I do not understand any of this- still ! I am a resident,
(38 years) the only year I did not draw an arizona deer tag was 2000. I drew from 1977-2005- minus that one year. I draw javelina tags every single year 1977-2005. I have drawn elk rifle tags for 7 straight years- cow elk- in the late season- I have yet to shoot my gun one time at an elk, and only saw my first live cow elk in 2004 my 6th year, but still. I think I can honestly tell you all this. I have NEVER even applied for any high demand/super duper trophy units in my life. I pick the ones I always go to, and alot of people dont go there. I think if you nonresidents ever decide to go deer/elk/whatever hunting in less popular units then you will hunt MORE. I apply here in these off the beaten path units because I want to hunt- I could give a squat if it is a cow elk instead of a bull elk- I want to kill an elk and camp out in the pine trees for 10 days. I do however want to kill an antelope in arizona and I apply every year in a unit that only has 4 tags anyway- I have 7 points for antelope. another thing about arizona and our point system is this, I have a permanent bonus point for ALL species because I took the hunters safety course- unless you take the hunters safety course I will always have more points than you will resident or nonresident- I will not ever lose my permanent bonus point even if/when I do draw a tag, if we both have 4 points for elk, and we both draw elk- the next year when I apply I will have 1 point already and you will have zero- if we both do not draw then I will have two and you'll have one. this is another thing. arizona began the loyalty bonus point this year also- it is also a permanent point? if you continue to apply for the same genus/species for 5 straight years in a row- you get a bonus point for that animal. if I keep applying for deer, any unit, but still rifle deer for 5 years I will have another point. for antelope actually right now I have 7 points for 7 years of NOT getting that tag. I also have my one hunters safety course point, and now my one loyalty point. so this fall when I apply for the buck antelope hunt in unit 10- I have 9 bonus points to put in the drawing. I know it is all luck- but if I have one or two more points than you, say 9 for this year- I should have more luck than the guy who only has 7 points for this year- right ????? now all of us can get the same points- it is not resident vs. non resident. anyone can take the hunters safety course and get that permanent point. anyone can keep applying for the 5 years for whatever species and get the loyalty point. I think even with luck involved I would rather have as many points as I can get ! also if you just buy the point, then you can buy landowners vouchers for deer, elk, and antelope in the next state over. arizona has NO landowners anything, they have NO tresspass tags, guide allotment, nothing extra at all but the drawings- and god forbid I hope it stays that way- if arizona ever gets landowners tags/vouchers, guide allotments, etc- then you will not think a 100 dollar bonus point will be expensive. there will only be the rich folks that will be able to hunt if tags ever get to be sold off- look at the above post about how much money tags cost in nm when you just buy them- unguided even- 5k-10k + no one will be able to afford that. and for the record that george taulman loser bitched and took us to court when nonresidents had about what 8-12% nonresident quota something- now you will only EVER have 10% that guy should get a thank you card from all of us- lol. I know I wont be able to draw an antelope tag in arizona, so each year I look for landowners vouchers for antelope in new mexico, or colorado, heck wyoming has tags leftover AFTER the drawings. deer and antelope tags remain after wyoming has thier drawings- go there after you buy the point here ! I cant tell you what to do and I am not a math whiz- duh !! but I enter the drawing every year and I try for whatever extra points I can get to have the best odds/luck for the drawing. if you dont enter you will not draw, if you enter for 4 years and dont enter the 5th year- you will not get the loyalty point, no hunters safety course- no bonus point, no 100 dollars- no bonus point. #####- just get the points and see what happens, then go hunting in another state that has more animals anyway- nm/wy/co/mt/etc... M WAITE, AZ.