Montana · Elk · District 520

Montana elk permit 520-20

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 2021 drawing did

Montana set a quota of 40 on 520-20 in 2021 and drew 40 — 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%; 25 nonresident applicants put it first and 1 drew, 4.00%; 361 resident applicants put it first and 38 drew, 10.53%.

This licence code stops appearing after 2021. FWP's 2026 reports do not carry it, and this site does not map a retired code onto a current one — the department renumbered its licence-type suffixes and has published nothing saying which old code became which new one. What is below is the record of the 16 years it was drawn.

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.
Year	Pool	Pool cap	Put it first	Drew on first choice	First-choice success rate	Put it 2nd or 3rd	Drew on 2nd or 3rd
2021	Nonresident	4	25	1	4.00%	20	0
2021	Resident	40	361	38	10.53%	187	0
2021	Nonresident landowner	4	0	0	—	—	—
2021	Resident landowner	6	1	1	100.00%	—	—
2020	Nonresident	4	18	1	5.56%	17	0
2020	Resident	40	302	37	12.25%	149	0
2020	Nonresident landowner	4	0	0	—	—	—
2020	Resident landowner	6	2	2	100.00%	—	—
2019	Nonresident	4	17	0	0.00%	9	0
2019	Resident	40	367	38	10.35%	200	0
2019	Nonresident landowner	4	0	0	—	—	—
2019	Resident landowner	6	2	2	100.00%	—	—
2018	Nonresident	4	18	2	11.11%	23	0
2018	Resident	40	389	34	8.74%	181	0
2018	Nonresident landowner	4	0	0	—	—	—
2018	Resident landowner	6	4	4	100.00%	—	—
2017	Nonresident	3	33	0	0.00%	17	0
2017	Resident	30	388	28	7.22%	169	0
2017	Nonresident landowner	3	0	0	—	—	—
2017	Resident landowner	5	2	2	100.00%	—	—
2016	Nonresident	3	33	0	0.00%	14	0
2016	Resident	30	388	28	7.22%	179	0
2016	Nonresident landowner	3	0	0	—	—	—
2016	Resident landowner	5	2	2	100.00%	—	—
2015	Nonresident	3	23	0	0.00%	3	0
2015	Resident	30	350	27	7.71%	181	0
2015	Nonresident landowner	3	0	0	—	—	—
2015	Resident landowner	5	3	3	100.00%	—	—
2013	Nonresident	2	23	2	8.70%	10	0
2013	Resident	25	301	22	7.31%	147	0
2013	Nonresident landowner	2	0	0	—	—	—
2013	Resident landowner	4	1	1	100.00%	—	—
2012	Nonresident	2	15	1	6.67%	10	0
2012	Resident	25	294	23	7.82%	154	0
2012	Nonresident landowner	2	0	0	—	—	—
2012	Resident landowner	4	1	1	100.00%	—	—
2011	Nonresident	2	15	0	0.00%	1	0
2011	Resident	25	369	21	5.69%	159	0
2011	Nonresident landowner	2	0	0	—	—	—
2011	Resident landowner	4	5	4	80.00%	—	—
2010	Nonresident	2	11	1	9.09%	11	0
2010	Resident	25	321	23	7.17%	108	0
2010	Nonresident landowner	2	0	0	—	—	—
2010	Resident landowner	4	1	1	100.00%	—	—
2009	Nonresident	17	5	5	100.00%	6	0
2009	Resident	170	160	156	97.50%	147	0
2009	Nonresident landowner	17	0	0	—	—	—
2009	Resident landowner	26	9	9	100.00%	—	—
2008	Nonresident	17	7	7	100.00%	8	0
2008	Resident	170	194	151	77.84%	170	0
2008	Nonresident landowner	17	0	0	—	—	—
2008	Resident landowner	26	12	12	100.00%	—	—
2007	Nonresident	17	10	8	80.00%	9	0
2007	Resident	170	214	154	71.96%	191	0
2007	Nonresident landowner	17	0	0	—	—	—
2007	Resident landowner	26	8	8	100.00%	—	—
2006	Nonresident	17	5	4	80.00%	7	0
2006	Resident	170	242	156	64.46%	256	0
2006	Nonresident landowner	17	0	0	—	—	—
2006	Resident landowner	26	10	10	100.00%	—	—

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.
Year	Pool	Bonus points	Applied	Drew	Drew at this level
2021	Nonresident	0	15	1	6.67%
2021	Nonresident	1	2	0	0.00%
2021	Nonresident	2	1	0	0.00%
2021	Nonresident	3	2	0	0.00%
2021	Nonresident	not stated	5	0	0.00%
2021	Resident	0	88	0	0.00%
2021	Resident	1	60	4	6.67%
2021	Resident	2	41	4	9.76%
2021	Resident	3	33	6	18.18%
2021	Resident	4	23	6	26.09%
2021	Resident	5	23	5	21.74%
2021	Resident	6	12	4	33.33%
2021	Resident	7	6	4	66.67%
2021	Resident	8	2	1	50.00%
2021	Resident	17	1	1	100.00%
2021	Resident	not stated	72	3	4.17%
2021	Resident landowner	0	1	1	100.00%
2020	Nonresident	0	6	0	0.00%
2020	Nonresident	1	6	0	0.00%
2020	Nonresident	2	2	0	0.00%
2020	Nonresident	3	1	0	0.00%
2020	Nonresident	6	1	1	100.00%
2020	Nonresident	not stated	2	0	0.00%
2020	Resident	0	73	5	6.85%
2020	Resident	1	38	2	5.26%
2020	Resident	2	37	2	5.41%
2020	Resident	3	34	6	17.65%
2020	Resident	4	29	6	20.69%
2020	Resident	5	11	3	27.27%
2020	Resident	6	12	4	33.33%
2020	Resident	7	5	2	40.00%
2020	Resident	8	2	1	50.00%
2020	Resident	9	1	0	0.00%
2020	Resident	10	1	1	100.00%
2020	Resident	11	2	2	100.00%
2020	Resident	12	1	1	100.00%
2020	Resident	16	1	1	100.00%
2020	Resident	not stated	55	1	1.82%
2020	Resident landowner	0	1	1	100.00%
2020	Resident landowner	not stated	1	1	100.00%
2019	Nonresident	0	8	0	0.00%
2019	Nonresident	1	3	0	0.00%
2019	Nonresident	2	1	0	0.00%
2019	Nonresident	4	1	0	0.00%
2019	Nonresident	not stated	4	0	0.00%
2019	Resident	0	87	1	1.15%
2019	Resident	1	54	2	3.70%
2019	Resident	2	45	4	8.89%
2019	Resident	3	34	4	11.76%
2019	Resident	4	24	6	25.00%
2019	Resident	5	23	3	13.04%
2019	Resident	6	13	5	38.46%
2019	Resident	7	7	3	42.86%
2019	Resident	8	6	4	66.67%
2019	Resident	10	2	1	50.00%
2019	Resident	11	2	1	50.00%
2019	Resident	not stated	70	4	5.71%
2019	Resident landowner	0	1	1	100.00%
2019	Resident landowner	not stated	1	1	100.00%
2018	Nonresident	0	6	0	0.00%
2018	Nonresident	1	2	0	0.00%
2018	Nonresident	2	1	0	0.00%
2018	Nonresident	3	1	0	0.00%
2018	Nonresident	4	1	1	100.00%
2018	Nonresident	5	1	0	0.00%
2018	Nonresident	6	1	0	0.00%
2018	Nonresident	7	1	0	0.00%
2018	Nonresident	14	1	1	100.00%
2018	Nonresident	not stated	3	0	0.00%
2018	Resident	0	82	0	0.00%
2018	Resident	1	64	1	1.56%
2018	Resident	2	54	1	1.85%
2018	Resident	3	33	5	15.15%
2018	Resident	4	22	1	4.55%
2018	Resident	5	19	5	26.32%
2018	Resident	6	10	6	60.00%
2018	Resident	7	8	4	50.00%
2018	Resident	8	7	4	57.14%
2018	Resident	9	3	1	33.33%
2018	Resident	10	3	1	33.33%
2018	Resident	13	1	1	100.00%
2018	Resident	14	3	3	100.00%
2018	Resident	15	1	1	100.00%
2018	Resident	not stated	79	0	0.00%
2018	Resident landowner	3	1	1	100.00%
2018	Resident landowner	not stated	3	3	100.00%
2017	Nonresident	0	12	0	0.00%
2017	Nonresident	1	4	0	0.00%
2017	Nonresident	2	2	0	0.00%
2017	Nonresident	4	1	0	0.00%
2017	Nonresident	5	1	0	0.00%
2017	Nonresident	not stated	13	0	0.00%
2017	Resident	0	81	2	2.47%
2017	Resident	1	67	6	8.96%
2017	Resident	2	53	3	5.66%
2017	Resident	3	32	2	6.25%
2017	Resident	4	23	3	13.04%
2017	Resident	5	17	3	17.65%
2017	Resident	6	11	3	27.27%
2017	Resident	7	8	0	0.00%
2017	Resident	8	5	1	20.00%
2017	Resident	9	3	1	33.33%
2017	Resident	10	1	1	100.00%
2017	Resident	11	1	0	0.00%
2017	Resident	13	1	0	0.00%
2017	Resident	14	2	1	50.00%
2017	Resident	not stated	83	2	2.41%
2017	Resident landowner	0	1	1	100.00%
2017	Resident landowner	not stated	1	1	100.00%
2016	Nonresident	0	12	0	0.00%
2016	Nonresident	1	4	0	0.00%
2016	Nonresident	2	2	0	0.00%
2016	Nonresident	3	1	0	0.00%
2016	Nonresident	4	1	0	0.00%
2016	Nonresident	not stated	13	0	0.00%
2016	Resident	0	112	3	2.68%
2016	Resident	1	62	3	4.84%
2016	Resident	2	34	2	5.88%
2016	Resident	3	31	5	16.13%
2016	Resident	4	13	5	38.46%
2016	Resident	5	13	2	15.38%
2016	Resident	6	12	2	16.67%
2016	Resident	7	5	0	0.00%
2016	Resident	8	4	1	25.00%
2016	Resident	9	2	1	50.00%
2016	Resident	10	1	0	0.00%
2016	Resident	11	1	1	100.00%
2016	Resident	12	1	0	0.00%
2016	Resident	not stated	97	3	3.09%
2016	Resident landowner	0	1	1	100.00%
2016	Resident landowner	not stated	1	1	100.00%
2015	Nonresident	0	8	0	0.00%
2015	Nonresident	3	1	0	0.00%
2015	Nonresident	4	1	0	0.00%
2015	Nonresident	not stated	13	0	0.00%
2015	Resident	0	98	4	4.08%
2015	Resident	1	61	2	3.28%
2015	Resident	2	30	2	6.67%
2015	Resident	3	25	5	20.00%
2015	Resident	4	19	3	15.79%
2015	Resident	5	17	2	11.76%
2015	Resident	6	5	1	20.00%
2015	Resident	7	6	0	0.00%
2015	Resident	8	4	3	75.00%
2015	Resident	10	2	1	50.00%
2015	Resident	11	1	0	0.00%
2015	Resident	not stated	82	4	4.88%
2015	Resident landowner	1	1	1	100.00%
2015	Resident landowner	not stated	2	2	100.00%
2014	Nonresident	0	8	0	0.00%
2014	Nonresident	2	1	0	0.00%
2014	Nonresident	not stated	11	1	9.09%
2014	Resident	0	90	5	5.56%
2014	Resident	1	49	2	4.08%
2014	Resident	2	38	4	10.53%
2014	Resident	3	24	1	4.17%
2014	Resident	4	19	3	15.79%
2014	Resident	5	8	4	50.00%
2014	Resident	6	7	1	14.29%
2014	Resident	7	6	2	33.33%
2014	Resident	8	2	1	50.00%
2014	Resident	9	2	1	50.00%
2014	Resident	10	2	1	50.00%
2014	Resident	not stated	97	2	2.06%
2014	Resident landowner	3	1	1	100.00%
2014	Resident landowner	not stated	1	1	100.00%
2013	Nonresident	0	3	0	0.00%
2013	Nonresident	1	7	2	28.57%
2013	Nonresident	not stated	13	0	0.00%
2013	Resident	0	81	2	2.47%
2013	Resident	1	44	6	13.64%
2013	Resident	2	30	1	3.33%
2013	Resident	3	25	2	8.00%
2013	Resident	4	15	3	20.00%
2013	Resident	5	8	1	12.50%
2013	Resident	6	6	1	16.67%
2013	Resident	7	1	0	0.00%
2013	Resident	8	3	3	100.00%
2013	Resident	9	3	1	33.33%
2013	Resident	not stated	85	2	2.35%
2013	Resident landowner	0	1	1	100.00%
2012	Nonresident	0	8	1	12.50%
2012	Nonresident	2	1	0	0.00%
2012	Nonresident	not stated	6	0	0.00%
2012	Resident	0	81	3	3.70%
2012	Resident	1	47	1	2.13%
2012	Resident	2	41	4	9.76%
2012	Resident	3	24	2	8.33%
2012	Resident	4	15	3	20.00%
2012	Resident	5	15	6	40.00%
2012	Resident	6	3	1	33.33%
2012	Resident	7	2	0	0.00%
2012	Resident	8	1	0	0.00%
2012	Resident	not stated	65	3	4.62%
2012	Resident landowner	not stated	1	1	100.00%
2011	Nonresident	0	4	0	0.00%
2011	Nonresident	2	1	0	0.00%
2011	Nonresident	not stated	10	0	0.00%
2011	Resident	0	76	3	3.95%
2011	Resident	1	68	9	13.24%
2011	Resident	2	36	2	5.56%
2011	Resident	3	17	1	5.88%
2011	Resident	4	12	1	8.33%
2011	Resident	5	9	3	33.33%
2011	Resident	6	3	1	33.33%
2011	Resident	7	2	0	0.00%
2011	Resident	not stated	145	1	0.69%
2011	Resident landowner	0	1	1	100.00%
2011	Resident landowner	3	1	1	100.00%
2011	Resident landowner	not stated	3	2	66.67%
2010	Nonresident	0	2	0	0.00%
2010	Nonresident	1	1	0	0.00%
2010	Nonresident	2	1	0	0.00%
2010	Nonresident	5	1	1	100.00%
2010	Nonresident	not stated	6	0	0.00%
2010	Resident	0	90	4	4.44%
2010	Resident	1	42	4	9.52%
2010	Resident	2	25	3	12.00%
2010	Resident	3	13	2	15.38%
2010	Resident	4	8	1	12.50%
2010	Resident	5	2	1	50.00%
2010	Resident	6	4	0	0.00%
2010	Resident	not stated	137	8	5.84%
2010	Resident landowner	not stated	1	1	100.00%
2009	Nonresident	0	3	3	100.00%
2009	Nonresident	not stated	2	2	100.00%
2009	Resident	0	43	42	97.67%
2009	Resident	1	14	14	100.00%
2009	Resident	2	7	7	100.00%
2009	Resident	4	2	2	100.00%
2009	Resident	6	1	1	100.00%
2009	Resident	not stated	93	90	96.77%
2009	Resident landowner	0	2	2	100.00%
2009	Resident landowner	not stated	7	7	100.00%
2008	Nonresident	0	6	6	100.00%
2008	Nonresident	1	1	1	100.00%
2008	Resident	0	46	36	78.26%
2008	Resident	1	18	18	100.00%
2008	Resident	2	5	5	100.00%
2008	Resident	3	2	2	100.00%
2008	Resident	4	2	2	100.00%
2008	Resident	5	1	1	100.00%
2008	Resident	not stated	120	87	72.50%
2008	Resident landowner	0	3	3	100.00%
2008	Resident landowner	not stated	9	9	100.00%
2007	Nonresident	0	5	3	60.00%
2007	Nonresident	3	1	1	100.00%
2007	Nonresident	not stated	4	4	100.00%
2007	Resident	0	48	32	66.67%
2007	Resident	1	20	20	100.00%
2007	Resident	2	7	7	100.00%
2007	Resident	3	1	1	100.00%
2007	Resident	4	2	2	100.00%
2007	Resident	not stated	136	92	67.65%
2007	Resident landowner	0	2	2	100.00%
2007	Resident landowner	not stated	6	6	100.00%
2006	Nonresident	0	3	3	100.00%
2006	Nonresident	not stated	2	1	50.00%
2006	Resident	0	61	34	55.74%
2006	Resident	1	22	19	86.36%
2006	Resident	2	8	8	100.00%
2006	Resident	3	3	3	100.00%
2006	Resident	not stated	148	92	62.16%
2006	Resident landowner	0	1	1	100.00%
2006	Resident landowner	not stated	9	9	100.00%

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.

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

2021 elk permit stats old format.xlsx.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2021-04-27, fetched 2026-09-03
2020 elk permit stats.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2020-04-14, fetched 2026-09-03
2019 elk permit stats updated.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2019-04-26, fetched 2026-09-03
2018 elk permit stats.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2018-04-24, fetched 2026-09-03
2017 elk permit stats.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2017-04-24, fetched 2026-09-03
2016 elk permit stats.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2016-04-19, fetched 2026-09-03
2015 elk permit stats.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2015-04-15, fetched 2026-09-03
2013 elk permit stats.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2013-04-24, fetched 2026-09-03
2012 elk permit stats.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2012-04-18, fetched 2026-09-03
2011 elk permit stats.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2011-07-19, fetched 2026-09-03
2010 elk permit stats.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2010-07-20, fetched 2026-09-03
2009 ELK PERMIT STATS.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2009-07-21, fetched 2026-09-03
2008 ELK_PERMIT_stats for update.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2008-07-22, fetched 2026-09-03
2007 ELK_PERMIT_stats.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2007-07-23, fetched 2026-09-03
2006 ELK_PERMIT_stats.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2006-07-25, fetched 2026-09-03
2021 DEA detailed bonus point statistics.xls — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2009-00, fetched 2026-09-03
2020 deer elk antelope detailed bonus point statistics.xls — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2009-00, fetched 2026-09-03
2019 DEA detailed bonus point statistics.xls — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2009-00, fetched 2026-09-03
2018 elk permit detailed bonus point statistics.xls — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2009-00, fetched 2026-09-03
2017 dea detailed bonus point statistics.xls — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2009-00, fetched 2026-09-03
2016 dea detailed bp stats.xls — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2016-03-01, fetched 2026-09-03
2015 dea detailed statistics final.xls — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2015-03-01, fetched 2026-09-03
2014 dea detailed statistics.xlsx — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2014-07-22, fetched 2026-09-03
2013 dea detailed bonus point stats.xlsx — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2013-08-12, fetched 2026-09-03
2012 dea detailed stats1.pdf — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2012-10-26, fetched 2026-09-03
2011 dea detailed statistics.xls — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2011-08-09, fetched 2026-09-03
2010 dea detailed statistics.xls — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2010-07-23, fetched 2026-09-03
2009 dea detailed statistics.xls — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2009-07-23, fetched 2026-09-03
2008 dea detailed statistics.xls — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2008-07-31, fetched 2026-09-03
2007 dea detailed statistics.xls — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2007-10-30, fetched 2026-09-03
2006 dea detailed statistics.xls — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, dated 2006-09-11, fetched 2026-09-03

Other licences in these districts

Elk B licence 520-00 Elk B licence 520-01 Elk B licence 520-80 Elk B licence 520-81 Elk permit 500-20 Elk permit 502-15 Elk permit 502-20 Elk permit 520-00 Elk permit 520-21 Elk permit 520-40 All Montana elk All Montana species

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.