AZ Resident Elk Draw Advice

[iflyskyhigh]

As I try and figure out my new glass situation and pour over the 2025 AZ Draw info and 2023 Harvest info and stats, figured I'd see if I could get some advice from some experienced hunters.

After several years of not hunting, myself and three of my buddies are putting in for elk again this year. Three of us are residents and one is non resident (does the non resident make a difference when putting in for a group draw?)

My employer has a ranch in unit 22 South and has offered to host us this agin this year. Two years ago we put in for this hunt, but it was the only hunt we put in for and didn't drawn.

We will obviously put in for that hunt again, but are trying to figure out what our other 4 choices should be.

Anyway, in the past we have hunted the low probability late season hunts in Unit 1 because one of the guys dad has a cabin up there. But it's 5 hours from phoenix and it's not practical for us to get up there and scout...and chance of success is low. I believe the good tags in 1 are difficult to get, right?

We'd really like to do the units that are a comprise of good chance of getting drawn and good success that are within a couple hours of PHX so we can run up there in our off time and scout.

We are after meat and mostly interested in cows. Not opposed to to bulls but figured cow tags are easier to get.

I know there's no magic formula, but it's overwhelming just going through everything. Especially after being out of the loop for several years.

Any advice and or just general direction would be greatly appreciated.

PS. I'm not asking for anyones secret honey hole. If you haven't read my new glass post, my buddy and I started big game hunting about 14 years ago. We had no experience at that point and have just been teaching ourselves as we go. It's slow going, but we are enjoying it. I'm sure we'll get there at some point. We are bound and determined to figure it out on our own, but of course are open to any advice that is offered.

 

[wapitibob]

A NR will kill your odds if he doesn't have enough points, and your odds could be close to zero too depending on points.
The only choices that really matter are 1 and 2 unless you a scrub unit as 3rd.
The Bonus Pass odds report will show you what it took to draw last year, and you will need last years regs to match up the hunt codes.

 

[desertdwellerdyl]

As I try and figure out my new glass situation and pour over the 2025 AZ Draw info and 2023 Harvest info and stats, figured I'd see if I could get some advice from some experienced hunters.

After several years of not hunting, myself and three of my buddies are putting in for elk again this year. Three of us are residents and one is non resident (does the non resident make a difference when putting in for a group draw?)

My employer has a ranch in unit 22 South and has offered to host us this agin this year. Two years ago we put in for this hunt, but it was the only hunt we put in for and didn't drawn.

We will obviously put in for that hunt again, but are trying to figure out what our other 4 choices should be.

Anyway, in the past we have hunted the low probability late season hunts in Unit 1 because one of the guys dad has a cabin up there. But it's 5 hours from phoenix and it's not practical for us to get up there and scout...and chance of success is low. I believe the good tags in 1 are difficult to get, right?

We'd really like to do the units that are a comprise of good chance of getting drawn and good success that are within a couple hours of PHX so we can run up there in our off time and scout.

We are after meat and mostly interested in cows. Not opposed to to bulls but figured cow tags are easier to get.

I know there's no magic formula, but it's overwhelming just going through everything. Especially after being out of the loop for several years.

Any advice and or just general direction would be greatly appreciated.

PS. I'm not asking for anyones secret honey hole. If you haven't read my new glass post, my buddy and I started big game hunting about 14 years ago. We had no experience at that point and have just been teaching ourselves as we go. It's slow going, but we are enjoying it. I'm sure we'll get there at some point. We are bound and determined to figure it out on our own, but of course are open to any advice that is offered.

I agree with wapitiBob. You do not want to join the NR with your group application and when you do a group application the points average out for your group.

Honestly, I would put in as all individuals, that gives the people in your group more of a chance to draw in the 1st and 2nd choice pass.

I would just focus on your first and second choice like said above. Sounds like you already have a good idea for your first choice, the odds can be found to find a second choice from the bonus points report. If you need help with calculating odds, I can help with that, PM me.

Coming from NM, AZ’s system is more complicated but once explained to me by another, it makes sense.

 

[180ls1]

I'd jump all over 22.

- You / employer have thorough knowledge of it
- A place to stay
- Close and easy to scout

Those are all massive advantages over better units.

 

[iflyskyhigh]

Yea. I guess I don’t really understand the the bonus points system. I mean on face value I do, but I don’t understand the practical application of of.

So NR is a no go. Got it. Why is it better to put in individually? I thought if one person in the group gets drawn everyone gets drawn, is that not how it works?

Sounds like pretty much everything goes in rounds 1 and 2? And if you don’t have a ton of bonus points odds are low? And if you put in for crap hunts 3-5 you might get drawn?

So is it better to put in for all good hunts 1-5 and not get drawn. Get a bonus point, and then just go buy an over the counter tag for a crappy hunt if you really want to just get out there?

If you don’t get drawn and get the bonus point, then go buy an over the counter tag you keep the bonus point right????

We were for sure gonna put in for 22, that’s going at the top of the list.

 

[fmyth]

Yea. I guess I don’t really understand the the bonus points system. I mean on face value I do, but I don’t understand the practical application of of.

So NR is a no go. Got it. Why is it better to put in individually? I thought if one person in the group gets drawn everyone gets drawn, is that not how it works?

Sounds like pretty much everything goes in rounds 1 and 2? And if you don’t have a ton of bonus points odds are low? And if you put in for crap hunts 3-5 you might get drawn?

So is it better to put in for all good hunts 1-5 and not get drawn. Get a bonus point, and then just go buy an over the counter tag for a crappy hunt if you really want to just get out there?

If you don’t get drawn and get the bonus point, then go buy an over the counter tag you keep the bonus point right????

We were for sure gonna put in for 22, that’s going at the top of the list.

Your non res in your group will put the group into the non res drawing where there are more applicants and fewer tags.

AZ G&F website has a draw report you can download and study. It shows last years draw odds by hunt code.

Any cow hunt that is easy to draw will be a low harvest success hunt. I don't know of a single cow hunt in AZ that is easy to draw with a high harvest success.

The OTC tags are unlimited in areas where they do not want elk. It is a very low success rate hunt. Unless you have a friend with an irrigation pivot growing alfalfa in one of the OTC areas don't count on seeing an elk let alone killing one.

You can buy a OTC elk tag today and still draw a tag. You can only kill one elk a year even if you have 2 tags.

 

[iflyskyhigh]

I have the draw odds and success rate info from last year. Been looking over it.

I was asking about if you don’t get drawn and get a bonus point, then buy and over the counter tag, do you keep your bonus point.

Thank you


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[desertdwellerdyl]

I have the draw odds and success rate info from last year. Been looking over it.

I was asking about if you don’t get drawn and get a bonus point, then buy and over the counter tag, do you keep your bonus point.

Thank you


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You do keep it, it's the same with left over tags. If there are tags left over and you get one, you keep your points.