Big Game by StateThe public record of western draws

Montana · Elk · District 502

Montana elk permit 502-20

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 5 on 502-20 in 2026 and drew 5 — the quota filled. Across the four pools FWP draws separately, no nonresident landowner applicant put it first; 1 resident landowner applicant put it first and 1 drew, 100.00%; no nonresident applicant put it first; 194 resident applicants put it first and 4 drew, 2.06%.

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
2026Nonresident000—00
2026Resident519442.06%1510
2026Nonresident landowner000———
2026Resident landowner111100.00%——
2025Nonresident000—00
2025Resident520252.48%1290
2025Nonresident landowner000———
2025Resident landowner100———
2024Nonresident000—00
2024Resident526341.52%1410
2024Nonresident landowner000———
2024Resident landowner13133.33%——
2023Nonresident320315.00%50
2023Resident30522234.41%1450
2023Nonresident landowner300———
2023Resident landowner45480.00%——
2022Nonresident316212.50%10
2022Resident30437245.49%1120
2022Nonresident landowner300———
2022Resident landowner45480.00%——
2021Nonresident000—00
2021Resident516242.47%1140
2021Nonresident landowner000———
2021Resident landowner14125.00%——
2020Nonresident000—00
2020Resident513343.01%750
2020Nonresident landowner000———
2020Resident landowner15120.00%——
2019Nonresident000—00
2019Resident512543.20%970
2019Nonresident landowner000———
2019Resident landowner18112.50%——
2018Nonresident000—00
2018Resident510443.85%1180
2018Nonresident landowner000———
2018Resident landowner18112.50%——
2017Nonresident000—00
2017Resident59344.30%1060
2017Nonresident landowner000———
2017Resident landowner16116.67%——
2016Nonresident000—00
2016Resident512143.31%1020
2016Nonresident landowner000———
2016Resident landowner15120.00%——
2015Nonresident000—00
2015Resident512043.33%1120
2015Nonresident landowner000———
2015Resident landowner17114.29%——
2013Nonresident000—00
2013Resident57445.41%860
2013Nonresident landowner000———
2013Resident landowner12150.00%——
2012Nonresident000—00
2012Resident57745.19%980
2012Nonresident landowner000———
2012Resident landowner12150.00%——
2011Nonresident000—00
2011Resident57145.63%800
2011Nonresident landowner000———
2011Resident landowner111100.00%——
2010Nonresident000—00
2010Resident58644.65%680
2010Nonresident landowner000———
2010Resident landowner14125.00%——
2009Nonresident000—00
2009Resident58344.82%450
2009Nonresident landowner000———
2009Resident landowner15120.00%——
2008Nonresident000—20
2008Resident510543.81%490
2008Nonresident landowner000———
2008Resident landowner14125.00%——
2007Nonresident0200.00%10
2007Resident59344.30%640
2007Nonresident landowner000———
2007Resident landowner14125.00%——
2006Nonresident000—70
2006Resident510243.92%800
2006Nonresident landowner000———
2006Resident landowner14125.00%——

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
2026Resident03200.00%
2026Resident13300.00%
2026Resident22214.55%
2026Resident32600.00%
2026Resident42713.70%
2026Resident51500.00%
2026Resident61000.00%
2026Resident71300.00%
2026Resident8500.00%
2026Resident93133.33%
2026Resident10400.00%
2026Resident1111100.00%
2026Resident12100.00%
2026Resident13100.00%
2026Resident14100.00%
2026Resident landowner611100.00%
2025Resident03600.00%
2025Resident12600.00%
2025Resident23000.00%
2025Resident33600.00%
2025Resident41616.25%
2025Resident51500.00%
2025Resident61616.25%
2025Resident71119.09%
2025Resident8500.00%
2025Resident95120.00%
2025Resident10300.00%
2025Resident11100.00%
2025Resident12100.00%
2025Resident1711100.00%
2024Resident05200.00%
2024Resident16700.00%
2024Resident23800.00%
2024Resident33200.00%
2024Resident41800.00%
2024Resident52300.00%
2024Resident61000.00%
2024Resident7500.00%
2024Resident86116.67%
2024Resident9400.00%
2024Resident10100.00%
2024Resident112150.00%
2024Resident132150.00%
2024Resident1511100.00%
2024Resident landowner13133.33%
2023Nonresident14125.00%
2023Nonresident2400.00%
2023Nonresident3100.00%
2023Nonresident4400.00%
2023Nonresident52150.00%
2023Nonresident711100.00%
2023Nonresidentnot stated400.00%
2023Resident112610.79%
2023Resident29800.00%
2023Resident35547.27%
2023Resident45423.70%
2023Resident53339.09%
2023Resident626311.54%
2023Resident79111.11%
2023Resident819631.58%
2023Resident93133.33%
2023Resident10300.00%
2023Resident112150.00%
2023Resident12200.00%
2023Resident1911100.00%
2023Residentnot stated9000.00%
2023Resident landowner12150.00%
2023Resident landowner211100.00%
2023Resident landowner511100.00%
2023Resident landowner911100.00%
2022Nonresident0100.00%
2022Nonresident1500.00%
2022Nonresident26116.67%
2022Nonresident3100.00%
2022Nonresident4100.00%
2022Nonresident611100.00%
2022Nonresidentnot stated100.00%
2022Resident010310.97%
2022Resident17300.00%
2022Resident24836.25%
2022Resident34336.98%
2022Resident43226.25%
2022Resident511218.18%
2022Resident622313.64%
2022Resident78112.50%
2022Resident84250.00%
2022Resident95360.00%
2022Resident105240.00%
2022Resident13100.00%
2022Resident17100.00%
2022Resident1911100.00%
2022Residentnot stated7911.27%
2022Resident landowner011100.00%
2022Resident landowner211100.00%
2022Resident landowner411100.00%
2022Resident landownernot stated2150.00%
2021Resident03000.00%
2021Resident11600.00%
2021Resident22000.00%
2021Resident31300.00%
2021Resident48112.50%
2021Resident51200.00%
2021Resident68112.50%
2021Resident8300.00%
2021Resident95120.00%
2021Resident10100.00%
2021Resident11100.00%
2021Resident124125.00%
2021Resident16100.00%
2021Resident18100.00%
2021Residentnot stated3600.00%
2021Resident landowner3100.00%
2021Resident landowner1311100.00%
2021Resident landownernot stated200.00%
2020Resident02514.00%
2020Resident12200.00%
2020Resident21600.00%
2020Resident3500.00%
2020Resident4800.00%
2020Resident5900.00%
2020Resident611100.00%
2020Resident7300.00%
2020Resident8400.00%
2020Resident92150.00%
2020Resident11100.00%
2020Resident12100.00%
2020Resident15100.00%
2020Resident17100.00%
2020Residentnot stated3013.33%
2020Resident landowner2100.00%
2020Resident landowner3100.00%
2020Resident landowner411100.00%
2020Resident landowner5100.00%
2020Resident landownernot stated100.00%
2019Resident03525.71%
2019Resident11600.00%
2019Resident21000.00%
2019Resident311218.18%
2019Resident4800.00%
2019Resident5300.00%
2019Resident6100.00%
2019Resident7400.00%
2019Resident8200.00%
2019Resident9100.00%
2019Resident10100.00%
2019Resident11100.00%
2019Resident14100.00%
2019Residentnot stated2400.00%
2019Resident landowner1100.00%
2019Resident landowner22150.00%
2019Resident landowner3100.00%
2019Resident landowner4200.00%
2019Resident landownernot stated200.00%
2018Resident01800.00%
2018Resident11516.67%
2018Resident21100.00%
2018Resident3600.00%
2018Resident4500.00%
2018Resident53133.33%
2018Resident6500.00%
2018Resident7100.00%
2018Resident8100.00%
2018Resident911100.00%
2018Resident102150.00%
2018Resident13100.00%
2018Resident14100.00%
2018Residentnot stated2700.00%
2018Resident landowner0200.00%
2018Resident landowner1100.00%
2018Resident landowner3200.00%
2018Resident landowner911100.00%
2018Resident landownernot stated200.00%
2017Resident01400.00%
2017Resident11000.00%
2017Resident21616.25%
2017Resident3500.00%
2017Resident4200.00%
2017Resident5300.00%
2017Resident64125.00%
2017Resident73133.33%
2017Resident8200.00%
2017Resident9100.00%
2017Resident11100.00%
2017Resident132150.00%
2017Residentnot stated2500.00%
2017Resident landowner03133.33%
2017Resident landowner2200.00%
2017Resident landownernot stated100.00%
2016Resident02428.33%
2016Resident12200.00%
2016Resident2900.00%
2016Resident3500.00%
2016Resident4500.00%
2016Resident5300.00%
2016Resident6300.00%
2016Resident73133.33%
2016Resident8100.00%
2016Resident9300.00%
2016Resident10100.00%
2016Resident12200.00%
2016Resident1311100.00%
2016Residentnot stated3500.00%
2016Resident landowner0200.00%
2016Resident landowner1100.00%
2016Resident landowner311100.00%
2016Resident landownernot stated100.00%
2015Resident03800.00%
2015Resident11100.00%
2015Resident21000.00%
2015Resident3300.00%
2015Resident49111.11%
2015Resident5400.00%
2015Resident6300.00%
2015Resident8200.00%
2015Resident92150.00%
2015Resident112150.00%
2015Resident12200.00%
2015Residentnot stated2813.57%
2015Resident landowner0200.00%
2015Resident landowner2100.00%
2015Resident landowner311100.00%
2015Resident landownernot stated300.00%
2014Resident01800.00%
2014Resident1600.00%
2014Resident27114.29%
2014Resident38112.50%
2014Resident4400.00%
2014Resident5200.00%
2014Resident611100.00%
2014Resident74125.00%
2014Resident8100.00%
2014Resident11100.00%
2014Residentnot stated2200.00%
2014Resident landowner2100.00%
2014Resident landowner411100.00%
2014Resident landownernot stated200.00%
2013Resident01417.14%
2013Resident117211.76%
2013Resident210110.00%
2013Resident3600.00%
2013Resident4400.00%
2013Resident6300.00%
2013Resident7100.00%
2013Resident8100.00%
2013Resident9100.00%
2013Resident10100.00%
2013Residentnot stated1500.00%
2013Resident landowner011100.00%
2013Resident landownernot stated100.00%
2012Resident01616.25%
2012Resident11400.00%
2012Resident21100.00%
2012Resident3300.00%
2012Resident46116.67%
2012Resident54125.00%
2012Resident6200.00%
2012Resident74125.00%
2012Residentnot stated1600.00%
2012Resident landowner1100.00%
2012Resident landowner411100.00%
2011Resident01900.00%
2011Resident1700.00%
2011Resident27114.29%
2011Resident310110.00%
2011Resident43133.33%
2011Resident53133.33%
2011Resident6300.00%
2011Resident8200.00%
2011Residentnot stated1700.00%
2011Resident landownernot stated11100.00%
2010Resident02100.00%
2010Resident18112.50%
2010Resident2800.00%
2010Resident37114.29%
2010Resident48112.50%
2010Resident5500.00%
2010Resident6100.00%
2010Resident7100.00%
2010Residentnot stated2414.17%
2010Resident landowner0100.00%
2010Resident landowner111100.00%
2010Resident landowner2100.00%
2010Resident landownernot stated100.00%
2009Resident01200.00%
2009Resident11200.00%
2009Resident2500.00%
2009Resident3500.00%
2009Resident49222.22%
2009Resident54250.00%
2009Resident6300.00%
2009Residentnot stated2900.00%
2009Resident landowner0100.00%
2009Resident landowner2100.00%
2009Resident landownernot stated3133.33%
2008Resident02200.00%
2008Resident1700.00%
2008Resident21200.00%
2008Resident31119.09%
2008Resident4800.00%
2008Resident56116.67%
2008Residentnot stated3625.56%
2008Resident landowner12150.00%
2008Resident landownernot stated200.00%
2007Nonresident0100.00%
2007Nonresidentnot stated100.00%
2007Resident01500.00%
2007Resident11417.14%
2007Resident214214.29%
2007Resident3800.00%
2007Resident4700.00%
2007Residentnot stated3213.13%
2007Resident landowner04125.00%
2006Resident02627.69%
2006Resident12300.00%
2006Resident218211.11%
2006Resident3800.00%
2006Residentnot stated2400.00%
2006Resident landowner011100.00%
2006Resident landowner1100.00%
2006Resident landowner2100.00%
2006Resident landownernot stated100.00%

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 11 points drew, and 1 of 1 at 12, 1 of 1 at 13, 1 of 1 at 14 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.