The bill amends Section 87-2-516 of the Montana Code Annotated to revise the acreage requirements for landowner preference hunting licenses, specifically for Class A-9 and Class B-12 antlerless elk B tag licenses. The current requirement of owning or having contracted to purchase 640 acres or more of contiguous land is reduced to 160 acres. Additionally, the bill maintains the provision that landowners must have land used by elk or own 160 acres or more of contiguous production agricultural land that has documented elk game damage within the last two years.

Furthermore, the bill allows eligible landowners to designate an immediate family member or an employee to apply for the hunting license on their behalf. It also stipulates that 15% of the Class A-9 and Class B-12 licenses available each year in a hunting district must be reserved for landowners meeting the new acreage criteria. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage and approval.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 87-2-516