(1) There is a bonus point program.

(2) An applicant for a permit/license drawing who is unsuccessful shall be awarded a bonus point for that species for each year the applicant is unsuccessful, if the applicant has elected to participate in the bonus point program. Bonus points are awarded only when a participant in the bonus point program is unsuccessful in a drawing. A person may not "purchase" or be awarded a bonus point without applying for a license.

(3) The bonus point is awarded to the species, not the district, except in the case of a nonresident combination license classes B-10 and B-11, the bonus point applies to the license and not the species.

(4) An applicant's bonus points accumulate until the applicant is successful in drawing a permit/license for a species in their first choice district or until the applicant fails to apply for a permit/license for more than two consecutive years for a particular species. However, if the applicant is a Montana resident in full time active military status, as verified by military orders, said time period can be for as many additional years as the applicant is on active duty.

(5) If an applicant is successful in drawing a permit/license for a species in the first-choice district, the applicant loses all accumulated bonus points for that species only.

(6) If the following special circumstances occur, an applicant who is successful in drawing a permit/license in the first-choice district may retain accumulated bonus points if:

(a) the applicant is:

(i) a member of the armed forces and is either deployed to a combat zone, deployed in support of a peace-keeping mission, or deployed in response to a state or national emergency; or

(ii) affected by a catastrophic or major natural disaster or man-made event that requires the applicant's assistance as a member of a local, state, or federal management agency;

(b) the applicant did not use and was unable to use the permit/license during any part of the hunting season in the license year for which the permit/license was issued and can provide appropriate documentation; and

(c) the applicant returns the unused permit/license as soon as possible or at least by December 31 and certifies that it was not used;

(i) the director or designee may authorize exceptions for extenuating circumstances that prevent the applicant from meeting the December 31 deadline for the return of permit/licenses.

(7) Rejection of an application pursuant to ARM 12.3.140 is equivalent to failure to apply.

(8) Applicants who lose hunting and fishing privileges through court action will lose accumulated bonus points for all species.