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New SOAs?
by Beadlescomb - 08/25/26 10:50 PM
Cattle for deer habitat improvement
by desertdog - 08/25/26 10:48 PM
First fawn!
by ford150man - 08/24/26 06:58 PM
what deer see
by Frankie - 08/24/26 03:45 PM
Leafy suit ground hunting
by murf205 - 08/24/26 02:23 PM
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Land, Leases, Hunting Clubs
Winston County club taking 2 members
by FreeStateHunter - 08/19/26 12:22 PM
NWA Hunt Club in Vernon/Sulligent area
by ScoutsOut - 08/18/26 07:54 AM
2 Spots Open Perry Co Club
by rja - 08/16/26 03:40 PM
Any clubs around Auburn looking for members
by Brady45 - 08/10/26 07:42 PM
Looking for a Club or Lease
by Turkeyhunter12 - 07/31/26 12:18 PM
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Joined: Dec 2018
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T
6 point
6 point
T Offline
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Just saw the notification where they have changed to a true preference point system for SOA hunts this year. previously it was a bonus point system that cubed your preference points each year, now they have gotten rid of the cubed points and hunts will be drawn by people with the highest number of points. will be interesting to see how it shakes out, its a more "fair" system and allows for easier planning purposes but if there are a lot more people applying than hunts available, the point creep could be a real issue.

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Old Mossy Horns
Old Mossy Horns
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The new system can’t be any worse but I don’t trust any of the state drawn hunts. You got folks like Coosa1 (no offense you lucky sonuvagun) that have been drawn 100 times and others that have never been drawn. . . And don’t get me started on the alligator tag horsechit debacle.


We’re not dead. We just smell that way. Dayum. - AC870

Yessir! I’m always gonna shoot what makes me happy and I want everyone else to do the same! If you shoot one be proud of it and don’t worry what anyone else thinks. - SJ22
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B
8 point
8 point
B Offline
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I’m not the biggest fan. I liked knowing there is a small chance I’d win one even if I had just a single point. It’s going to get depressing knowing it takes “15 points (years) to draw xyz”, especially if all your points reset if every drawn.

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A
14 point
14 point
A Offline
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good, seems like all it took was getting Chuck's pompous ass out of there.

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Freak of Nature
Freak of Nature
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Let's be thankful we hunt in Alabama and not out west where everything pretty much is on a draw and point systems.


Lord, please help us get our nation straightened out.
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Booner
Booner
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I like Oregons system on draw tags.There are a set number of specific tags for each draw unit. Of the tags in each unit, 75% of the tags are awarded based on points, the other 25% are random draw giving everyone at least a 'lil hope lol.

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Booner
Booner
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Originally Posted by jawbone
Let's be thankful we hunt in Alabama and not out west where everything pretty much is on a draw and point systems.
That's the good thing about Bama. The draw back is 99% of hunters have to get in on a lease
I don't play the points game heavily, I go OTC and ensure I hunt every year. The cool thing about Oregon is a point only cost $8 and then ya just grab an OTC tag and hunt.
I do buy a point and then apply for easy draws. I have 4 0r 5 for deer and will apply for a Colombia Whitetail tag, worse case is I just hunt blacktail here.

Last edited by kodiak06; 07/23/25 01:04 PM.
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Freak of Nature
Freak of Nature
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Originally Posted by kodiak06
Originally Posted by jawbone
Let's be thankful we hunt in Alabama and not out west where everything pretty much is on a draw and point systems.
That's the good thing about Bama. The draw back is 99% of hunters have to get in on a lease
I don't play the points game heavily, I go OTC and ensure I hunt every year. The cool thing about Oregon is a point only cost $8 and then ya just grab an OTC tag and hunt.
I do buy a point and then apply for easy draws. I have 4 0r 5 for deer and will apply for a Colombia Whitetail tag, worse case is I just hunt blacktail here.
Obviously, there are good and bad about all the different ways and all. The good thing about out west is the chance to hunt elk. The most fun hunt I've been on to not get meat is an archery elk hunt in Arizona during the rut. I found out that even I was able to call in several bulls. Now getting a bow shot is a different matter. Boy that was fun!


Lord, please help us get our nation straightened out.
Joined: Oct 2015
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4 point
4 point
Joined: Oct 2015
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I'm confused. What is considered a high number preference points now? I believe i had substantially more last year than i do now and was not selected. Also it looks like preference points are applied to all SOA hunt applications not just per game species. Is that correct?

* Should have read more before posting. The preference points have reverted back to an "uncubed" status. Still not clear if the preference points are species specific.

Last edited by WEMOhunter; 07/23/25 02:01 PM.

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P
Glad He Doesn’t Have One
Glad He Doesn’t Have One
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So I thought your name when in the hat the same number of times that you had preference points. So if I had 10 times, it’s like I had 10 entries. Is that not right? And if it’s not right, what was it, and what has it changed to?

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T
6 point
6 point
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Originally Posted by Pwyse
So I thought your name when in the hat the same number of times that you had preference points. So if I had 10 times, it’s like I had 10 entries. Is that not right? And if it’s not right, what was it, and what has it changed to?

that was the old way they did it, they (falsely) called it a preference point system then, but it was operating like a bonus point system. Now it's a true preference point system, which means if, for example the highest number of preference points held by applicants is 8, then all those people with 8 preference points will draw a tag before anyone with 7 points. If they draw all the people with 8 and there are tags left then they'll draw from the pool with 7, and so on.

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B
4 point
4 point
B Offline
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Will be some major point creep if you don’t have to accept a hunt you were drawn for and do not lose your points.

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G
12 point
12 point
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Sounds like what Tennessee does. It takes like 10-13 years to draw presidents island etc


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Booner
Booner
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Originally Posted by jawbone
Originally Posted by kodiak06
Originally Posted by jawbone
Let's be thankful we hunt in Alabama and not out west where everything pretty much is on a draw and point systems.
That's the good thing about Bama. The draw back is 99% of hunters have to get in on a lease
I don't play the points game heavily, I go OTC and ensure I hunt every year. The cool thing about Oregon is a point only cost $8 and then ya just grab an OTC tag and hunt.
I do buy a point and then apply for easy draws. I have 4 0r 5 for deer and will apply for a Colombia Whitetail tag, worse case is I just hunt blacktail here.
Obviously, there are good and bad about all the different ways and all. The good thing about out west is the chance to hunt elk. The most fun hunt I've been on to not get meat is an archery elk hunt in Arizona during the rut. I found out that even I was able to call in several bulls. Now getting a bow shot is a different matter. Boy that was fun!

It's a blast. My Oregon black tail and roosevelt elk hunts are here locally and both are OTC tags. My Washington whitetail is OTC as well. I could go to the east side and do antelope and muleys but I don't bother.

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W
14 point
14 point
W Offline
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Likes: 17
Originally Posted by Gobble4me757
Sounds like what Tennessee does. It takes like 10-13 years to draw presidents island etc
when I moved up here I looked in to hunting the wma. Most all are quota hunts and you have to pay to hopefully get drawn one day. Not worth the effort or time and money to me


David looney
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S
Gary's Fluffer
Gary's Fluffer
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Not a fan. I like having a chance to draw every year, even if statistically small with a low number of preference points.

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C
10 point
10 point
C Offline
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So, don’t plan on going on any SOA hunts or other states so, how do you acquire points? Just curious

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Old Mossy Horns
Old Mossy Horns
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I’ll prob get Masters tickets before ever getting drawn again. BTW, I got my annual rejection letter from Augusta National yesterday. Over 25 years in a row of getting declined.

Last edited by bamaeyedoc; 07/24/25 06:54 AM.

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Glad He Doesn’t Have One
Glad He Doesn’t Have One
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Originally Posted by thayerp81
Originally Posted by Pwyse
So I thought your name when in the hat the same number of times that you had preference points. So if I had 10 times, it’s like I had 10 entries. Is that not right? And if it’s not right, what was it, and what has it changed to?

that was the old way they did it, they (falsely) called it a preference point system then, but it was operating like a bonus point system. Now it's a true preference point system, which means if, for example the highest number of preference points held by applicants is 8, then all those people with 8 preference points will draw a tag before anyone with 7 points. If they draw all the people with 8 and there are tags left then they'll draw from the pool with 7, and so on.

There will be a lot of people holding out for the 3 best SOAs knowing they will get drawn for something the following year.

Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 493
4 point
4 point
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 493
When and where do you sign up for the SOA hunts?

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