Coming in at a weighty 143 pages, Montana’s 2022 book of deer, elk and antelope hunting regulations is an impressive tome listing license costs, permit drawing stats, season start dates, tag requirements and the ominous penalties for breaking any of its stated rules.

It’s a valuable resource in the management of the state’s beloved big game animals and a must read for hunters heading out into the field, but it also can be an intimidating opus for even the most experienced hunter, never mind newbies to the sport.

This summer, wildlife researchers at the University of Montana’s W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation spent hours reviewing hunting regulations for all 50 states with a goal of recommending how to simplify and streamline rules often laden with jargon and geography.