Chance to win Sports Pac: Apply early for controlled hunt
By Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildife
SALEM, Ore.—Apply for a controlled hunt by Jan. 31 and you will be entered into a drawing to win one of 50 2012 Sports Pacs (a $164.75 value). For the second year, ODFW is awarding a total of 100 Sports Pacs to Oregon resident hunters among those that apply for and are issued a fall big game controlled hunt application before April 15. (Non-residents that apply early and are selected in the drawing will win a hunting license, a $140.50 value.)
The purpose of the drawings is to encourage hunters to apply for controlled hunts early, well before the May 15 deadline. The sooner hunters apply, the better their chances of winning one of the three drawings:
* 50 Sports Pacs (or Non-Resident Hunting Licenses) will be awarded among pool of hunters that apply between Dec. 1, 2010 and Jan. 31, 2011.
* 30 Sports Pacs (or Non-Resident Hunting Licenses) will be awarded among pool of hunters that apply by March 15, 2011.
* 20 Sports Pacs (or Non-Resident Hunting Licenses) will be awarded among pool of hunters that apply by April 15, 2011.
A Sports Pac includes a Combination Angling/Hunting/Shellfish License, a Combined Angling Harvest Tag, a Validation for Upland Bird and Waterfowl hunting, plus a General or Controlled Deer, General or Controlled Elk, General Cougar, General or Controlled Bear and Spring Turkey Tag.
The drawings will take place Feb. 1, March 16 and April 18 and winners will be notified by mail. Hunters unsuccessful in the first or second drawing will be re-entered into future drawings. Only one entry per hunter is allowed, meaning hunters that apply for several controlled hunts will still only be entered once. Controlled spring bear hunt applicants are not eligible for the drawing.
Hunters can apply for controlled hunts online, at a license sales agent, at ODFW offices that sell licenses, or by mail or fax order using the fax or mail order application (also found on page 17 of the 2011 Oregon Big Game Regulations).
Mail order/fax applicants should allow 7-10 days for their applications to be processed and issued. Remember, to be eligible for the drawing, the controlled hunt application must be issued, not just received, by the drawing deadlines (Jan. 31, March 15 and April 15). Controlled hunt applications can be processed and issued immediately online, at license sales agents or ODFW offices.
The deadline to apply for a controlled hunt is May 15 each year. In 2010, 79,861 out of 375,227 total applications (21 percent) were processed by April 15. The previous year, 68,849 out of 426,921 (16 percent) were processed by April 15.
“Most controlled hunt applications are received during the last few days,” said Deanna Erickson, ODFW license sales services manager. “However, last year’s drawing did increase the number of early applicants.
We hope even more hunters will apply early this year, as more of them find out about this incentive,” Erickson added.
While the license sales system ran smoothly last year, in previous years, the high volume of sales activity in the last few days prior to the deadline led to long lines and slowed or crashed the system.
The vendor that manages the license sales system is purchasing the Sports Pac and Non-Resident Hunting Licenses for the winners.
Some of Oregon’s big game hunts are limited entry, including almost all rifle hunting of deer and elk east of the Cascades and pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, and Rocky Mountain goat hunts. These hunts require a controlled hunt application.
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