Montana's hunting regulations mistakenly show that 375 either-sex elk hunting tags were available through the state's annual hunting-license drawings for the southern half of hunting district 314, which borders the national park northwest of Gardiner. As in past years, however, those tags were intended to be for antlerless elk. Hunters awarded the either-sex tags will be allowed to hunt for bull or cow elk through December 14. The regular hunting season closes November 30.
In deciding to allow the mistake to stand, the commission noted that the number of applicants for the either-sex elk tags were only slightly more than the number of hunters who applied for the area's anlterless-elk tags in previous years.
FWP wildlife managers told the commission that not all of the hunters will find a bull and that at this late date it would be unfair to correct the mistake. The commission accepted FWP's recommendation, but reserved the right to close the season on 48 hours notice if too many elk are being killed.
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