Image: mt_elk_

A bill that increases Montana’s nonresident hunting license fees would bring in an additional $7.3 million in revenue. (Photo by John Hafner)

The Montana Legislature has approved a bill increasing the base license fee for nonresidents to $100, which is a 566% increase. Out-of-state hunters currently pay just $15 as a base license fee. Tags can range from $5.50 for a college student migratory bird license to $1,250 for a moose or bighorn sheep.

Montanarightnow.com reports that more than 85,000 out-of-state hunters travel to the state each year for the chance to hunt elk, antelope, bears or birds.

According to the bill’s fiscal note, the fee increase is expected to bring in an additional $7.3 million in revenue of which $6.8 million will be allocated to the state’s block management program.

“The idea of identifying these dollars to go to block management is a concerted effort to try to open up more lands for the public in Montana,” sponsor and Rep. Gary Parry, R-Colstrip, told the House Fish Wildlife and Parks Committee earlier this session.

Developed 40 years ago, the state’s block management program increases access to private land and isolated parcels of public land through voluntary contracts with private landowners. It encourages landowners to allow hunters on their property through financial incentives.

Between 2001 and 2011, landowners earned up to $12,000 from enrollment fees and compensation by enrolling more than 8 million acres in the program. Over the years, the number of acres enrolled has steadily declined, even though the state has bolstered the program by increasing the compensation cap for landowners to $25,000 in 2021 and $50,000 in 2023.

In 2024, 1,314 landowners enrolled fewer than 7 million acres costing Montana FWP more than $12 million.

According to Quentin Kujala, FWP chief of conservation policy, increasing nonresident payments could allow the department to offer more incentives for landowners to participate in the program.

At a House committee hearing, Kujala told lawmakers that the staff who work on block management say the biggest reason for access loss in the program is land sales, and that money plays a big role.

Lobbyist Scott Boulanger with the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association, which opposes the bill, said the increase was “drastic.” Representatives of the outfitters association told lawmakers that they would support a more modest increase to $50.

But Frank Szollosi, with the Montana Wildlife Federation, told Senate lawmakers that surrounding states already charge much higher rates for nonresident hunters.

Idaho’s nonresident hunting licenses cost $185; in Utah they cost $144, and in Oregon, $160.

“We’ve got better hunting than they do,” Szollosi said.

Similar to Montana, Wyoming charges nonresident hunters a base application fee of $15, and a bill introduced to the legislature earlier this year seeking to increase that to $75 did not advance.

Parry claims that the $100 fee is “lint in the pocket” for many out-of-state hunters who often are hiring outfitters and guides to pursue the state’s big game.

“These folks do come here to hunt in our places. If it’s too much, they can stay in their own states. We need to look out for the people of Montana, and this bill pushes that forward.”

The bill is headed to Gov. Greg Gianforte’s desk.