I tried once already.....hoping someone may have some input: I have a big game tag for MT....mainly going for whitetail but I'd like to fill the elk tag for meat....not looking for a trophy......driving from out east......headed to St X first then to Billings then Malta.....any ideas in terms of a zone in that area and how do I go about securing the permit for said area? Much thanks for any input.

Out of state tags deadline was March 16. If you got the combo (elk/deer) then you can hunt the general season in most units.

You may have missed your chance at an elk if you didn't get the combo because you need to have the elk general tag to get any leftover tags or special permits.

If you have the combo you can apply for a draw unit tag until June 1.

The regs are available online. They can be hard to decipher so I suggest you print them out and read them at work.

The Malta area will be impossible to get a tag with huntable populations at a 4% draw success in the best places. I've never hunted in Region 5 so I can't point you in the right direction.

Thanks MThuntr.....yes, I drew the combo but it's still unclear as to what I need to do to kill one. Do I now need to apply for a permit on top of that? I was just looking at the regs. book and it looks like special permits by unit......I guess a call to MT F & G is in order tomorrow. Although one of my buds out there elk hunts every year, he only leases private ranch land early in the year.....I won't be out there until November.

A general permit (which is what you got) will get you a chance during the general season depending on the unit you plan to hunt.

In the regs you'll see in the unit description is broken into general Deer A and Elk. Under "General Elk License" the season will be broken into dates (sept/oct is archery only and oct/nov is the "gun" season). That will tell you what you can hunt with your elk license. It will probably say "anterless elk, brow tine elk, either sex, or it might say for ages 12-15 Youth only".

The Special Elk Permit is a draw permit where you trade in your general tag for the Special Elk and can only hunt elk in that unit.

You can get a B12 license as a second antlerless permit if you apply for it.

For example, in unit 511 your general elk will allow for an Anterless Elk during the gun season OR you can put in to draw for 1 of 200 Either-sex permits that is valid in units 411, 412, 511, and 530.

A call to the regional office in Billings will clear things up for you.