Page 17 - January/February 2023 Outdoor Oklahoma

Arm yourself with knowledge based on last year’s numbers, ABOUT CONTROLLED HUNTS
and you could increase the likelihood that your name will be Controlled hunts are offered for deer, elk, antelope and
drawn as a winner of an Oklahoma controlled hunt permit. But turkey. They are held in areas where unrestricted public
doing so will require some homework. hunting would pose safety concerns or where overharvest
This article is designed to give controlled hunts applicants might occur.
some insights into how the program works, insights that might Hunters wishing to go on one of these controlled hunts
give you an edge to having your name drawn for perhaps the must submit an application, which goes into the running
hunt of a lifetime. with all other applications for that hunt. Hunters are select-
In last year’s controlled hunts program, about one out of ed through a random drawing.
every 25 applicants had his or her name drawn. This repre- Many controlled hunt choices are highly sought-after and
sented a sizable increase in the odds for have many times more applicants than
everyone who applied compared with 2022-23 OVERALL available permits. Getting drawn for a
previous years. ODDS OF controlled hunt is a matter of odds. If
Hopeful hunters turned in 135,018 you keep applying year after year, it’s
applications for one of the 5,307 indi- BEING DRAWN: likely you’ll get a chance to enjoy a con-
vidual hunt permits avail-able last year. 1 IN 25.4 trolled hunt.
Many of those applicants will apply How do I participate? Simply submit
again this year when the 2023-24 con- an easy-to-complete application online
trolled hunts application submission period opens online. Of through your GoOutdoorsOklahoma account. Applications
course, the most important thing a hopeful hunter can do is are not accepted in person.
to apply each year. You can increase your chances by first doing some
Controlled hunts application period will open April research. This article provides statistics from the most
3, 2023, on the Go Outdoors Oklahoma website at recent controlled hunts drawing cycle. Anyone who plans
gooutdoorsoklahoma.com. The deadline to submit to apply this coming year is urged to study the data here
applications will be May 22. The application process is easy, to help determine which hunts you should apply for if you
and applications will not be accepted want the prospect of higher odds that
by the online system unless they are WHAT’S THE COST? your name will be drawn.
completed correctly, assuring you that A $5 application fee allows mul- For example, you might see that
your application was successful and tiple applications in controlled two controlled hunts will be held in
that your name will be in the drawings. hunt categories (elk, pronghorn, the WMA you are hoping to hunt.
Winners of controlled hunts are deer, spring turkey) and includes You notice the selection odds were
randomly selected through a com- the Preference Point Only greater last year for one of the hunts,
puterized process that draws appli- option. PointGuard insurance is so you might decide to apply for that
cations from the entire pool of those available for an additional $5 fee. hunt in anticipation that this year’s
who applied. Hunters have the option New this year: Applicants may numbers remain about the same as
to apply for several hunts within each buy extra hunt choices for $3 each, last year’s.
category, which increases one’s chanc- beyond the limit normally allowed Every time you apply and do not
es of being selected for a hunt. in the basic application fee. get selected, you earn a preference
Those not drawn in a hunt category point in that category for the drawings
will gain a preference point for the drawings held in future in the future. So, when you apply the next year, it’s like get-
years, as long as you apply in the same hunt category. Not ting your name put into the drawing that many extra times.
only that, but some hunt categories allow you to apply So, your odds of being drawn improve if you apply again
with a group of other hunters, which boosts chances of year after year.
being drawn. Additionally, some hunt categories allow you to apply
Don’t miss your chance to win one of these special hunts with a group of other hunters, so that if one of the group is
that often create lifelong memories. drawn, the entire group gets to hunt.

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