Arizona Elk tag questions

[P1ZombieKiller]

I have decided that I want to take one of my kids on his first elk hunt in AZ. I know they have a point system, and I was told to go ahead an start buying points now for a hunt in the future.

I live in Texas and I HAVE NO IDEA how this point system works.

I have tried to read on line about it, but I just cant figure out where to go to buy that point.
Anyone out there that is familiar with this process able to post a link to the page that I need to go buy those points?

thanks.

 

[tuttlefarm]

If you want a cow elk tag, just go ahead and put them in a junior hunt in Unit 1 or 6a.

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

The boy I was going to take is 18 now. I was told that it takes years to gain enough points to draw a tag, so I wanted to start now, and maybe by the time he graduates college, I could take him for his present. I am not opposed to doing a cow hunt, but for the sake of this trip, its not in the plans.

 

[tuttlefarm]

https://www.azgfd.com/ start here, if you need help I will give you my number in a pm.thanks John

 

[tuttlefarm]

https://www.azgfd.com/hunting/draw/BonusPointProcess/

 

[LCazador]

I have decided that I want to take one of my kids on his first elk hunt in AZ. I know they have a point system, and I was told to go ahead an start buying points now for a hunt in the future.

I live in Texas and I HAVE NO IDEA how this point system works.

I have tried to read on line about it, but I just cant figure out where to go to buy that point.
Anyone out there that is familiar with this process able to post a link to the page that I need to go buy those points?

thanks.

You get a point every year you apply for a tag and are not successful in getting drawn. You also can buy a point and not apply for the draw. Hunt's start with with the archery bull hunt in early September to the general hunt in late November. The earlier the hunt the more difficult it is get drawn for a tag. The later the hunt the easier it is to get drawn but it is also more difficult to harvest an animal. There is an archery hunt, a trophy hunt, a youth hunt, a cow only hunt, a muzzleloader hunt, and a general hunt. The chances of hunt success diminish as the different hunts progress. I've seen tag applicants succeed in their first try and then I've seen others take 7 to ten years( 1 point per year) before getting drawn. It takes 9-10 points to get drawn for archery and trophy bull and 2-5 points for general bull elk. Hope this helps.

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

I was looking a the website, and I could not find the place that I could "You also can buy a point and not apply for the draw"

 

[Bill K]

https://www.azgfd.com/ start here, if you need help I will give you my number in a pm.thanks John

If you can not find what you want on the web. Give them a landline call and discuss it verbally.

 

[L1986]

Not really sure maybe someone else knows...but I’ve heard that it is really easy to get a cow hunt on the Navajo res? Might be worth a look.

 

[jkl]

Only took 19 years to draw a trophy bull tag and I am a resident. Most areas that have elk and junior hunts have a good cow population. You get enough points don't wast one on a cow tag!

You can get a White Mountain Apache bull tag for $15,000.00 plus a guide. They are sold out for at least 3 years. Bulls over 500 live there.

John

 

[hogpatrol]

Just curious but is this tag system a money grab or are the elk that scarce?

 

[jkl]

No not a money grab for years they refunded your money less a small fee if you were not drawn. It is still the same. It is a very well managed elk heard and with a large population of big racks. I looked at at least 30 bulls before I took one.

Trophy tags are very hard to draw. Full rut gun hunt with low tag count. My area only had 20 tags for a Sept 20 rifle hunt. I never saw another hunter in 6 days. Normal gun season is still hard to draw due to the high number of people applying for tags. Archery and muzzle loader are all draw tags also. No easy task but if you draw a tag and put in your time you won't be disappointed. Hunts are not easy in Arizona if you think you are going to drive the roads and shoot one it's not for you.

John

 

[hogpatrol]

No not a money grab for years they refunded your money less a small fee if you were not drawn. It is still the same. It is a very well managed elk heard and with a large population of big racks. I looked at at least 30 bulls before I took one.

Trophy tags are very hard to draw. Full rut gun hunt with low tag count. My area only had 20 tags for a Sept 20 rifle hunt. I never saw another hunter in 6 days. Normal gun season is still hard to draw due to the high number of people applying for tags. Archery and muzzle loader are all draw tags also. No easy task but if you draw a tag and put in your time you won't be disappointed. Hunts are not easy in Arizona if you think you are going to drive the roads and shoot one it's not for you.

John

So basically for a non-resident, would you say it's not worth the hassle.

 

[GNERGY]

You must purchase a small game license first, looks like that will cost you $160.00 then put in for a bonus point. The bonus point will cost $13.00.
I am used to spending $37.00 because I am a resident.
I used to put in for bonus point for utah till they wanted an outrageous amount for the same thing, so I finally quit putting in.

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

This is starting to sound like I need to go back to fishing.

 

[jkl]

Like any lottery you can't loose if you don't play. I know some people that draw what seems like every year and then me I can't draw to save my life. Bonus points are the key for each point they put you in the draw again.

I bought a private land hunt in Colorado from a friend that became very ill and could not go. In my opinion Colorado had sold to may tags over the counter and was disappointed in the quality of the elk. I never raised my gun.

Look at some of the Arizona guides gallery's they hunt on the same land as the rest of us in Arizona they just put a lot of time into the search the big elk didn't get that way from grazing the roads during the season.

John

 

[LCazador]

I was looking a the website, and I could not find the place that I could "You also can buy a point and not apply for the draw"

You need to apply for a tag. Then you will see a prompt asking if you want to buy a point or apply for a tag. I'm not completely sure about the first time you apply. I'm assuming that the prompt always occurs after your commitment to apply. No worries, you won't pay for anything until the choices appear. And if you were to apply and get drawn and then things didn't work out to hunt this year you can always cancel and still just get the point and not have to pay for the tag. This is possible by paying for Point Guard or "surrender your tag" for $5 extra! I've been doing this for than 40 years here. I'm AZ game and fish best salesman!! Pass it on!! Application deadline is Feb. 12th for this year!

 

[nakneker]

I live in Arizona, I was born here. I’ve hunted all over the state, the Navajo reservation, San Carlos reservation, Zuni reservation Apache reservation and many of the units on the east side of the state and the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Arizona is a tough tag to get if your trying get a quality bull tag. Rifle hunts during the bugle are 1% or less draw success, I have many friends and family who have put in for years without success. Your odds increase as you put in for lesser hunts. Archery bulls tags are hard to come by in the good units during the rut. There are archery units that are easy to draw but hunting elk in November with a bow is rough. Cow tags were easy to get when they first came out, they still aren’t bad but I know people who have taken 3-5 years to get one. When I first hunted the Navajo back in the nineties we bought deer and elk combo tags for 375.00 and we could hunt both species at the same time. I shot several bulls on those hunts and some nice bucks, biggest bull just over 380 and many big mule deer but that has changed. Hunting the Navajo takes money, quality hunts for elk are 5-8k and the deer tags I think are 1500 or so. The San Carlos Reservation is a amazing for elk but that’s big bucks, same with the Apache. I live on the border of the Apache, many of those bulls die from old age. Feel free to PM me and I can give some tips or strategies that may help. The deadline fast approaches for putting in for elk and antelope. You wanna check with the Game and Fish as far as bonus points, I believe if you miss a year you loss any points you’ve accumulated, there is an option to buy a point and not lose what you’ve worked so hard to gain. It’s a really great place to hunt elk but it is not easy to get the tag. I’m happy to help if I can. I added the pictures for fun. That bull has been on one of my cameras for three years, I never could draw the tag, he was taken last year. Scored 406 with 4 broken points that would have added 25 inches or so.

 

[hogpatrol]

You must purchase a small game license first, looks like that will cost you $160.00 then put in for a bonus point. The bonus point will cost $13.00.
I am used to spending $37.00 because I am a resident.
I used to put in for bonus point for utah till they wanted an outrageous amount for the same thing, so I finally quit putting in.

So I have to pony up $173 a year until I get enough points? For a gambler with a ton of money, it's might be worth it for the "action". Out of my pay grade, though. I'll say it again, once the boomer hunters are all done hunting, these greedy states will have to pay people to kill game. They'll become diseased and/or nuisances.

 

[Bojo]

As a pa resident and a whitetail hunter all this talk of point this and draw that, plus the money figures sure make it sound more frustrating than fun. I believe hogpatrol is correct. Eventually the well will run dry.