The first of these, Fort Belknap, has the most extensive program, offering substantial numbers of deer and antelope permits. This 700,000-acre reservation is located in Montana's high plains about 50 miles east of the town of Havre. Its rolling grasslands are interspersed with sagebrush flats, streamside vegetation and areas devoted to farming. The habitat is ideal for pronghorn antelope and in recent years 100 permits have been authorized. As of early September, when this was written, about 20 permits were still available. The price is $600 for buck tags and $75 for does. The season is long, opening September 1 and closing the end of this month. Hunter success on pronghorn is virtually 100 percent. A fair percentage of the bucks are trophy class (14-plus inches) and seven animals have made the minimum B & C score of 82 for pronghorn antelope over the past three seasons.
In addition to antelope, Fort Belknap annually offers up to seven tags for buck whitetail or mule deer. The season is October 1 to December 16, which puts it well into the rut. The application process is the same as for antelope - first-come, first-serve by telephone beginning the first working day of January. Hunters who get a deer permit must pay for it in full by February 1, or it is made available to the next person on the waiting list. Not surprisingly, at this late date, all of the buck deer tags are long since gone.........(continued)
