AZ Hunting

Hiker of the Woods · Jan 27, 2012

I have a question for those of you that know how Arizona?s drawings work. I have ?0? points for elk and deer in AZ. Is there are a disproportionate number of NR's holding a larger percentage of bonus points for elk that gives them a greater chance of maxing out the 10% cap in the bonus point draw (1st draw) leaving nothing left in the random draw for all other NR's? Is it worth that wait and money to start building up points in AZ for elk and deer? Are we talking about a 20+ year wait?

AZhunter · Jan 27, 2012

Most units for the early hunts the only way you stand a chance at the 10% is to have max points. If you apply for a November tag you have a chance of drawing with less but still will most likely be 7 or 8 years before a nonresident draws.

sremim · Jan 27, 2012

If you play into the internet and magazine hype, you will never draw. If you do some research and look beyond the hype and have realistic expectations, you can hunt AZ every few years......

Anaconda · Jan 27, 2012

Your chances of drawing in the next year or two are almost zero.
Give it a few years, build a few points up.

Many of the good late rifle and muzzle loader hunts can be drawn with 5 or 6 points.

Check the draw odds calculator, if you play the game right, you can draw a decent late tag every 5 years or so.

sagebrush · Jan 28, 2012

My wife and I drew 5 elk tags and 4 mule deer tags in three years in AZ as non-residents. Not all the tags available to non-residents go in the preference draw. You need to do your homework to draw a tag and really do your homework to be succesful on the hunt in the units that are easier to draw.

Now that we live in Az, its much easier for us to draw.

ClarkW · Jan 28, 2012

No doubt it is hard to draw, but every year I see NR draw great tags the first time they apply. BPs are suppose to help, but it is a random drawing and everyone fairs a chance, even if it is very low.

muleymaniac · Jan 29, 2012

you'll neve get drawn in AZ , save ur money and go hunt new mexico -

Hiker of the Woods · Jan 31, 2012

Thanks everyone for the replies. I already apply for hunts in UT, CO, WY, and Oregon where I live. Applying for one additional state is within my budget and it is a hard decision to make. Would NM be a better state to start applying to and wait a few more years to start building up points in AZ? Thanks again.

sagebrush · Jan 31, 2012

If you're serious about hunting AZ, you should start building points now. Since NM has no point system, there is no benefit to applying unless you just want another opportunity to hunt. Remember, NM limits non-residents to 6% of the available tags for any given hunt. The odds of drawing a NM tag for a decent hunt are about the same as drawing a sheep tag in OR. At least in AZ you get an additional random number for each point you have and after 5 years in a row of applying you receive a loyalty point and you can take a non-resident hunter safety course and get another point. Those points are permanent as long as you continue to apply, so once you do draw, you will have three random numbers going into the draw next year.

CouesFanatic · Jan 31, 2012

+1 to not applying for New Mexico. The new change and no bonus points makes it a terrible state for out of staters.

The bad about Arizona is that you pay for the license every year just to build points.

westelkman · Jan 31, 2012

This site has one of the best odds calculators around. Click on Arizona and then click on the highlighted note on that page- explains it real well. Its got to be the reason Arizona doesn't issue true odds- it would scare off the low points/first timers.

If you are referring to the top units, prime hunts- you are correct, max point holders eat up all of the non res tags. Some of the lesser units and hunts can be good....but I have some buddies that came away very disappointed from last season in a unit they drew with 6 or 7 points. I was shocked and there may be more to the story.

Hiker of the Woods · Feb 1, 2012

I'm not looking to draw the top units in AZ. I just want to have a deer and elk hunt that is worth the money and time. Archery or rifle doesn't matter to me.