Big Game by StateThe public record of western draws

Montana · Elk · District 401

Montana elk permit 401-20

How many people put this elk permitfirst and how many of them drew it — year by year, separately for each of the four pools Montana draws, and separately at every bonus point level. Every figure comes from a Fish, Wildlife & Parks report linked at the foot of this page.

What the 2026 drawing did

Montana set a quota of 50 on 401-20 in 2026 and drew 50 — the quota filled. Across the four pools FWP draws separately, no nonresident landowner applicant put it first; 10 resident landowner applicants put it first and 8 drew, 80.00%; 26 nonresident applicants put it first and 1 drew, 3.85%; 436 resident applicants put it first and 41 drew, 9.40%.

Published in 21 of the drawing years FWP has posted, 2006 to 2026.

Drawing pool

First-choice success rate, by pool and year

The rate is the first-choice applicants in a pool who drew, divided by the first-choice applicants in that pool. Both are exact integers FWP printed in the same row, and it is the measure the department's own drawing statistics tool publishes: "the percentage of 1st choice applicants that were successful". A dash means nobody in that pool applied, so the draw answered nothing — absent, not nought.
YearPoolPool capPut it firstDrew on first choiceFirst-choice success ratePut it 2nd or 3rdDrew on 2nd or 3rd
2026Nonresident52613.85%100
2026Resident50436419.40%2920
2026Nonresident landowner500———
2026Resident landowner810880.00%——
2025Nonresident53013.33%70
2025Resident503844110.68%3370
2025Nonresident landowner500———
2025Resident landowner810880.00%——
2024Nonresident53126.45%110
2024Resident503554011.27%3290
2024Nonresident landowner500———
2024Resident landowner89888.89%——
2023Nonresident52015.00%100
2023Resident503574111.48%3240
2023Nonresident landowner5100.00%——
2023Resident landowner810880.00%——
2022Nonresident520315.00%50
2022Resident503924310.97%2510
2022Nonresident landowner500———
2022Resident landowner844100.00%——
2021Nonresident53026.67%180
2021Resident50404409.90%1930
2021Nonresident landowner500———
2021Resident landowner812866.67%——
2020Nonresident52314.35%120
2020Resident503844110.68%2080
2020Nonresident landowner500———
2020Resident landowner810880.00%——
2019Nonresident54124.88%130
2019Resident503764010.64%2200
2019Nonresident landowner500———
2019Resident landowner819842.11%——
2018Nonresident53712.70%80
2018Resident50412419.95%2130
2018Nonresident landowner500———
2018Resident landowner816850.00%——
2017Nonresident54736.38%50
2017Resident50400399.75%2360
2017Nonresident landowner500———
2017Resident landowner812866.67%——
2016Nonresident33738.11%40
2016Resident35342267.60%2270
2016Nonresident landowner300———
2016Resident landowner612650.00%——
2015Nonresident32800.00%100
2015Resident30299258.36%2630
2015Nonresident landowner300———
2015Resident landowner58562.50%——
2013Nonresident32200.00%140
2013Resident30381256.56%2360
2013Nonresident landowner300———
2013Resident landowner517529.41%——
2012Nonresident32727.41%120
2012Resident30421235.46%2540
2012Nonresident landowner300———
2012Resident landowner518527.78%——
2011Nonresident31500.00%240
2011Resident30463255.40%2560
2011Nonresident landowner300———
2011Resident landowner513538.46%——
2010Nonresident31417.14%60
2010Resident30443245.42%2460
2010Nonresident landowner300———
2010Resident landowner58562.50%——
2009Nonresident31300.00%40
2009Resident30360256.94%1460
2009Nonresident landowner300———
2009Resident landowner511545.45%——
2008Nonresident31400.00%20
2008Resident30327257.65%1490
2008Nonresident landowner300———
2008Resident landowner514535.71%——
2007Nonresident31417.14%100
2007Resident30318247.55%1300
2007Nonresident landowner300———
2007Resident landowner521523.81%——
2006Nonresident31900.00%40
2006Resident30320257.81%1890
2006Nonresident landowner300———
2006Resident landowner517529.41%——

Pool cap is FWP's own QTA column, and it is a ceiling rather than an allocation. The resident regular cap equals the overall quota; the nonresident caps are ten per cent of it and cover landowner and regular nonresidents together; the resident landowner cap is fifteen per cent. The department states plainly that the ceiling is not a floor: "although the nonresident quotas are set at 10%, that entire quota may not be drawn by nonresidents", and that if every resident applicant draws, nonresidents may go over ten per cent.

Landowner rows are a different drawing, not a subset of the one below them.Landowner preference is the first stage, worth up to fifteen per cent of the quota to resident landowners, and its applicants are counted apart from the regular pool throughout. FWP publishes the landowner pools at first choice only, which is why their second and third columns are dashes rather than noughts.

Draw rate at each bonus point level

One row per bonus point level per pool per year, exactly as FWP's Detailed Bonus Point report publishes it. The rate is that level's successes divided by its applications — both exact integers in the same printed row.
YearPoolBonus pointsAppliedDrewDrew at this level
2026Nonresident0200.00%
2026Nonresident11000.00%
2026Nonresident2600.00%
2026Nonresident3300.00%
2026Nonresident4100.00%
2026Nonresident5200.00%
2026Nonresident6100.00%
2026Nonresident711100.00%
2026Resident07522.67%
2026Resident18877.95%
2026Resident27045.71%
2026Resident36357.94%
2026Resident44636.52%
2026Resident536616.67%
2026Resident62114.76%
2026Resident716531.25%
2026Resident813646.15%
2026Resident911100.00%
2026Resident112150.00%
2026Resident12100.00%
2026Resident13100.00%
2026Resident15100.00%
2026Resident landowner03266.67%
2026Resident landowner12150.00%
2026Resident landowner211100.00%
2026Resident landowner311100.00%
2026Resident landowner411100.00%
2026Resident landowner511100.00%
2026Resident landowner611100.00%
2025Nonresident0100.00%
2025Nonresident11200.00%
2025Nonresident2500.00%
2025Nonresident3500.00%
2025Nonresident4100.00%
2025Nonresident5200.00%
2025Nonresident6200.00%
2025Nonresident92150.00%
2025Resident06011.67%
2025Resident16822.94%
2025Resident28122.47%
2025Resident35048.00%
2025Resident435514.29%
2025Resident537718.92%
2025Resident621523.81%
2025Resident717635.29%
2025Resident85360.00%
2025Resident92150.00%
2025Resident133266.67%
2025Resident1411100.00%
2025Resident1722100.00%
2025Resident landowner04250.00%
2025Resident landowner111100.00%
2025Resident landowner222100.00%
2025Resident landowner322100.00%
2025Resident landowner511100.00%
2024Nonresident0500.00%
2024Nonresident11100.00%
2024Nonresident2700.00%
2024Nonresident311100.00%
2024Nonresident4200.00%
2024Nonresident5300.00%
2024Nonresident6100.00%
2024Nonresident711100.00%
2024Resident06900.00%
2024Resident18211.22%
2024Resident26346.35%
2024Resident342614.29%
2024Resident435411.43%
2024Resident519631.58%
2024Resident624729.17%
2024Resident712650.00%
2024Resident811100.00%
2024Resident911100.00%
2024Resident10100.00%
2024Resident113266.67%
2024Resident1411100.00%
2024Resident1711100.00%
2024Resident landowner04375.00%
2024Resident landowner122100.00%
2024Resident landowner422100.00%
2024Resident landowner711100.00%
2023Nonresident1800.00%
2023Nonresident2600.00%
2023Nonresident32150.00%
2023Nonresident4100.00%
2023Nonresidentnot stated200.00%
2023Resident169811.59%
2023Resident27268.33%
2023Resident34848.33%
2023Resident426519.23%
2023Resident531619.35%
2023Resident619210.53%
2023Resident79555.56%
2023Resident83133.33%
2023Resident9200.00%
2023Resident10200.00%
2023Resident1122100.00%
2023Resident13100.00%
2023Resident1511100.00%
2023Residentnot stated7011.43%
2023Nonresident landowner2100.00%
2023Resident landowner122100.00%
2023Resident landowner222100.00%
2023Resident landowner311100.00%
2023Resident landowner611100.00%
2023Resident landownernot stated4250.00%
2022Nonresident0600.00%
2022Nonresident1300.00%
2022Nonresident2200.00%
2022Nonresident3100.00%
2022Nonresident44125.00%
2022Nonresident711100.00%
2022Nonresident811100.00%
2022Nonresidentnot stated200.00%
2022Resident010810.93%
2022Resident15923.39%
2022Resident239410.26%
2022Resident340820.00%
2022Resident429724.14%
2022Resident510330.00%
2022Resident69666.67%
2022Resident722100.00%
2022Resident822100.00%
2022Resident922100.00%
2022Resident1022100.00%
2022Resident1311100.00%
2022Resident1411100.00%
2022Resident1511100.00%
2022Residentnot stated8711.15%
2022Resident landowner022100.00%
2022Resident landowner222100.00%
2021Nonresident0500.00%
2021Nonresident1700.00%
2021Nonresident2500.00%
2021Nonresident3300.00%
2021Nonresident42150.00%
2021Nonresident511100.00%
2021Nonresidentnot stated700.00%
2021Resident010532.86%
2021Resident16234.84%
2021Resident25024.00%
2021Resident336411.11%
2021Resident417211.76%
2021Resident514857.14%
2021Resident611981.82%
2021Resident79333.33%
2021Resident83133.33%
2021Resident911100.00%
2021Resident103133.33%
2021Resident1111100.00%
2021Resident1211100.00%
2021Residentnot stated8711.15%
2021Resident landowner022100.00%
2021Resident landowner13133.33%
2021Resident landowner222100.00%
2021Resident landownernot stated5360.00%
2020Nonresident0900.00%
2020Nonresident1300.00%
2020Nonresident2200.00%
2020Nonresident3100.00%
2020Nonresidentnot stated8112.50%
2020Resident08811.14%
2020Resident16634.55%
2020Resident261711.48%
2020Resident326519.23%
2020Resident419421.05%
2020Resident516637.50%
2020Resident68337.50%
2020Resident75360.00%
2020Resident822100.00%
2020Resident922100.00%
2020Resident1011100.00%
2020Resident1111100.00%
2020Resident1322100.00%
2020Resident1711100.00%
2020Residentnot stated8400.00%
2020Resident landowner02150.00%
2020Resident landowner111100.00%
2020Resident landowner311100.00%
2020Resident landowner411100.00%
2020Resident landownernot stated5480.00%
2019Nonresident01915.26%
2019Nonresident1500.00%
2019Nonresident2400.00%
2019Nonresident4100.00%
2019Nonresident1111100.00%
2019Nonresidentnot stated1100.00%
2019Resident010332.91%
2019Resident17157.04%
2019Resident24224.76%
2019Resident328414.29%
2019Resident424937.50%
2019Resident510550.00%
2019Resident69222.22%
2019Resident7100.00%
2019Resident84250.00%
2019Resident933100.00%
2019Resident1011100.00%
2019Resident1111100.00%
2019Residentnot stated6834.41%
2019Resident landowner04125.00%
2019Resident landowner14250.00%
2019Resident landowner2100.00%
2019Resident landowner311100.00%
2019Resident landownernot stated9444.44%
2018Nonresident02100.00%
2018Nonresident1600.00%
2018Nonresident2100.00%
2018Nonresident3100.00%
2018Nonresident611100.00%
2018Nonresidentnot stated700.00%
2018Resident012210.82%
2018Resident17034.29%
2018Resident23612.78%
2018Resident32528.00%
2018Resident425520.00%
2018Resident517423.53%
2018Resident67342.86%
2018Resident77342.86%
2018Resident86350.00%
2018Resident98675.00%
2018Resident102150.00%
2018Resident1122100.00%
2018Resident1222100.00%
2018Resident1322100.00%
2018Resident1433100.00%
2018Residentnot stated7000.00%
2018Resident landowner06466.67%
2018Resident landowner233100.00%
2018Resident landownernot stated7114.29%
2017Nonresident01700.00%
2017Nonresident14125.00%
2017Nonresident2500.00%
2017Nonresident3100.00%
2017Nonresident42150.00%
2017Nonresident5100.00%
2017Nonresident7100.00%
2017Nonresident9100.00%
2017Nonresidentnot stated1516.67%
2017Resident011532.61%
2017Resident15846.90%
2017Resident237410.81%
2017Resident325520.00%
2017Resident415320.00%
2017Resident513430.77%
2017Resident610330.00%
2017Resident78112.50%
2017Resident88337.50%
2017Resident9200.00%
2017Resident103266.67%
2017Resident113266.67%
2017Resident123266.67%
2017Resident13100.00%
2017Resident1411100.00%
2017Residentnot stated9422.13%
2017Resident landowner033100.00%
2017Resident landowner13133.33%
2017Resident landowner211100.00%
2017Resident landowner322100.00%
2017Resident landownernot stated3133.33%
2016Nonresident0900.00%
2016Nonresident1600.00%
2016Nonresident2400.00%
2016Nonresident3200.00%
2016Nonresident4100.00%
2016Nonresident6100.00%
2016Nonresident8100.00%
2016Nonresident1011100.00%
2016Nonresidentnot stated12216.67%
2016Resident09411.06%
2016Resident14636.52%
2016Resident230310.00%
2016Resident31500.00%
2016Resident41417.14%
2016Resident59111.11%
2016Resident612541.67%
2016Resident7900.00%
2016Resident86116.67%
2016Resident9300.00%
2016Resident105360.00%
2016Resident116350.00%
2016Resident12100.00%
2016Residentnot stated8655.81%
2016Resident landowner04250.00%
2016Resident landowner12150.00%
2016Resident landowner22150.00%
2016Resident landownernot stated4250.00%
2015Nonresident0600.00%
2015Nonresident1100.00%
2015Nonresident2500.00%
2015Nonresident3100.00%
2015Nonresident7100.00%
2015Nonresident9100.00%
2015Nonresidentnot stated1300.00%
2015Resident07722.60%
2015Resident14025.00%
2015Resident228414.29%
2015Resident316212.50%
2015Resident41417.14%
2015Resident518422.22%
2015Resident612216.67%
2015Resident77228.57%
2015Resident85240.00%
2015Resident95120.00%
2015Resident107114.29%
2015Resident11100.00%
2015Resident123133.33%
2015Residentnot stated6311.59%
2015Resident landowner02150.00%
2015Resident landowner111100.00%
2015Resident landowner511100.00%
2015Resident landownernot stated4250.00%
2014Nonresident0700.00%
2014Nonresident1400.00%
2014Nonresident2100.00%
2014Nonresident5100.00%
2014Nonresident6100.00%
2014Nonresident711100.00%
2014Nonresident8100.00%
2014Nonresidentnot stated800.00%
2014Resident08033.75%
2014Resident14025.00%
2014Resident23438.82%
2014Resident32229.09%
2014Resident421628.57%
2014Resident515426.67%
2014Resident68112.50%
2014Resident7600.00%
2014Resident8500.00%
2014Resident94125.00%
2014Resident103133.33%
2014Resident113133.33%
2014Residentnot stated6100.00%
2014Resident landowner0100.00%
2014Resident landowner111100.00%
2014Resident landowner22150.00%
2014Resident landowner411100.00%
2014Resident landowner8100.00%
2014Resident landownernot stated6233.33%
2013Nonresident0900.00%
2013Nonresident1100.00%
2013Nonresident2100.00%
2013Nonresident5100.00%
2013Nonresident6100.00%
2013Nonresident7100.00%
2013Nonresidentnot stated800.00%
2013Resident08933.37%
2013Resident14400.00%
2013Resident246510.87%
2013Resident330413.33%
2013Resident423313.04%
2013Resident51500.00%
2013Resident611218.18%
2013Resident7700.00%
2013Resident88562.50%
2013Resident97114.29%
2013Resident10300.00%
2013Residentnot stated8622.33%
2013Resident landowner04125.00%
2013Resident landowner13133.33%
2013Resident landowner33266.67%
2013Resident landowner7100.00%
2013Resident landownernot stated6116.67%
2012Nonresident0600.00%
2012Nonresident18112.50%
2012Nonresident211100.00%
2012Nonresident5200.00%
2012Nonresident6100.00%
2012Nonresident8100.00%
2012Nonresidentnot stated800.00%
2012Resident010443.85%
2012Resident16123.28%
2012Resident24836.25%
2012Resident33326.06%
2012Resident42528.00%
2012Resident523626.09%
2012Resident6900.00%
2012Resident79111.11%
2012Resident88112.50%
2012Resident95120.00%
2012Residentnot stated8311.20%
2012Resident landowner05240.00%
2012Resident landowner13266.67%
2012Resident landowner2200.00%
2012Resident landowner6100.00%
2012Resident landownernot stated7114.29%
2011Nonresident0500.00%
2011Nonresident3200.00%
2011Nonresidentnot stated800.00%
2011Resident011232.68%
2011Resident17645.26%
2011Resident24436.82%
2011Resident32813.57%
2011Resident42428.33%
2011Resident513215.38%
2011Resident612216.67%
2011Resident71417.14%
2011Resident8700.00%
2011Residentnot stated12575.60%
2011Resident landowner0400.00%
2011Resident landowner12150.00%
2011Resident landowner311100.00%
2011Resident landowner511100.00%
2011Resident landownernot stated5240.00%
2010Nonresident0500.00%
2010Nonresident1100.00%
2010Nonresident211100.00%
2010Nonresident4100.00%
2010Nonresident5100.00%
2010Nonresidentnot stated500.00%
2010Resident011965.04%
2010Resident16434.69%
2010Resident22827.14%
2010Resident33126.45%
2010Resident41616.25%
2010Resident516212.50%
2010Resident61218.33%
2010Resident712216.67%
2010Residentnot stated14253.52%
2010Resident landowner03133.33%
2010Resident landowner2100.00%
2010Resident landowner722100.00%
2010Resident landownernot stated22100.00%
2009Nonresident0300.00%
2009Nonresident1200.00%
2009Nonresidentnot stated800.00%
2009Resident09333.23%
2009Resident14824.17%
2009Resident24012.50%
2009Resident32328.70%
2009Resident419210.53%
2009Resident519315.79%
2009Resident616531.25%
2009Residentnot stated9677.29%
2009Resident landowner1200.00%
2009Resident landowner211100.00%
2009Resident landowner311100.00%
2009Resident landowner411100.00%
2009Resident landownernot stated6233.33%
2008Nonresident0500.00%
2008Nonresident1100.00%
2008Nonresident3200.00%
2008Nonresident4100.00%
2008Nonresident5100.00%
2008Nonresidentnot stated400.00%
2008Resident07022.86%
2008Resident14336.98%
2008Resident22713.70%
2008Resident319315.79%
2008Resident425728.00%
2008Resident521314.29%
2008Residentnot stated11365.31%
2008Resident landowner04125.00%
2008Resident landowner13266.67%
2008Resident landowner32150.00%
2008Resident landowner411100.00%
2008Resident landownernot stated400.00%
2007Nonresident0100.00%
2007Nonresident1400.00%
2007Nonresident22150.00%
2007Nonresident3100.00%
2007Nonresident4100.00%
2007Nonresidentnot stated500.00%
2007Resident06811.47%
2007Resident152611.54%
2007Resident23538.57%
2007Resident34436.82%
2007Resident4291034.48%
2007Residentnot stated7411.35%
2007Resident landowner0500.00%
2007Resident landowner13133.33%
2007Resident landowner2200.00%
2007Resident landowner33133.33%
2007Resident landowner43266.67%
2007Resident landownernot stated5120.00%
2006Nonresident01300.00%
2006Nonresident3100.00%
2006Nonresidentnot stated500.00%
2006Resident07268.33%
2006Resident15747.02%
2006Resident2571017.54%
2006Resident34449.09%
2006Residentnot stated7811.28%
2006Resident landowner05120.00%
2006Resident landowner13133.33%
2006Resident landowner2100.00%
2006Resident landowner311100.00%
2006Resident landownernot stated7228.57%

No bonus point level guarantees a licence in Montana, and this page does not publish one. FWP squares your bonus points and adds them to your current application as extra chances — three points give ten chances, ten points give a hundred and one — so the drawing is a weighted lottery and not a queue. More points is better odds every time, and a place in line never. This hunt shows it in 2026: in the resident pool every applicant at 9 points drew, and 1 of 2 at 11, 1 of 1 at 12, 1 of 1 at 13, 1 of 1 at 15 did not.

Not stated is FWP's own blank cell, and it is not the same as nought. The department's reports frequently carry both a nought-point row and a blank one for the same pool in the same year, with different application counts, and both are inside the district total it prints. FWP does not say what separates them, so they are shown apart rather than added together into a "no points" figure it never published.

Sources for this licence

Other licences in these districts

Bonus points are one of Montana's two point systems and the only one that applies here. The other, preference points, exists on nonresident combination licences alone and works in the opposite way. See how these numbers are produced and checked, or the Montana application deadlines.