1. (1) Bonus points are non-refundable and non-transferable between applicants or species.
2. (2) If an applicant for a permit or license drawing who has elected to participate in the bonus points program by paying the fee established in 87-2-113, MCA, is unsuccessful in drawing their first choice opportunity, they shall retain the bonus point they purchased.
3. (3) The department may only apply accumulated bonus points to an applicant’s chance to obtain a license or permit during a drawing if the applicant purchases a bonus point when applying for the license or permit.
4. (4) An applicant for a drawing with an unlimited quota will not be offered an opportunity to participate in the bonus points program for that license type in the same license year.
5. (5) An applicant’s bonus points accumulate until the applicant is successful in drawing a permit or license for a species in their first-choice district, including landowner preference applications.
6. (6) If an applicant is successful in drawing a permit or license for a species, the applicant’s bonus points are reduced to zero for that species only.

7. (7) If the following special circumstances occur, an applicant who is successful in drawing a permit or license may retain their accumulated bonus points if the applicant:

   1. (a) is a member of the armed forces and is either deployed outside the continental United States in support of a contingency operation as provided in 10 U.S.C. 101(a)(13) or deployed in response to a state or national emergency; or
   2. (b) is affected by a catastrophic or major natural disaster or man-made event that requires the applicant’s assistance as a member of a local, state, or federal management society.
8. (8) A qualifying applicant under (7) must return the unused permit or license prior to the first day of the season applicable to the permit or license.
9. (9) The director or designee may authorize exceptions for extenuating circumstances.
10. (10) Applicants who lose hunting and fishing privileges through court action will lose accumulated bonus points for all species.

Authorizing statute(s): 87-1-201, MCA

Implementing statute(s): 87-2-113, 87-2-117, MCA

History: NEW, 2000 MAR p. 2519, Eff. 9/22/00; AMD, 2001 MAR p. 2287, Eff. 11/22/01; AMD, 2002 MAR p. 2654, Eff. 9/27/02; AMD, 2022 MAR p. 280, Eff. 2/26/22; TRANS, from ARM 12.3.135, 2022 MAR p. 325, Eff. 3/12/22; AMD, 2025 MAR, Notice No. 2025-297, Eff. 12/6/25.