Montana’s mule deer populations are thriving – so much so that a special archery-only hunt has been scheduled Nov. 10, 2017 through Feb. 15, 2018 in areas surrounding Roundup, Montana. There will be a total of 120 either-sex mule deer hunting licenses available, which will be distributed on a first come, first served basis on Oct. 17, 2017. Hunters are limited to two licenses; $10 each for residents and $75 for nonresidents.

According to KULR8.com, the tags for this special hunt are only for “specific properties in and around Roundup.” These include land owned by the City of Roundup, Musselshell County, Irene Snortland and Green Oil Field Service. Lucky hunters who snag tags for the hung must already have a current Montana conservation license, base hunting license and bow-and-arrow license. Also, it’s important to note that tag holders still need to gain permission to hunt these designated areas from the Roundup city offices, which are located at 34 Third Avenue W. Because the hunt locations are close to residential and commercial properties, hunters are only allowed to use archery equipment.

This isn’t the first time Roundup has held a hunt like this. For the past three years, the city has taken measures to keep mule deer under control. Yet, not every year is a success. According to KULR8.com, only nine deer were harvested last year (out of 160 available tags). The prior two seasons were more successful: 34 mule deer in 2015-2016 (out of 160 tags) and 11 mule deer in 2014-2015 (out of 80 offered tags).