4 or 5 Resident Points, Possibilities?

Airborne · Feb 1, 2023

Hi All,

So in doing a little research I found out that in AZ grandparents can transfer tags to their grandchildren, regardless of residency. Wish I would have known this years ago--oh well.

I am a nonresident and have hunted quail in AZ a few times but have never put in for big game.

My mom and stepdad have lived in your great state for a dozen or so years (PHX area). Neither of them hunt. My hard charging hunter daughter turns 14 in June so I figure if I buy grandma a license and some points over the next few years she could have 4 or so points (hunter ed points to?) before my daughter turns 18. I have looked a little at AZ draw odds but have not put a ton of time in. My question to you experts; is there some good resident hunts that can be had with 4 or 5 points? We are not trophy hunters and favor good opportunity and harvest over antlers. I have a lot of irons in the fire between hunting other states and bird hunting so putting in lots of scouting time is probably not going to be an option. If there were some easy cow elk hunts or something like that my daughter would be all about it, same with deer, she loves killin 2 points! My understanding is my mother would have a chance each year putting in albeit fairly small but maybe worth it for a high success rate rag bull hunt (22N) until we bank enough points to draw something?

I was hoping for a little resident insight--I sure appreciate it!

Also my daughter like to shoot her bow but isn't quite up to hunting accuracy yet but probably in a few years.

Thanks!

longranger · Feb 1, 2023

Yes there are several cow tags that can be drawn with 4 or less points. Always a chance to draw every year on the random but may not have enough to draw a late bull tag.

Also several coues tags and southern az muley tags that can be drawn with 4 or less points.

Crampy · Feb 1, 2023

By my math, you're looking at 3 Grandma points before NR granddaughter ages out of this tag snag opportunity.

Cast your net broadly and you will do well on the second pass (80% random) in AZ. That is more likely to pay dividends than the 20% first pass (preference).

Step-grandparents don't qualify to donate to NR step-grandchildren? Does she call him Grandpa?

Airborne · Feb 1, 2023

My mom and step dad are both called grandma and grandpa so maybe put both in? Double the opportunity so yeah, I would think that works, marriage is marriage and I would think steps count.

You are correct on points Crampy--we would have to cash out grandparents in the 2026 draw so pick up points for 2023, 2024, 2025. Maybe grandma gets the hunters safety point so add 1 and would loyalty kick in for the 2026 draw? I'm not sure about that, I read something somewhere about a loyalty point. That is why I was thinking 4 or 5.

Being that you can only get 1 elk tag in AZ a year it may not be worth putting grandpa in other than the random chance at a good tag but not guarantee on a lesser hunt in 2026 as my daughter can only get one. Guess I would have to think on that if the random chance is worth the $ for grandpa.

UTAHcamp · Feb 1, 2023

Youth hunting combo licenses are $5, whether resident or non. I would think that you should be taking advantage of this immediately and be putting your daughter in the draw herself. The grandparent thing should be a/the secondary plan, in my opinion.

-Patrick