TagCanyonDeadline emails

700-21 Elk Permit Draw Odds, Montana

Elk permit, district 700-21 (archery only), from FWP's 2023 to 2026 drawing statistics. Jump to resident odds or nonresident odds.

FactValue
DrawingElk permit, district 700-21 (archery only)
2026 total quota800
2026 nonresident cap (FWP's NR quota column)80
2026 landowner preference cap: resident / nonresident120 / 80
2026 first-choice applicants: resident / nonresident613 / 286
2026 drawn on first choice: resident / nonresident612 / 77
2026 first-choice odds: resident / nonresident99.8% / 26.9%
2026 total successful (all choices and pools)800

Resident odds by bonus point (2026 drawing)

Share of first-choice resident applicants at each bonus-point level who drew, from FWP's 2026 bonus point report. Each applicant gets one chance plus their points squared, so the draw favors high point holders without a hard cutoff. How Montana bonus points work.

Bonus pointsChances in drawing1st-choice applicantsDrawnOdds at this level
01175175100.0%
12364364100.0%
254343100.0%
3101414100.0%
4175480.0%
52666100.0%
63733100.0%
75011100.0%
86511100.0%
1010111100.0%

Resident outlook for 2027

If first-choice demand keeps its 2023 to 2026 trend (-17 applicants a year), about 596 residents would apply in 2027; with the same number of first-choice licenses, overall first-choice odds would be about 100%. Average bonus points among first-choice applicants are trending to about 0.9 (-0.04 a year), a measure of point creep in a weighted draw. Confidence: medium.

Landowner preference (residents, 2026): 3 first-choice applicants, 3 drawn.

Nonresident odds by bonus point (2026 drawing)

Share of first-choice nonresident applicants at each bonus-point level who drew, from FWP's 2026 bonus point report. Each applicant gets one chance plus their points squared, so the draw favors high point holders without a hard cutoff. How Montana bonus points work.

Bonus pointsChances in drawing1st-choice applicantsDrawnOdds at this level
01600.0%
1238410.5%
2549510.2%
31049816.3%
41732928.1%
526321237.5%
637351748.6%
75014750.0%
865161275.0%
98210110.0%
101013266.7%
11122100.0%
18325100.0%

Nonresident outlook for 2027

If first-choice demand keeps its 2023 to 2026 trend (-14 applicants a year), about 272 nonresidents would apply in 2027; with the same number of first-choice licenses, overall first-choice odds would be about 28%. Average bonus points among first-choice applicants are trending to about 4.3 (+0.28 a year), a measure of point creep in a weighted draw. Confidence: medium.

Landowner preference (nonresidents, 2026): 1 first-choice applicants, 1 drawn.

First-choice odds by year

First-choice draws over first-choice applicants in the regular drawing (landowner preference excluded).

Draw yearQuotaRes applicantsRes oddsNR applicantsNR odds
202366066389.1%32920.1%
2024800707100.0%34922.6%
202580067699.6%31525.1%
202680061399.8%28626.9%

Outlook method: see the top of the Montana points explainer and our forecast method. It is a trend line, not a promise.

Notes from TagCanyon

Deadline

Deer and elk permits: FWP's 2026 window ran Mar 1 to Apr 1, 2026 (11:45 p.m. Mountain), with results in mid-April. FWP has not posted 2027 dates yet; the April 1 deadline has held in recent years. FWP application and drawing dates.

Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), 2026 Drawing Statistics reports (MyFWP drawing statistics, FWP application and drawing dates). Tables, outlooks and text are TagCanyon's own; FWP does not warrant or endorse them. Not affiliated with FWP. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026.