Preference points

Resident

Nonresident 

Some suggestions when applying for licenses with the preference point option:

• To maintain your preference points, do not apply for an easy-to-draw area as your first choice. If you do and are successful, then all of your accumulated points will be deleted and the odds of drawing a license in a hard-to-draw area will be diminished for several years until you build up preference points again.
• If you want to hunt more often without using your preference points, continue to apply for your preferred (hard-to-draw) hunt area as a first choice and apply for easy-to-draw hunt areas as your second choice.
• When applying for a nonresident elk license, any full-price license will use your points. This includes the type 4 and type 5 (full-price antlerless elk) licenses. If you wish to apply for a cow/calf or antlerless elk license and do not want to use your points, apply for the reduced-price cow/calf draw.
• By reviewing the random drawing odds from previous years, you can find hunt areas with good odds of drawing a license as a second and possibly a third choice. On the other hand, it is nearly certain you will draw a license in a hunt area with 100%odds listed for the second choice drawing.
• Drawing odds can and do change yearly as applicants shift their preferences for specific hunt areas. The prior year's drawing odds are a useful indicator of relative odds but provide no guarantees.

Preference points work differently for each species. 

Find preference point information for Full Price Elk, Deer, and Antelope Preference Points (Nonresidents Only) and Moose and Full Price Bighorn Sheep Preference Points (Residents and Nonresidents).

Full Price Elk, Deer and Antelope Preference Points (Nonresidents Only)

For nonresident full-price elk, deer and antelope, preference points can be accumulated by applying for a preference point during the preference point-only application period. The preference point fees that must be remitted are $52 for elk, $41 for deer and $31 for antelope ($10 for youth for each species).

For nonresident full-price elk, full-price deer and full-price antelope, an individual’s accumulated preference points are only considered in the initial drawing for the applicant’s first choice in the preference point drawing.

For nonresident full price elk, full price deer and full price antelope, an applicant will lose all accumulated preference points if they draw their first choice license in the initial limited quota drawing or if they fail to purchase a preference point during the application period for two (2) consecutive years.

For party applications, all of the applicants’ preference point totals will be averaged to determine the preference point ranking used in the initial preference point drawing.

No preference points exist for reduced-price cow/calf or reduced-price doe/fawn licenses. Applicants for reduced-price licenses retain their preference points if successful in the reduced-price license drawing, and they accumulate preference points if they are unsuccessful in drawing these license types.

Moose and Full Price Bighorn Sheep Preference Points (Residents and Nonresidents)

For moose and full price bighorn sheep, preference points can be accumulated either by submitting an application for the limited quota drawings or by purchasing a preference point during the preference point only application period using the online system.

All resident applicants who are unsuccessful drawing a moose or full price bighorn sheep license will automatically be awarded a preference point each year they participate in the limited quota drawing.

If opted in on the application, nonresidents will have the applicable moose ($150) and/or full price bighorn sheep ($150) preference point fees deducted from their license refund. Residents will receive a full refund of their license fee.

If residents don’t participate and nonresidents don't opt in for a preference point in the limited quota drawing for moose or full price bighorn sheep, they may purchase a preference point during the preference point only application period using the online system. The resident fee to purchase a moose or full price bighorn sheep preference point is $7. The nonresident fee to purchase a moose preference point is $150 and the nonresident fee to purchase a full price bighorn sheep preference point is $150.

For moose and full price bighorn sheep, an applicant will lose all accumulated preference points if they draw a license or if they fail to be awarded a preference point within two (2) consecutive years by either participating in the limited quota drawing or purchasing a preference point during the appropriate application period.

A successful applicant for moose or full price bighorn sheep must wait five (5) years before they will become eligible to participate in either the limited quota drawing or purchase preference points.

Here are some important things to know about preference points:

•  Preference points are assigned to the person's sportsperson identification number and are tied to a species, but not to a specific hunt area. You can apply for different hunt areas from one year to the next.
• Preference points shall not be restored when an applicant causes more than one customer record to be generated due to using a different last name, first name, date of birth or last four of their social security number. Such circumstances cause preference points to be accumulated under different sportsperson identification numbers and ultimately deleted for failure to apply under the same sportsperson identification number. Exceptions may be made for a name change because of marriage or divorce.
• No person may apply for or be awarded more than one (1) preference point per species in the same calendar year.
• Preference points are only awarded in the initial draw for unsuccessful resident bighorn sheep and moose applicants and nonresident bighorn sheep and moose applicants electing to be awarded a preference point when applying.  Nonresidents no longer have the option to purchase an elk, deer or antelope preference point in the initial draw (effective in 2019).  If you were awarded a bighorn sheep or moose preference point in the initial drawing, you are not eligible to purchase a preference point during the preference point-only application period.
• You can apply for one preference point for each species you are eligible for each year. The application period is July 1-Oct. 31. You apply online. There is no application fee to purchase a preference point only, but you will pay the credit card fee.
• If a person fails to submit an application in the initial drawing for bighorn sheep or moose with the preference point option or purchase a preference point during the preference point-only application period for two (2) consecutive years, all accumulated points for that species will be lost.  
• If a person fails to purchase a preference point during the preference point-only application period for elk, deer, or antelope for two (2) consecutive years, all accumulated points for that species will be lost.