Two changes will be in place for Montana hunters and anglers for the 2020 season. Starting March 1, you will be able to apply online for licenses or permits and print them out at home.

According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (Montana FWP), changes to the license paper system will reduce the expense of printing tags on weather-resistant paper, which “requires printing technology so outdated that it’s almost impossible to replace.” Instead, licenses and tags will be formatted to fit a standard 8.5 x 11 piece of paper, allowing hunters to print tags at home rather than coming into a Montana FWP office.

The change also allows hunters to “carry” licenses electronically on mobile devices when in the field. However, should you succeed in your harvest, you will need to print a carcass tag. Montana FWP suggests that hunters carry the tag in small plastic bags while hunting so that it can easily be affixed to the animal after harvest.

Montana FWP said that the number of online applicants is on the rise and 86% of hunters use this method to apply. In 2020, mail-in applications will no longer be accepted and anyone interested in applying in Montana can do so online or at a Montana FWP office. Without the need to process paper applications, this new method will speed up the draw results. According to the agency, the draw results will be available two weeks after the application deadline compared to the six-week wait period previous years.