25% go by random draw to applicants who hold no preference points.

With the three-point cap, the line can never be more than three years long. Usually it’s shorter.

Nonresident permit cap. By state law, nonresidents are limited to (but not guaranteed) 10% of an elk or deer permit quota.

Parties. Two to five people can apply together. Everyone must choose the same license and the same point participation. Bonus points are averaged and rounded to the nearest whole number. Preference points are averaged to three decimals. A party gets one entry, so applying together doesn’t improve your odds.

Landowner preference. Up to 15% of many permit and B license quotas are set aside for qualifying landowners (and family, employees, or designees). Landowner rules for nonresident combination licenses have been changing, so check the current regulations if that applies to you.

How permits and general licenses fit together

• A general license (residents buy elk for $20 and deer for $16 over the counter; nonresidents get one through a combination) lets you hunt general districts.
• A permit is not a second animal. It restricts your general license to a specific district or season, such as many mule deer buck or trophy elk districts. Residents buy the general license and apply for the permit. Nonresidents apply for a combination and the permit together by April 1.
• B licenses (Elk B, Deer B) are extra antlerless licenses with their own draws and their own bonus points. The deadline is June 1.
• Elk permit refund option. If you apply for both and draw the combination license but not the elk permit, FWP has offered an option to return the combination for an 80% refund. Your preference points go to zero.

Residents vs. nonresidents

2026	Resident	Nonresident
Bonus point at application	$2	$20
Bonus point only (July 1 – Sept 30)	$15	$25
Preference point	None	$100 (cap of 3)
Elk / deer permit fee	$9 / $5	$9 / $5
Application fee (per license or permit)	$5, nonrefundable	$5, nonrefundable
Prerequisites	Conservation $8 + base hunting $10	Conservation $10 + base hunting $50 + combination
General license	Elk $20, deer $16, over the counter	Big Game Combo $1,312; Elk Combo $1,112; Deer Combo $760
Permit quota share	Remainder	Up to 10%

Keeping and losing points

Bonus points – Deleted when you draw your first choice in a year you elected a bonus point. – Deleted if you lose hunting privileges by court action. – No rule deletes them for skipping years. They just sit unused until you buy a point and apply again. – Kept separately by species and license type (elk permit, Deer B, and so on).

Preference points – Deleted when you draw a combination license, even if you return it later. – Deleted if you hold points and skip the next combination drawing.

There’s no waiting period after drawing elk or deer.

Point creep and “points to draw”

With bonus points there’s no point level that guarantees a tag. “Points to draw” really means “points where my odds get decent.” Each point helps more than the last, but the people at the top of the pool also gain every year. On some top permits, odds stay in the single digits even at high points, especially for nonresidents limited to 10%.

Elk example (hypothetical). Two hunters apply for the same elk permit. One has 0 points and buys one (1² + 1 = 2 chances). The other has 5 saved plus this year’s (6² + 1 = 37 chances). The second has about 18 times as many entries, but both are still in a lottery.

Deer example (hypothetical). A nonresident wants a mule deer buck permit. Year one: they draw the Deer Combination and miss the permit, earning a bonus point. Year three, with 3 points: 10 chances. Their combination license is still good for a general district if the permit doesn’t come through.

Combination licenses. Under the 75/25 rule with a three-point cap, combination licenses usually go to applicants with one to three points or to the zero-point random pool. Results shift every year with demand.

Strategy

• Buy a bonus point every year you apply. If you skip the point, your saved points don’t count that year.
• Don’t apply for a combo with points “just to see.” Drawing wipes your preference points even if you return the license.
• Points-only years: Buy a preference point by December 31 and bonus points by September 30.
• Zero points isn’t hopeless. A quarter of combination licenses go only to people with no points.
• General districts are the fallback. A combination license or a resident general license works across general districts without a permit. Block Management opens private land at no cost.
• Outfitters. The outfitter preference point can help a guided hunter draw. Outfitters with private leases can also make a general license a good hunt. See hunting leases and discount guided hunts.

Key numbers for 2026

Item	2026
Combination and permit deadline	April 1, 11:45 p.m. MST
Elk B / Deer B deadline	June 1
Bonus point formula	points² + 1
Bonus point only window	July 1 – Sept 30 ($15 R / $25 NR)
Preference point	$100, max 3
Preference point only window	July 1 – Dec 31
Combination split	75% preference / 25% zero-point random
Nonresident permit cap	10%
Big Game Combination quota	17,000

FAQ

Are preference points still around for 2026? Yes. The 2026 regulations keep $100 nonresident preference points for combination licenses, the 75/25 split, the three-point cap, and the outfitter point.

Do I lose bonus points if I skip a year? No, but they only count in a year you buy a bonus point.

Do residents get preference points? No. Residents buy general licenses over the counter and use bonus points for permits and B licenses.

Do elk points help with deer? No. Points are tracked by species and license type.

Related: Montana Elk Hunting · Montana Deer Hunting · How to apply for the Montana elk draw · How to apply for the Montana deer draw · Preference points by state

Rules and fees are from Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks for the 2026 draw (2026–27 license year where noted). Confirm in the current regulations before you apply.