OAR 635-060-0023: Modified Preference Point System

(1) The Modified Preference Point System separates the tags for each controlled game mammal hunt into two groups: (a) Seventy-five percent of the tags will be issued through the preference point system; (b) The remaining 25 percent of the tags will be issued by the equal-probability computer drawing. (2) Applicants shall accrue no more than one preference point per hunt number series per year. Valid applicants who did not receive controlled hunt tags for their first choice hunt number in the 100, 200, 400, 600, or 700 series hunts during the controlled hunt drawing shall receive one preference point applicable to subsequent controlled hunt drawings for the respective hunt number series, except as excluded in OAR 635-060-0008(4). (3) A preference point will automatically accrue within each controlled hunt series when an applicant’s first choice is selecting the preference point saver option. (4) Youth nine years of age or older are eligible to apply for automatic Preference Points as described in (3) provided they have a social security number, an ODFW ID number issued by the Department, and purchase the appropriate (resident or nonresident) juvenile or adult hunting license. (5) The Modified Preference Point System will group controlled hunt applicants by the number of preference points they have accrued for each hunt number series. Applicants with the highest number of preference points for each hunt number will be drawn first. Applicants having the next highest number of preference points per hunt number will be drawn next. This tag issuance process will continue through descending numbers of preference points until 75 percent of the tags authorized for the hunt have been issued, unless all qualified applicants with preference points have been issued tags prior to that point. Any tags remaining following the issuance of preference point tags will be issued through the equal-probability computer drawing. Applicants unsuccessful in the preference point tag issuance procedure and those applicants without preference points will be placed in the equal-probability computer drawing for the remaining tags. (6) Applicants, except for those with a Pioneer Combination License or a Resident Disabled Veterans Combination License holder who are 65-years of age or older, successful in drawing their first choice hunt except selecting the preference point saver option within a hunt number series shall have zero preference points when they next apply for a tag in that hunt number series. Successful Applicants with a Pioneer Combination License or Resident Disabled Veterans Combination License holders who are 65-years of age or older, shall have one preference point when they next apply for a tag in that hunt number series. Qualifying for both licenses will result in only one-preference point when reset. (7) Beginning in 2008 applicants will not forfeit preference points accumulated for a hunt number series when they do not apply for that hunt number series for two consecutive years. (8) Applicants who have their hunting license suspended or revoked by legal action will forfeit all preference points. (9) Party applicant preference points shall be determined by totaling the preference points of all party members and then calculating the average of this total. Party preference points will be rounded up from x.51 (e.g. 3.51 to 4, 3.50 to 3) to the next whole number. (10) Department records are final to determine accrued preference points for controlled hunt applicants. (11) Each applicant’s preference point accrual record will be linked to their permanent identification number. Preference point applicants shall use the permanent identification number each time they apply for a controlled hunt tag. Failure to do so shall place the applicant in the equal-probability drawing for their hunt number series and preference points will not be accrued together. (12) Applicants will receive no preference points when: (a) Their application is not received by the appropriate application date; however, a hunter may purchase one preference point for the current year, for each series (100, 200, 400, 600, and 700) from July 1 through November 30 if they did not apply during the controlled hunt drawing for that series. (b) They request their controlled hunt application be withdrawn prior to the controlled hunt drawing; (c) The controlled hunt application has been falsified. (13) The Modified Preference Point System shall apply to 100, 200, 400, 600, and 700 series hunts. (14) In 2005, 800 series points were converted into 600 series points.