Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting B tag question, Montana

If you have a big game combo license already can you apply for a B license and also take a cow elk if there is a B tag available for the zone. And then shoot a bull elk on the big game combo?? Looks like you can, just checking.

Pretty sure, Yes.

The combination license is basically your hunting license, or in Montana FWP language, your conservation stamp.

If you drew you'll receive a big game combo license in the mail, as well as your elk and deer tags plus any special permits you drew, which says that you can use your deer (or elk) tag in a particular limited entry area. If you just drew a combination license but didn't put in for a limited entry area, then you'll just get your combo license and tags. It also allows you to shoot upland birds and season fishing, BTW.

In general, yes.

Not knowing exactly what district you are hunting in, it makes it tough to answer but the Elk B is an "extra" antlerless tag that is in addition to your big game combo/general elk tag.

As always, study the reds closely. MT Regs can be complicated.

I believe you can actually buy the B tag over the counter in Montana at any licensing agent location.

You can only do this if there is a surplus AFTER the draw and that typically only occurs in a few areas.

I believe the OP was talking the ELK B tag and I'm guessing you are talking about Deer B tags?

Nope. In many of the elk B tag areas there are unlimited cow tags that are available over the counter to both residents and non-residents. Problem is most of those areas have a lot of private ground, so you need to have access before you buy the tag. I live here too.

I stand corrected, guess I need to read the regs closer myself.

I didn't know there were unlimited cow tags in some districts, I did know some districts typically had tags left over after the draw.

Heading to the regs to look now, thanks for the clarification and my apologies for the false info.

Edited to add:

I concede, I hadn't noticed that before. In my defense (also known as lame-azz excuse) the unlimited B tags occur in areas I don't frequent. Weak, I know.

Note to OP, listen to the DLSGuide guy not the Fishn4Eyes dumbphuck!

Where I hunt the B tag is a draw tag. Did a bunch more reading and looks like I could shoot a bull on the general the then a cow on the B if drawn.