87-2-805. Persons under 18 years of age -- youth combination sports license -- youth with life-threatening illness under 18 years of age. (1) (a) Resident minors who are:
     (i) 12 years of age or older and under 15 years of age may fish and may hunt upland game and migratory game birds during the open season with only a conservation license;
     (ii) 15 years of age may hunt migratory game birds with only a conservation license; and
     (iii) under 12 years of age may fish without a license.
     (b) A nonresident minor:
     (i) under 15 years of age may not fish in or on any Montana waters without first having obtained a Class B, B-4, or B-5 fishing license unless the nonresident minor is in the company of an adult in possession of a valid Montana fishing license. The limit of fish for the nonresident minor and the accompanying adult combined may not exceed the limit for one adult as established by law or by rule of the department.
     (ii) who is 12 years of age or older and under 16 years of age may hunt upland game and migratory game birds during the open season with the purchase of a Class B-1 nonresident upland game bird license for a cost of $35. Of that fee, $17 must be deposited pursuant to 87-1-270 and $7 must be deposited pursuant to 87-1-246.
     (2) A resident, as defined by 87-2-102, who is 12 years of age or older and under 15 years of age may purchase a Class A-3 deer A tag for $6.50 and a Class A-5 elk tag for $8.
     (3) (a) A resident who is 12 years of age or older and under 18 years of age may purchase a youth combination sports license for $25. A resident who is 12 years of age or older and under 18 years of age and who applies for any hunting license for the first time is entitled to receive a youth combination sports license free of charge.
     (b) The youth combination sports license includes:
     (i) a conservation license;
     (ii) a fishing license;
     (iii) an upland game bird license;
     (iv) an elk license; and
     (v) a deer license.
     (c) A resident who is 15 years of age or older and under 18 years of age may purchase a Class A fishing license for $8.
     (d) A resident who is 15 years of age or older and under 18 years of age may purchase a Class A-1 upland game bird license for $3.
     (e) A person who lawfully purchases or is granted a free youth combination sports license at 17 years of age, but who reaches 18 years of age during that license year, may legally use the license during that license year. A person who hunts or fishes using a youth combination sports license purchased or granted free after the person reaches 18 years of age is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to any of the following penalties by the sentencing court:
     (i) revocation of the person's hunting and fishing privileges for at least 5 years, revocation of the person's hunting and fishing privileges for more than 5 years, or revocation of the person's hunting and fishing privileges for life; and
     (ii) a monetary fine of not less than $500 and not more than $5,000 in addition to the fine imposed on a person under this chapter for the specific hunting or fishing violation.
     (f) This section does not prohibit a resident minor from purchasing any individual licenses for which the minor may be eligible under this chapter if the minor does not purchase the youth combination sports license.
     (4) (a) The department may issue a free resident or nonresident big game combination license, as applicable, or a free resident or nonresident antelope license and wildlife conservation license, as applicable, to a resident or nonresident youth under 18 years of age who has been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. In order for a youth to qualify for the free license, the department must receive documentation that the youth has been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness from a licensed physician. The free license may be issued to a youth on a one-time basis for only one hunting season. As used in this subsection, "life-threatening illness" means any progressive, degenerative, or malignant disease or condition that results in a significant threat, likelihood, or certainty that the child's life expectancy will not extend past the child's 19th birthday unless the course of the disease is interrupted or abated.
     (b) In exercising hunting privileges, the youth must be in the company of an adult in possession of a valid Montana hunting license or of a licensed Montana outfitter and conduct all hunting within the terms and conditions of the license issued.
     (c) The department may waive hunter safety and education and bowhunter education requirements in 87-2-105 for a qualified youth under this subsection (4) and, in appropriate circumstances, may also allow the qualified youth to hunt from a vehicle in the manner described in 87-2-803.
     (d) The department may limit the number of licenses issued pursuant to this subsection (4) to a total of 25 annually.
     (5) Prior to reaching 12 years of age, minors who will reach 12 years of age by January 16 of a license year may hunt any game species after August 15 of that license year as long as the minor obtains the necessary license pursuant to this chapter.

     History: (1)En. Sec. 11, Ch. 238, L. 1921; re-en. Sec. 3691, R.C.M. 1921; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 59, L. 1927; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 161, L. 1931; re-en. Sec. 3691, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 148, L. 1963; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 48, L. 1965; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 26, L. 1967; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 309, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 369, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 9, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 417, L. 1977; Sec. 26-215, R.C.M. 1947; (2)En. Sec. 1, Ch. 267, L. 1955; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 16, L. 1957; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 100, L. 1957; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 36, L. 1959; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 36, L. 1963; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 55, L. 1963; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 148, L. 1963; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 9, L. 1965; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 241, L. 1965; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 319, L. 1967; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 84, L. 1969; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 129, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 110, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 139, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 167, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 261, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 408, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 49, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 91, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 289, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 417, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 546, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 169, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 235, L. 1977; amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 417, L. 1977; Sec. 26-202.1, R.C.M. 1947; R.C.M. 1947, 26-202.1(16)(e), 26-215(3); amd. Sec. 18, Ch. 478, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 169, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 239, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 304, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 568, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 49, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 50, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 228, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 80, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 19, Ch. 585, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 452, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 131, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 189, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 304, L. 2009.