How to purchase Oregon hunting preference points — a step-by-step guide

A complete overview to make the process of buying Oregon preference points a breeze for your future hunts

Brady Miller
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How to purchase Oregon preference points for hunts a step-by-step guide

An important step-by-step guide for how to purchase preference points for Oregon for future year hunts

In Oregon, you can purchase preference points from December 1 to May 15 in the big game main draw or from July 1 through November 30 during the points-only period. Note: you can only build one preference point per year. Purchasing these points will help you in the following years' draw.

Note: Hunters who didn’t put in for a controlled hunt this year or have not already purchased a point saver point for that species are eligible to buy a point during the point-only purchase period.

To purchase points in Oregon, you must have a valid hunting license, and if you don't, you will be required to purchase one when buying your points. Oregon points are labeled as Point Saver.

Also, it's important to mention that there are no points for sheep or mountain goat in Oregon.

Oregon Preference Point Codes

  • 199: Buck deer point saver

  • 299: Elk point saver

  • 499: Antelope point saver

  • 699: Antlerless deer point saver

  • 799: Bear point saver


Oregon's Point Only Fees

Below are the fees for purchasing preference points.

Oregon's Resident & Nonresident Preference Point And Hunting License Fees

Species

Hunting License

Code

NA

Resident

$34.50

Nonresident

$172.00

Species

Controlled Buck Deer

Code

100 Series

Resident

$8

Nonresident

$8

Species

Controlled Elk

Code

200 Series

Resident

$8

Nonresident

$8

Species

Controlled Antelope

Code

400 Series

Resident

$8

Nonresident

$8

Species

Controlled Antlerless Deer

Code

600 Series

Resident

$8

Nonresident

$8

Species

Controlled Spring Bear

Code

700 Series

Resident

$8

Nonresident

$8

Species

Code

Resident

Nonresident

Hunting License

NA

$34.50

$172.00

Controlled Buck Deer

100 Series

$8

$8

Controlled Elk

200 Series

$8

$8

Controlled Antelope

400 Series

$8

$8

Controlled Antlerless Deer

600 Series

$8

$8

Controlled Spring Bear

700 Series

$8

$8

Research Tools

Throughout GOHUNT Insider, we have research tools that will enable you to find the perfect hunt quickly and easily. Whether you’re looking for your first Western hunt or want to see the best way to use your points, Insider is your ticket to unlocking the West.

Each research tool on GOHUNT will allow you to find a hunting opportunity. Combining Draw Odds with Filtering, plus our Application Strategy articles and GOHUNT Maps, those tools are everything you need to gain an edge and become more successful.

Oregon Application Strategy Articles:

Application strategy articles are your go-to source of information before you apply. Every year we publish new application strategy articles for every state and species. These articles are packed with in-depth information with lots of data presented to showcase what's new in the state as well as how you can possibly best use your points to pick up a tag.

Not a Member of GOHUNT?

Discover new hunting opportunities this year and beyond

GOHUNT’s research and mapping tools are here to get you in the field more often and more successfully

A GOHUNT membership makes it easy to find hunting opportunities by state, species, probability of draw odds success, and much more! Whether you have 0 points, max points, or any number of points, GOHUNT gives you the information you need to plan a successful hunt. In addition to our research tools, all Insiders have access to our GOHUNT mobile app where you can plan a hunt on GOHUNT Maps, as well as research tools on the app to help you find hunting opportunities. GOHUNT Maps is also available on the web. GOHUNT Insider is the only complete and total package set of tools to help you find the hunt you want this upcoming year or to help plan for hunts in the future.

If you're unfamiliar with GOHUNT, you can learn more below.


How to Purchase Preference Points in Oregon

The steps for purchasing points in Oregon are fairly simple. You can easily follow along on how to purchase preference points by checking out the text and screenshots of the process below.

Step one - head to the ODFW's website

Navigate to the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife's website. Then click on "Buy license/Report Hunt" button.

Navigate to the buy license section of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's licensing website

Step two - log in or create an account

Now it will take you to the ODFW Licensing System page. You will need to log in to your account. If you haven't applied to Oregon before, you will need to create an account. If you can't remember your account information, then click on "Verify/Look Up Account."

Account login for ODFW licensing system

Next, enter your login Username and Password and click "Login."

Enter in username and password for ODFW licensing website

Step three - purchase an Oregon hunting license

Once you've logged in, you will get to your account page, where you will need to click on "Purchase from the Catalog."

ODFW account licensing homepage

Now, you must add an "Annual Hunting License" which is $172.00 for a nonresident to your cart. So click "Add."

Adding an Oregon annual hunting license to your cart

Note: If you try to skip ahead without buying an Annual Hunting License, you will get the following screen shown to you. An Annual Hunting License is required to purchase Oregon points.

Oregon reminding you about needing to purchase a hunting license

Step four - verify that the hunting license is added to your cart

Now, your page will look like the image below.

Oregon licensing page showing annual hunting license added to cart

Step five - select what Point Saver points you want to purchase

Once you have your Annual Hunting License added to your cart, you will now select The "Category" dropdown in the upper left corner of the screen and select "Controlled Hunts"

How to find the Oregon controlled hunts to purchase preference points

Now, you can select all the species of controlled hunt species you want to purchase Point Saver for. Once you click "Add" they will be added to your cart.

Adding Oregon point saver for controlled hunts

Step six - proceed to checkout

Once you've selected the species for which you want to purchase points, click "Proceed to Checkout."

Proceed to checkout after adding Oregon controlled hunts you want to purchase preference points for

Step seven - initial review of information

You can now review your selection and add a donation to the Oregon Conservation & Recreation Fund or Predatory Animal Control Fund if you wish. Click the checkbox acknowledgment section, then click "Pay Now."

Initial review of Oregon controlled hunt preference point purchase

Step eight - reviewing your information

Once again, you will be able to review your information.

Checkout page to purchase Oregon controlled hunt preference points

If everything is good, scroll down, enter in, or double-check that your customer information is correct, then click "Next."

Step nine - enter your credit card information

Now, you'll be able to enter your credit card information. Then click "Next."

Enter credit card information to buy Oregon points

Step ten - submit your purchase

Finally, click the box that shows you're not a robot, and then click on "Submit Payment" and you have successfully purchased Oregon preference points that will help you out when applying for future controlled hunts!

Submit payment to purchase your Oregon preference points for future hunts

After submitting your payment, you'll get to the confirmation page.

Oregon controlled hunt preference point purchase confirmation


Update your information on GOHUNT's Point Tracker

One last step I like to take is to jump into GOHUNT’s Point Tracker Tool and update my preference point totals for Oregon. This way, I know everything is in sync between the state's website and my Insider account. Point Tracker will then seamlessly transfer your point totals into Filtering and Draw Odds when researching hunts on both the web and our mobile app.

This article was originally published on November 23, 2019, and has been updated to show the most current screenshot examples.


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7 Comments

Want to join the conversation?Sign uporlog into post and reply.

Greg Meisner

Greg Meisner

insider

12/1/2023, 1:11:41 PM

If you had 1 preference point each in 2022 for deer bear and elk in Oregon, and say it’s Dec 1 2023 and realize you forgot to buy preference points in year 2, so you lose all of those points and it essentially starts from zero? Or can those points be transferred to 2024 if you decide to apply or buy points then? Asking for a friend.

Bob Looney

Bob Looney

member

12/24/2020, 1:14:57 AM

Points purchased in the "point only" period of July 1 to Nov 30 will be used for the following year. Points purchased during the "application period" of Dec 1 to May 15 be a "point saver" and will be your application for that species, for that application year. You can't buy a point in the Dec 1 - May 15 period and also apply for a controlled hunt of the same series.

Brady Miller

Brady Miller

team

12/27/2020, 9:57:59 PM

Which is why I try to burn my points as often as I can :)

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