# Somehow lost all my big game preference points!



## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

So I just went to apply for the big game hunts this year and I got to a screen where it shows all my preference points for each species. It should read that I have 20 points for elk and 13 points for moose. Instead it shows that I have zero points for every single species! I have never drawn a LE or an OIL tag to zero my points out. I exited the website and came back onto the DWR website and clicked the link that show my points and draw history. When I put in my birth date and customer ID it just says that there is no record available for me.

When I plug in my wife's information it shows the correct amount of points for all species for her. Other people are saying that they have had the same thing happen to them before and the DWR tells them that unless they have a screenshot showing their points from last year or some other way to prove it that they you are just S%$^ out of luck. I am absolutely dumbfounded right now. Don't even know what to think. :-?


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

No way! They have a record of each years applications and results. They know exactly how many points you have for sure. Don’t give up.———-SS


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

Hopefully it'll get straightened out for you soon!


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Sucks to be you 
I'm sure they run back ups on the server and can go back and look.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Okay, I think I have it figured out. There was a slight variation on how I spelled my first name on my hunting applications all these years and I just changed it last year. Somebody said their buddy had the same thing happen to them and it eventually got solved. I'm going to call somebody tomorrow and hopefully get to the bottom of this.


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

colorcountrygunner said:


> Okay, I think I have it figured out. There was a slight variation on how I spelled my first name on my hunting applications all these years and I just changed it last year. Somebody said their buddy had the same thing happen to them and it eventually got solved. I'm going to call somebody tomorrow and hopefully get to the bottom of this.


As in you couldn't figure out how to spell your name properly or you forgot how to spell it?


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## cedar (Jul 29, 2013)

I Had the same problem.i had 1 point for LE Buck but i lost it for some reason, however i changed to apply for LE elk the year after.still have ZERO Point for LE Buck.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

colorcountrygunner said:


> Okay, I think I have it figured out. There was a slight variation on how I spelled my first name on my hunting applications all these years and I just changed it last year. Somebody said their buddy had the same thing happen to them and it eventually got solved. I'm going to call somebody tomorrow and hopefully get to the bottom of this.


My dad actually screwed up my social security number my first year applying. To this day I still have to remember the messed up version otherwise it shows up as though I'm a new applicant


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

johnnycake said:


> My dad actually screwed up my social security number my first year applying. To this day I still have to remember the messed up version otherwise it shows up as though I'm a new applicant


Wouldn't applying with false information be illegal?


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

MooseMeat said:


> Wouldn't applying with false information be illegal?


We talked with dwr the following year and were told it wasn't a big deal to them.


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## yak4fish (Nov 16, 2007)

MooseMeat said:


> johnnycake said:
> 
> 
> > My dad actually screwed up my social security number my first year applying. To this day I still have to remember the messed up version otherwise it shows up as though I'm a new applicant
> ...





johnnycake said:


> MooseMeat said:
> 
> 
> > Wouldn't applying with false information be illegal?
> ...


Could this be a loophole to get around the waiting periods?


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

yak4fish said:


> Could this be a loophole to get around the waiting periods?


Or hunting suspensions


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

johnnycake said:


> We talked with dwr the following year and were told it wasn't a big deal to them.


But wouldn't it be better if you corrected it instead of just dealing with it?


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Do they still require a SS number? I thought that was what the customer ID number was for. I thought the whole idea behind the customer number was to get away from SS numbers.
I can't believe there are that many people out there changing their address, DOB, phone number on a monthly or yearly even.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Back in 2002 they didn't have a way to correct it, as my sportsman ID was tied to both my incorrect SSN and my correct Hunter's Safety number they couldn't even delete the account if I remember correctly. 

I haven't ever tried to create a second one before--or even considered this possibility--but because of this thread and some people seeming to get their panties in a twist I just tried. As I suspected, there are other safeguards in place and it doesn't let me create a "new" account as my name and DOB combination are already in use. The SSN is just an identifier that they use to issue you a Sportsman ID number, they don't run it through any database to verify it is correct or anything. Unless I wanted to also make up a false name, or lie about my DOB (which would both have obvious legal problems) then I couldn't use this "loophole." 

Names get misspelled, numbers get inverted (my ssn issue with DWR is two numbers being flipped), but the system is still able to make sure 1 person only has 1 sportsman ID.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

I got my situation fixed. I'm back in the game with 20 elk points and apparently 14 moose points that i will probably never get to use 8)


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

20 elk points!?








Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

3arabians said:


> 20 elk points!?
> View attachment 127570
> 
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


Great power? Yes.

Unlimited? No.

I still got a log jam of guys ahead of me for the early any weapon LE hunts in the top units of the state.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

colorcountrygunner said:


> Great power? Yes.
> 
> Unlimited? No.
> 
> I still got a log jam of guys ahead of me for the early any weapon LE hunts in the top units of the state.


...and we sure do feel bad for you. :OX/:


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Great power with 20 points? Pffft! As an expert in what it feels like to currently have 20 points, I don’t feel powerful at all! 

Completely stuck in no man’s land of the elk draw. Too far along to pull a middle of the pack tag, not far along enough to pull the great ones. I change my mind basically every day on strategy for applying, mostly because it just doesn’t really matter.


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

I may have over exaggerated with the whole unlimited power thing. 

20 elk points has to feel pretty decent though. Lots of multiseason tags are drawn with 20 points. Yes, mid pack units but talk about party time. Thats what I'd be doing with my 20 elk points.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

I am definitely not expecting any sympathy. There are a lot of good tags that I’d be guaranteed to draw. My problems are self-inflicted because of the type of hunt I have dreamed about my entire adult life. It just feels good to pizz and moan about it every now and then.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

This seems to pop up fairly often and we have had several instances in which someone really has officially lost a lot of points accumulated over decades. The solution was that we have to keep the results emails that they send out have to be kept. Apparently that is the only solution for the issue that the division will accept as proof. 

You mean bonus points, not preference points, correct?


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Say you know... If either of you 20pointers want to just sit tight for a few more years my waiting period is up in 2022... By then we could apply as a group and maybe to thank you I'll take you ptarmy hunting at Fred Meyer in Los Anchorage


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

3arabians said:


> I may have over exaggerated with the whole unlimited power thing.
> 
> 20 elk points has to feel pretty decent though. Lots of multiseason tags are drawn with 20 points. Yes, mid pack units but talk about party time. Thats what I'd be doing with my 20 elk points.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


 I've seen it over and over. You have these guys that get within 1 or 2 points of the max pool for the tag that they've been trying for but then feel like since they've invested that many points, they try for a harder draw and so and so on. Until they're applying for the hardest draw hunt in the state but then complain about how Utah's draw system really sucks.:mrgreen:


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

To the OP CCG, I’m glad you got it straightened out and good luck in the draws. Don’t let the 20points thing take away from the fun if you do draw. 

As far as point collections, I have a bunch of elk points in several states.........not because I’m holding out for a good hunt, but because I spend all my time and effort hunting deer. I sure wish I could trade elk points for deer points. Heck I’d trade them 2 for 1 if I could. Elk are cool and I’m glad that some guys dig them but I’m a hopeless-case deer addict. If I’m lucky enough to grow old, I’ll likely kill 150 deer or so. I might kill a handful of elk.

Elk, deer, or otherwise......the 2018 draw season is underway and I wish everyone the best of luck!————SS


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

I fit the description of the point collector ridge referenced above, but I don’t think Utah’s draw system sucks. It’s definitely not perfect, but I think it’s about as good as it could be. I haven’t drawn an elk tag out of choice, since I’d be guaranteed all but about 7 tags in the state.


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## amp713 (Oct 27, 2017)

I didn't read through all the comments but I hope it works out better for you than it did for me. I came up with Just being 2 short one year. And I never got them back, was told if I didn't have receipts for every year then they had no way to award them to me.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

Would you not think that "they" would have records of point accumulation.
That should be on the main files, you would think. 

If not, you would think "they" would find some new IT people........


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## MadHunter (Nov 17, 2009)

2full said:


> Would you not think that "they" would have records of point accumulation.


Is this a discrete way of dealing with point creep? Hmmm.... I wonder?!?!?!?!-BaHa!-


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## Cory (Sep 7, 2007)

colorcountrygunner said:


> It should read that I have 20 points for elk and 13 points for moose. Instead it shows that I have zero points for every single species!


There are several possibilities - like having more than one customer ID number. Call our front desk at the Salt Lake DWR office, and they will help you get it straightened out. I just talked to them and they're expecting a call. 

801-538-4700

Cory


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I learned that every year after the points are updated to take a screen shot of the points that I have. I then save it to a file on my computer. And I do this for the 4 states that I am gaining points in. 

I trust no state data base with the problems that I have seen with them at times.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Cory said:


> There are several possibilities - like having more than one customer ID number. Call our front desk at the Salt Lake DWR office, and they will help you get it straightened out. I just talked to them and they're expecting a call.
> 
> 801-538-4700
> 
> Cory


Cory lives!!!


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