AGFD -- New Big Game Hunting Opportunities

OutdoorWriter

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GAME AND FISH NEWS
Nov. 19, 2021

AZGFD offers new big game hunting opportunities
Limited-entry permit-tag seasons to begin
for elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer
White-tailed_Deer_-_Buck_-_3.jpg

PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is offering new hunting opportunities that will provide all hunters with a chance to draw an additional elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer permit-tag, while generating revenue to support wildlife conservation efforts across the state.

The initial draw for these unique and special hunts will open Monday, Nov. 29 and close at 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Friday, Dec. 3. Check back on AZGFD’s website (www.azgfd.gov) and social media channels for a link to apply.
Applicants who are drawn for a limited-entry permit-tag will be contacted by the department (during the week of Dec. 6), at which time payment will be required before the permit-tag can be mailed. NOTE: It is the responsibility of each applicant to provide accurate contact information to avoid missing an opportunity to receive the permit-tag for which they were drawn.

These opportunities should not be confused with the annual draws that are conducted by the department in February, June and October. A limited-entry permit-tag application does not preclude a hunter from applying for any other hunts throughout the year or impact bonus points. Animals harvested during limited-entry permit-tag seasons are excluded from annual bag limits.
In addition:
  • This is discretionary. The objective is to generate revenue in order to maintain current operations and limit or eliminate the need to increase license and hunt permit-tag fees.
  • The issuance of a specific number of limited-entry permit-tags will not adversely affect management objectives for a species or area. These hunts will not impact the number of permit-tags made available for the annual draws. The related harvest will have an insignificant impact on wildlife populations.
  • A valid Arizona hunting (or combination hunt and fish) license is not needed at the time of application; it is required if a customer has been drawn for a limited-entry permit-tag.
  • Applicants can select up to six limited-entry permit-tag hunts on one application. Multiple applications will not be accepted.
  • At the time of application, a customer shall submit the required application fee ($13 for Arizona residents, $15 for nonresidents) for each selected hunt number.
  • Each customer must apply individually. Applicants cannot apply as a group, unlike the annual draws.
  • If a customer enters inaccurate information during the application process, or attempts to enter the draw for a hunt more than once, all applications will be deemed invalid.
  • After an application has been saved, a customer cannot begin a new one. A customer may return to their application to make changes as long as the draw is open, however. When an application has been completed through the payment process, a customer can no longer make changes or apply for additional hunts.
A total of six limited-entry permit-tags (two for each of the three species) were recommended for this initial draw:
  • Elk (any elk): Dec. 20, 2021-Feb. 15, 2022. Open areas: Game management units 1, 27.
  • Elk (any elk): Dec. 20, 2021-Feb. 15, 2022. Open areas: Game management units 9, 10.
  • Mule deer (antlered): Dec. 20, 2021-Feb. 15, 2022. Open areas: Game management units 10, 17A, 17B, 19A, 19B, 20A.
  • Mule deer (antlered): Dec. 20, 2021-Feb. 15, 2022. Open areas: Game management units 39, 40A, 40B, 41, 42, 43A, 43B, 44A, 44B, 45A, 45B, 45C.
  • White-tailed deer (antlered): Jan. 1-Feb. 28, 2022. Open areas: 29, 30A, 30B, 31, 32, 33, 34A, 34B, 35A, 35B, 36A, 36B, 36C.
  • White-tailed deer (antlered): Jan. 1-Feb. 28, 2022. Open areas: 21, 22, 23, 24A, 24B.
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission, during a public meeting Aug. 6 in Williams, voted 5-0 to approve Commission Order 30: Limited-Entry Permit-tags, which establishes initial seasons and season dates, permit numbers, and open areas for elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer.​
 
I feel slimy just reading about this. The odds will be terrible - just play a true lottery and buy a Gov tag.

Not surprising that this idea is from the same folks that brought you the $150/$300 Arizona based hunter's ed course/point. Which is now online based so that your travel costs can go to AZ GFD rather than Southwest airlines.
 
I feel slimy just reading about this. The odds will be terrible - just play a true lottery and buy a Gov tag.

Not surprising that this idea is from the same folks that brought you the $150/$300 Arizona based hunter's ed course/point. Which is now online based so that your travel costs can go to AZ GFD rather than Southwest airlines.
They don't care about the odds. They care about the money and this will generate a ton. Especially when the hunters that draw have zero loss of bonus points and it does not count against their annual bag limit. I'm guessing a lot of hunters will apply for all 6 hunts which is $78 per person. That will add up fast. I will only apply for the desert mule deer hunt because I don't have time to do the others. It's worth the $13 for a chance to hunt with a rifle during the best part of the rut.
 
Awesome tags for sure. Maybe AZGFD anticipated delivering lots of water to tanks in 2022? The whole thing seems so hurried and rushed. As if they crammed it in this year at the last minute before it was too late.
 
I'll buy one less six pack, and a chance for this. Can you imagine the excitement if you won???
 
It’s a heck of a lot less for a non res than applying, and for some hunts the odds can’t be that much worse.

Maybe the NR’s will play this game and take some of the pressure off the point creaps. ……..nah.?
 
They're gonna make so damn much money off this deal, they're going to want to add more tags next year.... that coincidently won't adversely affect the management objectives
I don't know about the second part, but I could easily see this raising $2M dollars. In 2018, the annual budget was $118M according to wikipedia. That you could make close to 2% of your budget off of 6 animals is crazy.

Elk are the perfect animal, they will draw the most apps and realistically, can probably absorb another tag in most units, unlike something like sheep.
 
Two Million would be close to 143 thousand applicants. On such short notice, probably not going to get that many applicants. Next year, though, look out??
 
Two Million would be close to 143 thousand applicants. On such short notice, probably not going to get that many applicants. Next year, though, look out??
Yeah, I agree, but the fact you don't have to have a valid license to apply opens it up to a whole group of people who are not invested in the regular AZ draw for the relatively low price $15.

It does depend how well the word spreads this year.
 
I've been doing some communicating with contacts at G&F to get some numbers. So far, the one clarification that I got was the 22,000 number in th epress release was the total of DIFFERENT individuals who applied, NOT the total of hunts applied for. I'm waiting for the total hunts by specie numbers. Stay tuned.
 
Another round of this coming from G&F. As predicted the number of permits doubled from 6 last year to 12.
Next year double again?
 
Another round of this coming from G&F. As predicted the number of permits doubled from 6 last year to 12.
Next year double again?
Long story short AZ needs revenue.

It paid social media influencers to get more people to apply for OTC tags that they’ll now limit. They screwed hunters Ed point holders that spent money to get to the state by offering it for 3x online.

Drought is wreaking havoc, labor costs go up , water costs go up ect , ect

These hunts won’t hurt the population and hopefully combat them raising prices. Then again at this point we know the price increase is coming since everything is going up 3-5%.
 

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