Arizona Elk hunting

[OR Archer]

So we’re officially relocating to Arizona(Phoenix area). Obviously everyone knows Az has great elk hunting. My question is how hard is it for residents to draw an elk tag? Yes I know there’s a lot of variables but I’m just trying to gauge wait time between tags that aren’t necessarily trophy units.

 

[Life_Feeds_On_Life]

Depends on archery or rifle, early or late but I'd say at least several years.

 

[taggart_lumpy]

really depends. if your happy cow hunting every other year for some units. some of the better bulk units your going to be waiting a while.

 

[TheCougar]

Even average bull tags take 5-7 years. I do most of my elk hunting out of state, and once in a decade I draw an AZ bull tag. I do hold out for the better units, however. AZ has big animals, but not numbers. You have OTC archery deer every year that is a guaranteed tag, and it’s pretty easy to draw the early coues hunts. Get yourself AZ hunter eduction as soon as you can so you get the permanent point. I also recommend getting a lifetime license in case you ever move, as you still get resident draw odds but pay NR fees.

 

[Extrapale]

I am going to assume by your handle that you prefer the bow.

You should be able to draw late archery bull tags every year. If the OR in your handle stands for Oregon, you are in for a treat. Any tag in AZ is better than nearly any tag in Oregon.

Familiarize yourself with how the AZ draw works if you don't know it already.

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[WoollyBug]

I'm still a little new to AZ hunting. But my brother in law drew an antler-less tag this past year and it was his first time applying

 

[Str8shot]

For the trophy units you’ll be luck if you draw one every decade for archery.

 

[Villalobos01]

Arizona goes off of a point system when it comes to the game draw. Like others have said here it depends on wether your hunting rifle or archery. That’ll have a factor in itself. As well as wether you want to hunt early hunt or late. Or even if you wanna hunt the rut archery which would basically be the trophy hunt. All in all it will be a couple years before you might get drawn if you have no points here in AZ. GOOD LUCK!


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[Sportsman]

+1 to getting hunter ed point as soon as possible and purchase the lifetime license.

And don't miss a year of applying so you can get to the loyalty point which will put your reset to 2 points, not 0.

 

[rsager8970]

The good news is you can hunt deer and javelina every year pretty much.

 

[MikeD2003]

Elk is always a tough draw, at least for me. Lots of opportunity for clues and muley archery OTC

 

[trevvamos]

All depends on quality of the hunt you want, but figure 5-7 years for a good Unit and a decade or more for trophy potential. Like others have said, awesome archery OTC deer seasons.

 

[MikeD2003]

Elk... Maybe next year. Can always go up to Colorado for elk. Terrain out there is always a challenge. Spent a season or 2 out there not seeing anything at all...

 

[fmyth]

I've drawn a resident elk tag 4 of the last 5 years.

 

[MikeD2003]

I'm holding out for early season archery, there are sure easier draw areas. Late season archery is less competitive I know but also much less successful.

 

[BBob]

Late season archery is less competitive I know but also much less successful.

And nowhere near as exciting as a good rut hunt!

 

[MikeD2003]

And nowhere near as exciting as a good rut hunt!

Thats a fact! But I still do prefer hunting coues deer with a bow even though I am apparently terrible at it.

 

[BBob]

Thats a fact! But I still do prefer hunting coues deer with a bow even though I am apparently terrible at it.

We most all suck at that, one of the hardest things to do consistently.

 

[MikeD2003]

We most all suck at that, one of the hardest things to do consistently.

Haven't been successful the past few years out there but I feel like I learn more in a day of hunting coues than I learn hunting anything else for an entire season.