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 » ODFW Home   » Hunting Resources    » Big Game   » Controlled Hunts   »Preference Points
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Controlled Hunt Preference Points

  • Hunters who apply and do not receive their first choice for pronghorn, deer, elk, and spring black bear controlled hunts receive a preference point for future controlled drawings for those species.

  • Hunters DO NOT have to apply for the same hunt number every year as preference points stay with a series.

  • Preference points will be kept on file under a person’s Hunter/Angler ID number.

  • Failure to consistently use the same ID number can stop you from being successful in the drawing!

  • Party applicant points shall be determined by totaling preference points of all party members and then calculating the average of this total. Average party preference points will be rounded up from .51 and rounded down from .50 to the next whole number (example: 3.51 to 4; 3.50 to 3).

  • Drawing a first choice hunt within a hunt series takes the successful hunter's point total back to zero whether or not they purchase the tag, except for those hunters with a Pioneer Angling/Hunting License (Pioneer licensees are reset to one preference point). Hunters who successfully draw second or lower hunt choices still receive a preference point for future drawings except in the case of a first hunt choice that is cancelled. See page 15. Their existing preference point total will also carry over. Hunters who indicate a Point Saver number, one ending in 99, will receive a preference point that will add to any existing points for that hunt series.

  • Hunters will not forfeit their preference points if they do no apply for a hunt series for two or more consecutive years. Preference points remain in the system until they are redeemed.

  • Applicants who have their license suspended by legal action will forfeit all preference points.

  • Youth participating in the Mentored Youth Hunting Program will received one mentored youth preference point for each year they register for the program. See pages 84-85 or website under Mentored Youth Hunter Program.

  • Attention Hunters with 800 series preference points: 800 series hunts were eliminated in 2005. Hunters who had 800 series preference points will have their points automatically moved over to the 600 series.

Point Saver Hunt Numbers

Point Saver hunt numbers give hunters a preference point and maintain existing preference points. If you do not plan to hunt in a controlled hunt series, you can apply for a Point Saver hunt number to gain a preference point.You can still hunt during general seasons and/or purchase leftover tags if available. You can also apply for an emergency hunt in addition to general, controlled hunt, and/or leftover tags.

  • You must have an adult hunting license.

  • Points can be purchased Dec. 1-May 15 and from July 1-Nov. 30 online, by mail/fax or at a license sales agent.

  • Select the Point Saver number for the appropriate hunt series (1 hunt series per application). 199 for BUCK DEER 299 for ELK 499 for pronghorn 699 for DEER 799 for SPRING BEAR

  • You CANNOT apply for other hunt choices within the same series if using the Point Saver number.

  • Youth applying for a Point Saver CANNOT apply for a First Time Youth tag in the same series later in the same year.

  • Youth nine years of age or older are eligible to apply for points savers provided they have a social security number, a hunter/angler ID number and purchase a hunting license.

How The Drawing Works

  • The computer assigns each application a 10-digit random number. Members of the public pick a 10-digit number at random for each hunt series. Those random starting numbers are used by the computer to select successful applicants.

  • Hunting parties are maintained by the computer and only the party leader’s 10-digit number is used in the drawing.

  • The controlled hunt drawing allocates 75% of first choice available tags for a hunt to applicants with existing preference points. The remaining 25% will be drawn randomly from a pool of all applicants. This step ensures that all applicants have some chance of drawing a tag each year they apply.

  • All applicants are grouped by preference points and then arranged by 10-digit random number within preference point group.

  • Tags are awarded in each preference point group beginning with the applicant whose 10-digit number matches (or is closest to and above) the start number.

  • The selection continues with the applicant having the next higher number and continues until 75% of available tags are awarded or until all first-choice applicants have received tags. Any remaining tags from the 75% will be added to the 25%.

  • Then all remaining applicants are rearranged solely by 10-digit random number to award the remaining tags (25% of total available).

  • All applicants in a hunt series are grouped by first hunt choice. Tags are assigned to first choice applicants as above until all tags are assigned or all first choices are filled. Tags are only assigned to second choice applicants after all first choices have been filled.

  • Selection is still based on the draw numbers described above.

  • This sequence is followed for 3rd, 4th, and 5th choices.

  • Preference points do not apply to 2nd or lower choices so only applicants that draw their first choice have their preference points reset to zero (or one for Pioneer license holders).

Leftover Controlled Tags

Leftover tags for hunts with fewer applicants than there are tags will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 10 a.m. (Pacific time) on March 15 for black bear and July 1 for all other big game series (see page 19 of the current Oregon Big Game Regulations for LOP leftover tag information) until all tags are sold as follows:

  • Hunts having leftover tags may include Controlled Deer, Deer Youth, and Deer LOP hunts (100 series),Controlled Elk, Elk Youth and Elk LOP hunts (200 series), Controlled pronghorn, pronghorn Youth and pronghorn LOP hunts (400 series), Controlled Antlerless Deer, Deer Youth, and Deer LOP hunts (600 series), Controlled Spring Bear (700 series). Controlled Bighorn Sheep (500 series) and Controlled Rocky Mt Goat (900 series) will NOT be included.

  • Only hunts with more tags than applicants (including 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th hunt choices) in the Controlled Hunt Drawing will qualify. No additional tags will be added to any hunt following the controlled hunt drawing. Tags awarded through the controlled hunt drawing, but not claimed or purchased will not be included or available for sale.

  • Tags from “unlimited” tag hunts and some hunts where access is limited may be excluded from the first-come, first-serve process.

  • A list of hunts and available leftover tags for sale on a first-come, first-served basis will be made available at license agents and ODFW offices by Mar. 15 for bear and July 1 for all other big game species.

  • Leftover tags except LOP tags may only be purchased in person at license agents or ODFW offices. Mail orders and faxes will not be accepted for leftover tags.

  • Leftover LOP tags may only be purchased through Controlled Hunts.

  • Only 1 leftover tag may be purchased per person per hunt series.

  • Leftover tags are in addition to General Season, Controlled Hunt, or LOP tags you may purchase in a series.

  • Leftover tags MUST be purchased by the day before the earliest opening date.

  • Leftover tags purchased by youth do not impact their eligibility for “First Time” tags in that series.

  • Leftover tags will be sold at the regular price for the current hunting season. However, leftover tags may be sold at a price up to four times the regular amount in the future.

  • No Preference Points will be given or taken away when purchasing leftover tags.
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