Arizona Non Resident Question

[overton]

Here I go with a question that has probably already been beaten to death, but in my unboundedness of wisdom I'll ask anyway.
I have 10 bogas ( bonus) points going into next years deer draw. Approximately how long will it take to clear out the maximum bonus points and give someone with 10 points a legitimate shot at a strip tag? I have not yet taken the Arizona hunter safety course. That will come this winter. My last rifle hunt to the strip was 1987 when I still had hair. Tried coues deer hunting a few times or I would of had the points before now.
Okay you guys before you throw too many insults my way remember I am a grandfather and remember the old saying to respect your elders, even dumb one's.

Ransom

 

[overton]

What the @#$%.MY first serious topic and no reponse? Googlebooms will start shortly.

Ransom

 

[ElmerFudd]

Thei is only the second year of nonresidents having to be in the top pool to draw the strip (20% to top pool/10% nonresident cap). You had better get the education point ASAP and try to draw before they change the rules again. If/when they change again, you may never draw. Actual numbers needed to figure your question are not published in the free stuff, but I am guessing something like 10-15 years. They likely will change the rules again before that, if past history is any indication.

 

[overton]

Thanks Elmer. Not exactly great news though.

Ransom

 

[Anaconda]

If you have ten points next year without the hunters safty point, then the class will give you eleven and you WILL be in the Max point pool!
Other wise, as of January 2007 there were about 215 nonresident max point holders and between 50 and 75 of them just drew their tag. Several more messed up their applicatiojn this year because of the on line vendor snafu. A few more just got too old to hunt, or decided to go coues hunting. 2008 maybe 135 max point holders, and 2009 less then 80. By 2010 you will be in the max point pool, so stick in there.

 

[overton]

Thanks Anaconda.

Things are looking better! Just hope I still have eye sight left by then.

Ransom

 

[HornedToad]

I had Max Pts this year, and applied for and drew unit 12B Late.

I made this decision based on:

(a) The recommendation of a local AZ guide who I respect who felt that, given the distribution of moisture over the past year, and the increased number of tags in 13B and 13A, that 12B Late had the best potential for a 195+ buck,

(b) An increasing number of non-res hunters in the "one-off Max" class are taking the Hunter Ed class, which has been made more convenient for out-of-state applicants. It may be that for several years now, the number of hunters advancing from the "one-off" class to the "Max" class via the Hunter Ed point will more than offset the number of "Max" point applicants removed through the draw and attrition, leading to an annual increase in the number of "Max" point applicants, rather than the expected decrease, and

(c) Concern that AZ could once again change the rules, making it that much tougher in the future to draw a tag North of the Ditch.

At this point, I am pleased to have burned my Max Pts on a 12B Late mule deer hunt, and hope to take a nice buck later this year.

 

[ElmerFudd]

I guess that about 1/3 to 1/2 of the max points nonresidents left are holding out for 13B or nothing. It will take 10-15 years to clear those out, and I bet more one off upgrade with the education than drop out due to other reasons. Of course, it is just a guess, but...... One of the late 12's or 13A should be a shorter wait, and easier to draw, like HornedToad said.

 

[HornedToad]

Going into the 2007 draw, there were 333 Max Pt non-res applicants in the Deer pool with 10 points, including the loyalty point and the hunter ed point. There were 1,054 non-res applicants with 9 points, the substantial majority of which had the maximum number of points possible, with the exception of the one hunter ed point.

If in the future only one-third of the 1,054 "one-off Max" non-res applicants makes the journey to AZ to take the AZ hunters ed class, gaining the additional hunter ed point, then that will result in the addition of 351 new applicants into the Max Pt class.

Given this possibility, it is likely that the number of new applicants entering the Max Pt class each year, by taking the hunter ed class, could equal or exceed the number removed each year by drawing a permit. Those waiting for the Max Pt class to "burn off" may have a longer wait than they had anticipated.

 

[overton]

Thanks to both of you Elmer and HornedToad. Will hold out for 13b. I told my wife to plan for a winter trip to Arizona. Good luck to you both.

Ransom

 

[ElmerFudd]

Realistically, you have to be in the top pool to draw any of the really tough draws, like late Kiabab/strip deer, sheep, early rifle elk, antelope, etc. as a nonresident. This really sucks. They do some sort of additional nonresident cap on the 20% top pool draw to allow those not in this good ol' boys club to have some chance. I am in the top deer pool, but would trade the exclustve draw at strip deer in a heartbeat to have a shot at a desert bighorn tag (I only have 15 sheep points, as good as none the way the rules are now).

 

[overton]

Elmer

Thanks again. Holding out for deer. I don't have the sheep bug just yet only alot of bonus points. Of course that is total points spread over many states. I won't know if I have the bug till a sheep tag is in my pocket. It's been 20 years since I hunted the strip, hope they haven't found natural gas. Not against drilling, just not the strip.

Ransom