Question on drawing a Coues deer tag.

idsharp · Jan 29, 2017

So I've been wanting to hunt Coues deer for a while and finally decided to try. I've been studying the Arizona fish and game site. I'm thinking of trying for a rifle tag in unit 22 mostly because it's closer to get to than most other places. In 2015 for the early November hunt there was a 77% chance of drawing this tag as a first choice. Does this apply to nonresidents also or are our chances much less? I see some of the southern unit hunts have a 100% chance of drawing. Does the same apply to nonresidents? I'd just like to have the best chance of getting a rifle tag as possible. I know I can resort to the archery hunt for a qaurantee but I will have a better chance of harvesting a buck on a rifle hunt. Thank you for your help.
P. S. I can return the favor/help with information about hunting in Southeast Idaho if interested.

uphill · Jan 30, 2017

Issues of a resident quota verses non-resident only arise in deer hunt units north of the Colorado River. When looking at coues deer the draw odds are the draw odds regardless of your residency. I've been hunting down south off and on for three decades and its just...sad. Decades of drought and human impact have crushed the coues deer. In many places there just aren't ten percent of the population there was in the eighties. By human impact I mean the day and night activity along the border. Sometimes I hunt near the border but the trash, smugglers, helicopters have combined to make it a not so relaxing way to spend your vacation days. For your first trip down there I recommend you pick a unit north of interstate 10.

akamissedagain · Jan 31, 2017

I don't believe the game and fish publishes the data necessary to precisely answer your question. That hunt does not appear to have the non residents hitting the 5% cap in the bonus round so I would assume the 10% cap is not a limiting factor in the 1-2 pass round.

bonecollector777 · Jan 31, 2017

LAST EDITED ON Jan-31-17 AT 12:54PM (MST)[p]Do you have any points? Uphill is wrong in saying that the 5 or 10% cap doesn't apply to units south of the Grand Canyon. In some southern az units it doesnt because there are leftover tags. Any other halfway decent deer hunt is gonna hit the cap eventually. If you have 0 points you have a 21% chance of drawing the 22 Nov hunt. Need about 3-4 for a guarantee. The units that have 100% odds have leftover tags so no need to waste bonus points on them. Just buy one after the draw and keep your points.

idsharp · Jan 31, 2017

Thank you for all the responses. I have some things to consider.
Bonecollector, I do not have any points but I'm trying to understand what you're saying. Where did you get the 21% from?

MaineFlatlander · Feb 1, 2017

Can someone answer this question? Based on NRs who have failed to draw in the past is the 10% quota the final decision maker...

For example...A unit has 300 tags. A maximum of 10% or 30 can go to NR. (I understand the 5% part). So 75 NRs apply and 200 residents. When the draw is done all 200 Residents will be drawn but only 30 out the 75 NRs will be drawn because of the cap. 45 NRs will not be drawn and 25 tags will be leftover as well meaning 70 tags will go up for sale. At this time NRs will have a chance to buy them too.

Is that the way the draw happens or can the 10% cap be exceeded in the draw if the hunt is undersubscribed? I was thinking the NR may not draw an undersubscribed hunt IF the 10% cap had already been met.

bonecollector777 · Feb 1, 2017

Where did you get the 77%? The az draw process is a complicated beast. But with 0 points according to gohunt.com and hunters trailhead your odds are right around 20% to draw that tag. They incorporate a bunch of stuff like the 5% bonus pass cap and 10% bonus pass cap and that's what your odds are.

bonecollector777 · Feb 1, 2017

As dumb as it is the 10% cap is the final say. I know guys that got upset because once the draw results were released they saw they weren't drawn but there are leftover tags. Because the 10% cap was hit they legally couldn't be drawn so they became leftover tags that could be purchased. Which I guess is good if you get lucky and buy one because that didn't use your points.