Ready for Az elk applications ???

[azbiggame]

It's that time again,applications for elk and antelope.Go to www.azgfd.gov and take a look.Plenty of time,deadline is Feb 9th.Paper applications only and ALL FUNDS up front.New this year is an early general hunt in late Oct with fewer hunters in field,1/8th less in most units,and can be drawn with any amount of bonus points,even 0 bonus points.Good Luck in the draw ---

 

[DLS]

It'll just be bonus points for me this year, as I'm a few points shy of what I need to draw the tag I want. I have 12 points going into this year's draw, and need 14 based on last year's results. 17 pronghorn points, so I'm always hopeful that one of these days my number will come up.

 

[Sniper Chuck]

In the first "Pass" only "Twenty percent of authorized hunt permit-tags in each hunt number for deer, antelope, elk, turkey, javelina, and spring bear may be issued in this pass. ... Although 20 percent are available, the 10% nonresident caps are still in effect. "

The last line says it all. 20% of the total tags available, and only 10% of that 20% are available for NR. If you are depending on your bonus points for a hunt that has less than 50 tags you, as a NR, are excluded in the first pass! (20% of 50 = 10, 10% of 10=1 tag) If you apply with one buddy don't apply for any hunts with less than 100 available tags. Two buddies, 150 tags, etc. The 10% cap applies for the remaining tags in the second and third Passes, also.

Arizona has figured out a way to minimize the chances for NR's to draw tags while maximizing the dollar income. To accumulate bonus points you must buy a license for $151.25, plus you need to send in the tag fees ($595.00 for elk) that they get to keep in their bank for 2 1/2 months. Sounds like a sweet deal for AZ G&F, not so much for out-of-staters.

If you research the hunt success ratios against the draw success ratios I think anyone could have better success with an OTC tag in another state. Cheaper too. If you plan on accumulating points, you may be better off putting the $$ in an account and waiting 15-20 years for a high dollar guided trip in a wilderness area. Just my $.02.

 

[Glass eye]

Sniper Chuck
I don't believe that is correct. The 10% cap applies to the total # of permits issued for that hunt. Not 10% of the 20%
50 tags = 5 NR tags
50 tags with 20% max point draw = 10 tags, BUT only a maximum of 5 can be issued to NR's

 

[DAWG]

GlassEye's right. The entire nonresident cap likely will fill in a hunt where 50% or more top pool applicants are nonresident, leaving all non top pool nonresidents with nothing, effectively turning some high demand hunts into a a true preference draw for nonresidents. With the previous 10% max points (they upped it to 20 a few years ago), likely no more than half the nonresident quota would have gone to the top, almost for sure not all...That change is really a screwing for those who got into it a bit late, but still have a lot of money and time already invested!

Really if the intent were to give 20% of the tags to the top pool, they should put a 2% total nonresident cap on the first round max points draw, (20% of the nonresident tags possible), so nonresidents get the 20/80 split on tags available to them...But they don't. Oh well, it is what it is...Good for me for strip deer, bad for me for everything else Wish they would change it, because I want a desert bighorn more than any other tag...

 

[Glass eye]

DAWG
I'm like you, max on deer but not on anything else.
However, the 20% max point draw only applies to hunts that have 5 or more tags. 5 tags = 1 tag for max point pool. For hunts with 4 or fewer tags, there is NO 20% draw.

 

[DAWG]

For sheep, it's a bit different. They do the max points draw, but limit it to one tag per hunt if 5 or less tags are available. They draw max points tags until 20% of the total sheep tags are taken....A good chunk of the nonresident sheep tags are gone before the 80% bonus round, but there are usually sheep tags that escape as most of the top points applicants are residents. Of course with the 10% nonresident cap working every year, eventually sheep tags will be true preference too for nonresidents if rules stay as is.

 

[DAWG]

Went to the regs, there is no limit per hunt # for sheep tags that can be taken in the 20% max points round, 20% just applies to the total number of sheep tags for all hunt #'s. Nonresident max 50% per hunt number and 10% to the total number of all sheep tags still apply. So....nonresidents with less than max points might be SOL before the 80% draw even starts, no way to tell before draw which units will reach the 50% nonresident per hunt # cap first, or if the 10% overall cap is met first. Most of the high pool sheep and lope applicants are resident, so you don't need max points (21). Elk is roughly even, so better have max or close for early rifle bull. Deer (13 max) is heavy nonresident, so you need max points. Guess the draw services and nonresidents applying got real heavy around the time they started deer points


I have 17 sheep and lope points, and max deer points. The only fall big game tag I have ever drawn in AZ was an elk tag the one year they got sued and removed the 10% cap (mine was one of the tags affected by the cap). Was an awesome hunt, got my best bull ever, a 10x8 that likely would have made nontypical B&C book if points were not broken off...That and some javelina and archery deer hunts makes AZ worth it to me.

 

[RoosterKiller]

No matter how you slice it,dice it or spice it AZ sucks for NR's. very expensive. I'll wait until I'm a resident. meanwhile Idaho,Utah,or Colorado for me.