Boat load of non res elk points

[NM high country]

I’ve been putting in for non res elk points for 20 years…got 20 points going into this years elk draw and I’m not near as fired up about hunting elk in AZ has I was back when I started. I’ve hunted elk almost every year in in my home state for the last 20 years but not in AZ. I’m thinking of things I might do. Not sure if I can sell them or split them or transfer them .I will have to do some research on it. I haven’t looked in a while but I think I have 15-16 antelope points too. Any suggestions or anyone know of anyone that’s been in this situation before ? Seems after AZG&F changed up the draw rules a few years ago I keep falling backwards with this point creep….tired of it.

 

[montezumarchery]

It looks like there are less tags this year too. Curious to see what it does to the creep this year.

 

[Utahlefty]

your right on the cusp for hunts like 23late (I think 30% at 20P)

 

[Moe]

Wish I had 20. I drew with 14, then 11, last tag with 7. Need a random this year.

 

[Utah400Elk]

Sorry to say, I asked my magic 8-ball if I was going to get priority on all the AZ random tags. It responded “It is decidedly so”. Looks like it’s going to be another dry year for most of you…

Good luck in the draws. I archery hunted unit 9 in 2015 and it took 17 points to draw then. I wish you the best of luck. My AZ hunt was one for the books and both my son and I are building points and hoping to draw some day.

 

[6pointbull]

I am in the same boat, got 23 non-res points and in no mans land on the top tier units. I have waited this long probably wait a few more years to try and get an early muzzy or rifle tag, but the creep is real and keeps taking more and more points to get that special tag.

 

[Deer]

I am in the same boat, got 23 non-res points and in no mans land on the top tier units. I have waited this long probably wait a few more years to try and get an early muzzy or rifle tag, but the creep is real and keeps taking more and more points to get that special tag.

17 here not able to gain traction it seems

 

[flycrewsupe]

28 NR points and the struggle is still real.

 

[longranger]

I'd go for 23 late rifle. Rough stuff but chance at a giant bull. Some good outfitters that could help you get a nice one if you're ok with hiring one. Can pull it off by yourself with some scouting.
Problem with splitting is any resident putting in with you would need to have a decent amount but when they apply with you they are put in the nr pool as well. Any nr with less than you isn't gonna help anything because even with your 20 points you are only guaranteed some low to mid tier archery hunts. Any nr with more than you doesn't need you to put in with them as it will only hurt them. Either dump the points on a mid tier archery hunt in the next couple of years or you'll draw a 23 late rifle tag pretty soon. Other than that it's wait and hope you get lucky.

 

[longranger]

28 NR points and the struggle is still real.

What hunts you going for? You're about there on whatever you want.

 

[Skykarp]

Feel your pain 21 here for my dad and I … feels like the geico commercial every year.

 

[flycrewsupe]

Early rifle. I feel like I’m getting close. Maybe this is the year.

 

[CAelknuts]

26 points. I just applied for a bonus point this year as I have schedule conflicts this fall.

 

[LIK2HNT]

Not sure what your goals are. Top tier or nothing? Can always split points with your son or daughter and have a great fun hunt. Just a thought.

 

[callsalot]

I'm at 21 also but for elk I'm exclusively a archery hunter so i'm starting to get in the running for Unit 1 but due to a job change will probably just get another point and have 22.

 

[Buxndiverdux]

Sorry to say, I asked my magic 8-ball if I was going to get priority on all the AZ random tags. It responded “It is decidedly so”. Looks like it’s going to be another dry year for most of you…

Good luck in the draws. I archery hunted unit 9 in 2015 and it took 17 points to draw then. I wish you the best of luck. My AZ hunt was one for the books and both my son and I are building points and hoping to draw some day.

In 8 years it went from 17 points in 2015 to 25 points in 2023.

That means point creep is the exact same as the point you buy. If you are like me at 21 points, I will never get there in 10 years in the points round. At some point very soon, the creep for non residents will be more than the point we buy.

It made sense to get in the draw in the late 90's and early 2000's for non residents, but as soon as they changed the tag quota's to 90-10, that was instant creep, but when they changed the tag allocations to allow a random pass, that really screwed over the NR's that had been invested in the draw for 10-15 years. It basically added the possibility of never drawing the tags even if you started applying in your 20's. We may never live long enough to draw the best tags.

It's a damn mess.

 

[huntazido]

The last 3-4 years many NR's have come to the conclusion that they will never catch up to their dream hunt. so, they are lowering their sights to what they deem as a "lesser" hunt. This means you got guys who are applying for hunts, and they have 5-10 points more than what is necessary to draw. The guys that would be happy drawing these "lesser" hunts are like "What the hell just happened?". Thus, you have major creep like we have been seeing recently. I'm not really sure what the solution is.

 

[AZGuy]

The last 3-4 years many NR's have come to the conclusion that they will never catch up to their dream hunt. so, they are lowering their sights to what they deem as a "lesser" hunt. This means you got guys who are applying for hunts, and they have 5-10 points more than what is necessary to draw. The guys that would be happy drawing these "lesser" hunts are like "What the hell just happened?". Thus, you have major creep like we have been seeing recently. I'm not really sure what the solution is.

Solution is end the point system, grandfather the people in that have points, let the system get rid of a few.

 

[longranger]

So end the point system but grandfather the 10's of thousands of people that currently have points? How do you propose they do that?

 

[callsalot]

So end the point system but grandfather the 10's of thousands of people that currently have points? How do you propose they do that?

Maybe do half tags random draw and Half highest point holders until the points run out??
Not sure just a thought.

 

[Moe]

System works great, I'll have another tag in 2 yrs..my 4th. Hoping for 5 before I die.

 

[AZGuy]

So end the point system but grandfather the 10's of thousands of people that currently have points? How do you propose they do that?

Sorry if you don’t understand the draw. The people w the points would hold the advantage of drawing before folks w no points( would take an eternity but it’s fair)

 

[Skykarp]

At the end of the day population is growing (demand) and animals on the land (supply) is going down. Someone is always going to find the system unfair or fair based on whether they have a tag.

There are 10+ late rifle hunts and 10+ late archery hunts can draw with 10-11 points Are they trophy hunts? Absolutely not but they get you in the woods. It’s at the point if you are a NR you can wait and trophy hunt or just get in the woods . If you really want a chance to hunt AZ more often your better bet is renting a U haul.

 

[Ahunter74]

I saw the writing on the wall and spent my 25 NR points last year, and had a good archery hunt. Holding out for the "BEST" several hunts is what most top point holders are doing. We tend to get a bit greedy as our point totals go up, but remember this is still hunting. You may draw "your" tag eventually but there is no guarantee it will live up to your expectations. Weather, people, health and rut activity are out of our control. Make sure you understand what you are holding out for, the likely waiting time for that tag, (point creep) and the realistic expectations for that hunt. And then plan accordingly.

 

[NM high country]

For me it’s not about getting a tag for the best unit in the state. I started buying points for a unit that took 8 to 10 points to draw a non res tag, 3/4 of the way there AZG&F changed the draw up and that set me way back. I had about 7 or 8 points at the time now I’ve got 20 points and still can’t draw the unit my brother lives in and now there are about 5 or so units that are even harder to draw.
So now I’m thinking about just using all those points on a lesser unit that I could probably have drawn 10 years ago just to get out of the AZ game. Not worth it anymore to me when you can spend the money on a landowner tag in another state and elk hunt that year.