The odds for elk just went up....

[heffe]

I went online to apply for me and my 3 boys like I have done every year for the last 18....$108...JUST TO APPLY and a decent chance to see "unsuccessful" on the draw results.

$148 for a resident cow tag.

After license, tags and app fees....$856 to hunt cow elk as a resident.

For that much money, I should be able to just drive up to the G&F office and have them load up an elk or two in the back of my Ford.

So, the odds for elk just went up for those willing to pay that moronic app fee. I'm out.

We'll take a week and go hiking/fishing/camping.

 

[Bura Nut]

If you applied on line, it cost 13.00 app fee plus your 57.00 hunt/fish license 70.00 each. If you are drawn, then you pay the 148.00 each tag. Still way cheaper than going to NM, or the reservation to hunt cow elk. $218.00 each. I know its alot of money, but so is going to other sporting events. I put in for 3 people and feel your pain. Thanks, Allen Taylor......

 

[heffe]

the cost is the same no matter if you apply online or with paper. Yes, the tag fee is deferred until the drawing, but bottom line is bottom line.

$148 for a RESIDENT cow tag.....let that sink in for awhile.

 

[Gwagen]

This year will be interesting for G&F. The tag, license, and application fees that were put in as part of the "license simplification" process will put a strain on some folks. I spoke at the Commission meeting when they approved these new fees. I said they had just priced me out of turkey hunting - not because I can not afford $38 for a turkey tag, but because I no longer find the "product" a good value for my money. I will continue to go into the field and enjoy the time out with friends, but I can take pictures of game for nothing and go to the store and buy the meat. I've long since gotten over the need to kill something when I hunt. I come home with lots of tags in my pocket these days, but these new fees will just mean I dont have to buy it in the first place.

When I started hunting in AZ 50 years ago, a turkey tag cost $1, as did deer and javalina tags. Most prices are up by a factor of 10 over that time (editorial comment - due to the government devaluing our money) but a turkey tag is up by a factor of 38. Deer are worse. G&F is already having trouble selling all the javalina tags, even with folks able to buy 2. They will most likely have lots more of them available under the new price scheme.

Businesses know that if they raise their prices too much, they lose sales and may wind up worse off. G&F will lose some application fees (at $13 each) and for things like javalina, probably some tag sales. For cow elk, they will still likely sell all the tags, but are pricing some folks out of the market.
The OP is correct, at the margin, draw odds will improve for those with the funds to spend on the new tags.

It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

 

[azhuntin]

I think the resident fees are still a good value. Can't really do much of anything for $148( the real problem as stated above is the devaluation of the dollar), but the non resident cow tag went to $663 including app fee, now that's outrageous. I agree the draw odds will go up. From what I understood the junior fees went down. I think a hunting license is only $5. I am not sure what the junior tags cost though, but they should be much less.

 

[sagebrush]

If I don't draw a bull tag, I may buy a leftover cow tag!

 

[WapitiBob]

If residents actually paid the cost of the game dept that $148 would be a bargin.

 

[couesmagnet]

I still think it's a bargain at the new price points. Heck of a deal, considering most have 2 thousand plus in the gear they take afield.

 

[azbullhunter]

I think it is a bargain. To see an NFL game with four tickets $400.00, parking $25 and $8 for a beer and $6 for a hot dog. That is for a three hour game. I remember gas for 18 cents a gallon also but the price 50 years ago is irrelevant.

 

[muleymaniac]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-11-14 AT 08:42PM (MST)[p]remember one thing, even though you might have drawn 4 cow elk tags.
success rate is like 25%, if you are lucky

just take your 835$ and go buy a couple sides of beef. these are offered quite often on other sites.
home grown,cut, wrapped .
it will definitely fill your freezer!

 

[LKHTR]

Last year the price of an elk tag was $121.50 that included a $7.50 app fee. This year the cost is $148 that includes a $13 app fee. The actual tag price went up by $21 or just over 18%. Steep increase, but supply and demand is king and AZ has a short supply compared to CO, WY and MT and a tremendous demand so the price is high. Factor the cost of running AZGF and they are going to milk every dollar out of you that they can.

I hunt Non Res in other states and I'm used to paying $550 - $600 for a bull tag so I am still good with $148 at home. CO just raised their NR cow tag fee to $450. Three or four years ago it was $250, but they have cut the tag numbers (the supply)so the price goes up. CO NR Bull tags went up as well from $585 to $600 so it's not just AZ. Many are PO'd about the CO NR tag increases as well.

Sorry to hear you're priced out. Maybe you could consider two applications per year to reduce cost and pick up points for the odd ones out which will increase your odds of drawing a couple tags every year and you all get to hunt more. Not everyone gets to carry a rifle is all. Not optimal, but an idea if cost is a factor.

 

[Gator]

NR cost 2 of us $350 to put in, IF we draw they will want another $1300 so yes it getting out of line pretty quick.
At least I have the license ready for the deer draw.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

 

[Robiland]

Dang!!!! For a cow tag??? Come to Utah, they give away cow tags on several units with your deer tag or spike elk tag. Its been a slaughter here on a few units killing every elk. Its kind of sad.

 

[huntnrich]

It cost me $175 for a NR elk point.

 

[goinhuntn]

I am a nonresident & put in every year in Az. Nonresident tags is pricey, but the way I look at it I love to hunt so I don't complain about the tag prices. I just save a little bit each month for my tags. If you save a little all year & brown bag your lunch to work its not so bad when you draw a tag. Just my 2 cents.

 

[ducksbucksandbulls]

Cost me 3x $160= $480
3x $15 = $45

$525 for 3 points

for me the wife and our son and odds are we won't even get a tag or be huinting...
Do the same in Nevada and a few other states and it's big bucks $$$

It's only money...

 

[DonMartin]

I'm going to agree that even with the price increases, license and tags for kids, which our the future of hunting in the USA are actually reasonable.

Youth combination hunting/fishing licenses, whether resident or non resident are just $5.

Here are the prices for youth big game tags in Arizona.

Deer $25 resident or non resident

Elk $50 resident or non resident

Turkey $10 resident or non resident

Javelina $15 resident or non resident

So lets say if a dad has three kids at home who are under 17 years old, and he applies them all for a juniors only elk tag, the cost is this.

Three licenses $15 (3 x 5= 15)

Three elk tags $150 ( 3 x 50= 150)

Three applications $39 (3 x 13 = 39)

For a grand total of $204 his kids could potentially all draw an elk tag. If they don't draw, then his cost is $54....

Hmm, seems reasonable to me....

I have one grandson who is 11 years old and lives out of state in Oklahoma.

I only put him in for bonus points for elk and pronghorn.

I do apply him for the fall juniors only deer and pig tags as he can come out and hunt while out for the Thanksgiving break.

I bought him a license ($5), and when I apply him for deer ($25+ $13) and pig ($15+$13) this fall my cost will be $71 IF he draws both tags!

I don't see that as being to high priced for a young man to maybe draw TWO Arizona big game tags!

In checking with some other western states (Nevada-Colorado) for the costs to hunt antlerless elk there as Non residents, Arizona seems to be way cheaper for those tags.

Sorry but the math just doesn't work for me.

Don Martin
Arizona Wildlife Outfitters

 

[pjs78]

NR here who is out also. My goal was to be able to hunt elk(archery) in NM and AZ at least once in my life. It took me
eight years each to draw. I'm just done with the points game
for all states. Both experiences were something I will never
forget but the waiting and the cost is to much. Plus not knowing
the unit and the cost of a outfitter. I also have eight points
for deer this year in AZ but will just let them go. My son and
I both have 16 points each for elk in CO and I will keep applying
for him but I am out. Just lost my passion for hunting with
the way things are.
Hopefully with people like myself dropping out resident odds
will go up. Dang it must be hard to take not being able to hunt the
good units in your own state.

 

[WillPower]

Lots of things are going up in price unfortunately. I don"t disagree with the high costs to draw a tag these days. But from my perspective I will continue to pay to play.

NR elk tag/license = $830 or there about, Res tag/license = $218 or there about, Gas = $100, Food = $75, Hunting with your kids = PRICELESS.

My Dad died at 74 when I was 41, we hunted alot together and took one trip to Oregon on an OTC elk hunt. He just rode shotgun and provided camp support. Memories of that trip are simply priceless, not to mention all of the other deer camp memories.

Good luck to you all in the draw this year.

WillPower

"My only regret in life is setting my goals too low"

 

[sagebrush]

Will - I want to buy gas where you do. $100 for gas will get me from home to Payson and back, scratch the hunting!

NV non-resident tags are only $1,510.00 and then you get the privilege of waiting 10 years to apply again.

The price of everything is going up and our incomes are going down. Welcome to the world of liberal wealth redistribution. One day soon we will all be living at the poverty level except for those that have an in with the King (or Queen, heaven forbid), but at least we will all be equal.

 

[muleymaniac]

I do not mind all the breaks for our kids other than NON resident. They get to draw a tag for 1/3 my cost ??
Since the tags . licenses are so cheap ,they should change the kids age limits from 10-14

15 or older an adult!

I've seen lots of 15 year olds bigger than their fathers , some with more hair even !!

doubling application fees and then callin $3 of it for conservation is B.S.!!

 

[Bura Nut]

AZGFD hasnt raised prices for 3 years and even with the price increases, they are very affordable compared to other states. $148.00 for a cow elk hunt may be too much for some and cheap to others. Its a choice. Taking the family to any venue like baseball, football etc gets pretty costly. I just choose to spend time in the outdoors with the kids and pay the fees accordingly. As mentioned by a few here, you dont need to buy the tag to hunt, just hunt with a camera. It costs the state to have wardens/biologists etc managing game whether the residents hunt them or not. May not make someone happy, but it is a reality....... Thanks, Allen Taylor......

 

[heffe]

No, compared to other states AZ has some of the highest app, licence and tags in the country. Not even debatable.

Most states do not charge the same fee for cow and bull tags. The bull fee is higher.

Of all of the western elk states, AZ has the smallest herd, due to habitat.

Deer numbers are some of the lowest in the country. A lot of states KILL more deer in a single season that AZ has ALIVE.

So this crap about AZ having superior hunting to other states is not true. Trophy quality might be high in some units, but numbers are not even comparable.

1/4 of the state is Reservation. That means 1/4 of the state does not need to be managed my AZGFD.

 

[WapitiBob]

Having hunted Oregon for 45 years, NM for 6, Utah and AZ once each, AZ was night and day better than any of them, both quantity and quality.

 

[fullcurl74]

How much did you pay for your truck? Atv's? Rifle and ammo? Gas and groceries? I still say tags and licenses are the cheapest part of a big game hunt

 

[heffe]

My truck is what I drive to work everyday. I use it for many years. Tags last a week. No comparison.

My rifle will last a lifetime. A tag last a week. No comparison.

I buy gas if I am hunting that week or working...no difference and no comparison.


AZ has appx 30,000 elk total......so you better "quantity" claim is pure BS.

 

[Bura Nut]

I just did a quick internet search on a couple states non-res costs:

Idaho 302.00 deer 416.00 elk with 155.00 license

Montana 976.00 big game combo

AZ 300.00 deer 650.00 elk 160.00 license

Colo. 364.00 deer 604.00 elk

I guess I am not seeing that AZ is drastically out of line. Allen Taylor......

 

[azhuntin]

Arizona game and fish overall does a good job. I have hunted other states and I believe Arizona has the best overall hunting when considering quantity and especially quality. Just look at what the auction tags bring each year. Elk I believe was 385k last year and the deer tag is always over 200k. We may not have as many animals as the other states, but we don't have as many tags either. So if you draw a tag in az there is usually plenty of game and great trophy potential. Therefore it creates a quality hunting expierence.

 

[heffe]

Not talking about the non-res cost. Compare RESIDENT fees.

 

[azhuntin]

Heffe, I do agree there. We are higher than many other states now as far as resident fees go. We have a very limited resource compared to other states and it still costs the same money to manage it, so they raise tag fees. The app fee basically doubled, so I don't think the tag prices needed to go up as much as they did on residents. The thing is though, it is about supply and demand and there is plenty of demand. We will see if it affects draw odds, but I don't think it will at all.

 

[fullcurl74]

>My truck is what I drive
>to work everyday. I use
>it for many years. Tags
>last a week. No comparison.
>
>
>My rifle will last a lifetime.
>A tag last a week.
>No comparison.
>


Your truck is used the other 51 weeks a year, but I have to laugh a little when I hear guys complaining about a couple hundred bucks for licenses and tags when they're sitting in a $50k truck pulling a $12k UTV and I know they burned $500 in gas and diesel during that one week hunt.

 

[fullcurl74]

>I went online to apply for
>me and my 3 boys
>like I have done every
>year for the last 18....$108...JUST
>TO APPLY and a decent
>chance to see "unsuccessful" on
>the draw results.
>
>$148 for a resident cow tag.
>
>
>After license, tags and app fees....$856
>to hunt cow elk as
>a resident.
>
>For that much money, I should
>be able to just drive
>up to the G&F office
>and have them load up
>an elk or two in
>the back of my Ford.
>
>
>So, the odds for elk just
>went up for those willing
>to pay that moronic app
>fee. I'm out.
>
>We'll take a week and go
>hiking/fishing/camping.

If you're not willing to spend that money to take your boys on an elk hunt that they'll remember for the rest of their lives, then I feel bad for them. If you'd like the G&F to load an elk in the back of your truck down at their office, then I think you may have missed the point of what an elk hunt with your kids is all about. Go buy a beef.

 

[heffe]

My kids have seen more elk killed than you have seen alive.

 

[heffe]

1. You have no idea what truck I drive.

2. I don't own a UTV

3. I live less than 2 hours from elk. I don't burn $500 worth of gas in a month.

4. a couple hundred bucks for tags and license TIMES 4. For that money we can spend a week camping and fishing and still have left over cash for a quail hunting weekend.

 

[fullcurl74]

>My kids have seen more elk
>killed than you have seen
>alive.


Ok. Hahahaha.

Thanks for bowing out so the rest of us can maybe get to see an elk.

 

[model700]

Heffe,
It's not all about the cost of a tag. Do you want to hunt Arizona or not? If so pay the fee. If not don't the don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.
PS. If you opt out my odds go up. Ha Ha, Adios.

 

[heffe]

I believe that is exactly what I said.

DUH.

 

[ruthunter]

I'm happy to hear guys are dropping out. I'm ok with price increase and I would pay $1000 for a good bull tag.

 

[Gator]

If I could draw every other year for a $1000 dollar Bull elk tag in the unit I like to hunt, I would be in for that, that works out to $500 a year in the drawing of a GOOD elk tag.



"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]

 

[Sundevil1]

With you...getting way out of hand

 

[DnkyPunch]

$148 for a RESIDENT cow tag?
Sign me up for that! Quit crying. That's 2 tanks of gas and tons of high quality meat for the freezer plus time with the family and friends. Try putting a price tag on the things your kids will learn out in the field with you hunting elk.