TagCanyonDeadline emails

799-21 Elk Permit Draw Odds, Montana

Elk permit, district 799-21 (first and only archery only), from FWP's 2023 to 2026 drawing statistics. Jump to resident odds or nonresident odds.

FactValue
DrawingElk permit, district 799-21 (first and only archery only)
2026 total quota1,000
2026 nonresident cap (FWP's NR quota column)100
2026 landowner preference cap: resident / nonresident150 / 100
2026 first-choice applicants: resident / nonresident1,569 / 562
2026 drawn on first choice: resident / nonresident875 / 79
2026 first-choice odds: resident / nonresident55.8% / 14.1%
2026 total successful (all choices and pools)1,000

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
011884222.3%
1286941147.3%
2533926076.7%
310938490.3%
417403895.0%
5261616100.0%
6371414100.0%
75033100.0%
86511100.0%
98244100.0%
1112211100.0%
1214511100.0%

Resident outlook for 2027

If first-choice demand keeps its 2023 to 2026 trend (+93 applicants a year), about 1,662 residents would apply in 2027; with the same number of first-choice licenses, overall first-choice odds would be about 53%. Average bonus points among first-choice applicants are trending to about 1.5 (+0.12 a year), a measure of point creep in a weighted draw. Confidence: medium.

Landowner preference (residents, 2026): 26 first-choice applicants, 26 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
011400.0%
125200.0%
258133.7%
31064710.9%
417851011.8%
5266058.3%
637791519.0%
750501122.0%
865371129.7%
982271451.9%
101019111.1%
11122100.0%
14197100.0%
1625711100.0%
2040111100.0%

Nonresident outlook for 2027

If first-choice demand keeps its 2023 to 2026 trend (+43 applicants a year), about 605 nonresidents would apply in 2027; with the same number of first-choice licenses, overall first-choice odds would be about 13%. Average bonus points among first-choice applicants are trending to about 5.1 (+0.56 a year), a measure of point creep in a weighted draw. Confidence: medium.

Landowner preference (nonresidents, 2026): 20 first-choice applicants, 20 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
20231,0001,28969.3%43322.2%
20241,0001,31167.2%46420.0%
20251,0001,35164.7%53515.3%
20261,0001,56955.8%56214.1%

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.