House Bill No. introduced by M. Marler mandates that individuals holding hunting licenses for deer or elk must report their hunting activities to the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks for each animal hunted during the license year. The bill establishes a deadline of February 15 for reporting, after which hunters who comply can receive a bonus point for future hunting opportunities. Conversely, those who fail to report by the end of the license year will incur an administrative fee ranging from $5 to $50, which must be paid before purchasing a base hunting license for the following year. The bill also clarifies that the validation of an electronic tag does not fulfill the reporting requirements and requires the department to create a system for collecting and retaining these reports.

Additionally, the bill grants the department rulemaking authority to implement these provisions and defines "hunting activity" to include details such as harvest success and hunting locations. The act is set to take effect on March 1, 2026, and is intended to be codified as part of Title 87, chapter 2, part 1 of the Montana Code.