Table 6. Distribution of nonresident deer hunters by license type.' 



IMPORTANCE OF PRIVATE LANDS: 



Access to private land is very important to hunters in Montana. The following illustrates the 

 importance of private land access and suggests the effectiveness of antlerless B licenses for 

 resolving private land game damage complaints. 



MULE DEER 



Sixty-four percent of the mule deer harvest in Montana comes from private land (Figure 9). 

 Regionally, this percentage ranges from a high of 83% in Region 5, to a low of 7% in 

 Region L 



Statewide, 62% and 67% of the respective resident and nonresident mule deer harvest with 

 the general A license occurs on private land (Figure 10). Over 80% of the general A License 

 mule deer harvest in regions 5 and 7 occurs on private land. Except for Regions 4 and 6, 

 nonresident A license holders kill more deer on private land than residents. 



Seventy and 73%, respectively, of the residents and nonresidents kill antlerless mule deer 

 using over-the-counter (multi-regional) antlerless mule deer B licenses on private land 

 (Figure 11). Thus, over-the-counter antlerless mule deer B licenses are utilized mostly on 

 private land. 



Location of harvest information from Regions 6 and 7 indicates over-the-counter (multi- 

 regional) antlerless mule deer B license holders do not utilize public land within the CMR 

 National Wildlife Refuge to a great extent. In Region 6, the CMR National Wildlife Refuge 

 is located within hunting districts (HDs) 621, 622, 623, 631, and 632. Landownership in 

 HDs 622, 623, 631, & 632 is comprised of 36% CMR, 44% Bureau of Land Management 



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