What to draw with 12 NR points

Aaron · May 18, 2012

I have come to realize i will never draw a 13 tag be archery or rifle so i just want to draw a fun hunt and go. I have been doing my home work and thought i would list a few hunts and see what u guys think of the hunts and choices. I have heard a few guys talk about the new 17a and b late hunts. 12a east muzzy hunt is another one i am looking at and another is 12a west late, 12b west late rifle.

I have 12 NR points and i have not taken the test yet to get my extra one. Is there any other ones i should look at with my points. I should draw elk next year as i have 14 points for that so archery elk better look out. Any help would be great.

I just want a fun hunt and a chance at a good deer. 180 type would be nice or better. If i got nothing but a great time that would be great too. thanx

azhuntin · May 18, 2012

I would go for the 12 b late hunt,you will see a ton of deer and have a fun time. 12 a w is also a great hunt, but it might take a few more years to draw. I would definately get that hunters safety point, which could move your odds up quite a bit.

chasendeer · May 18, 2012

I would take the 12 a west late. You can get tat as you sit now. Great hunt!!

ClarkW · May 19, 2012

Well you said you won't draw a 13 tag, so if your looking at the Kaibab late hunts, your odds aren't much better to draw, so maybe you should continue to stick out the strip. 13A is a little easier to draw than b.

Another option is consider the early Kaibab hunts. Same country as the late hunts which means your hunting the same bucks, just with more people and no rut action. You'll still see lots of deer on the 12A West hunt.

The muzzy hunts are always good and the December hunts in 17, 23, 27 can be good but 23 and 27 is some rough country.

AZMIGHTYMULIES · May 19, 2012

I would keep putting in for the 13 hunts , whether its 13A or 13B , odd's are relatively much the same drawing and both Unit's hold equal quality of Bucks !!!

HillbillyNnevada · May 19, 2012

He said he is a NR with less than max points. I thought he couldn't draw the 13's or late Kaibab hunts because of the pass rule.

glass_eye · May 20, 2012

>I would keep putting in for
>the 13 hunts , whether
>its 13A or 13B ,
>odd's are relatively much the
>same drawing and both Unit's
>hold equal quality of Bucks
>!!!

He's a NR it's mathematically impossible to draw. The only way to draw a 13 tag would be to move to AZ and become a Resident.

Aaron,
Good for you for coming to terms with reality. I've tried to talk sense into other NRs that it's impossible to draw a 13 without maximum points but most don't listen.

chasendeer · May 20, 2012

13's rifle and bow, are out of reach but the 12 lates are now in reach.

AzIdUtelknut · May 20, 2012

Any of the 12 late hunts would provide an excellent opportunity at a 180+ buck, especially if you go guided.

hornhunter247 · May 20, 2012

12 late hunts are well within reach I think, the way the 20 percent pass was explained to me was if there are 20 available tags for the max pool and only 12 put in for it with max points, the remaining 8 go to people with 1 under max. I believe that's why there are odds given for people with less than max points on some of these late hunts. I would try and draw a late kiabab tag, always a chance at a bruiser. Or an early hunt and hire Dwuane Adams, they put down some great bucks every year on that early hunt.

I just call em as I see em!

Aaron · May 21, 2012

Thanx guys for all the post. I am going to send for them and let it play out. No one thinks its a good idea about the late 17 hunts. i guess i will stick with 12 late hunts

tawstaxidermy · May 21, 2012

me and my brother will be appling also for 12aw late with 14 points as a non- res. time to try to cash out ,This year I got my az. bow elk tag and this deer hunt would be nice , to close out the year on. well see,I belive 14 points is just a chance now to draw this hunt . tag cuts and more poeple with 1 less than max points in the system. I could of drawn it two years ago but now it seems a little harder . good luck guys in the draw

cb375hh · May 21, 2012

Why wouldnt you guys just hold out another year or two a get a 13 tag? Ofcourse easy fo me to say I didnt hold out for over a decade.

oilcan · May 21, 2012

tawstaxidermy do you have the hunter Ed point ?

tawstaxidermy · May 22, 2012

yes we got the hunter ed point and loyal point . Just missed the very first year when the point system started. what a painful misstake. waiting isnt really a problem for me,except I have heard if you dont have max points then you will never get the unit 13 tags as a non-resident. I have heard also the 12 awest sure isnt what it use to be, but I just feel this is the year to burn the points and start all over, at least when I draw I will have two points to start . when does the draw start for deer -sheep this year ? I know the deadline is the second week of june or at least I belive.

mickeyelk · May 23, 2012

I'm in the same boat as you with 12 BPs. Still debating on what to do.

DonMartin · May 23, 2012

Guys here is what I posted in another section of MM. Might explain some things about the draw, especially for NR's.

Yes, for those wanting a 13B deer tag you see some interesting numbers in the latest G&F reports. The total in the max bonus point pool is just under 200. Most are NR's while there are just 19 residents in that pool.

I suspect that about 33 in that group of max bonus point holders will get tags this year, including about 15 residents. These are based on guys drawing 13A, 13B, 12B late and 12A West Late tags with max points.

What blows me away is the number of NR's who have 14 bonus points for deer and ONLY NEED THE AZ HUNTER ED POINT TO GET INTO THE MAX POOL!

I think there are about 200 of them. Are you kidding me? You only need a one day AZ Hunter Ed class and you are in the max pool where you finally have a chance to draw a once-in-a-lifetime tag?

If I read it right, I'm in the top 140 residents in AZ for deer. Knowing I'm not in the max pool, and that the first 13 rifle tags in 13B will go to those who have max points, I can only hope for one of the remaining tags..

But as a resident with 13 points, I'm in the "game" with thousands of other residents for the remaining 52 tags. There are never any NR's in the second draw. The up to 10% (quota)of deer tags that are issued are all gone in the max bonus pool drawing in Unit 13B. (probably 13A too).

So for me to draw a tag this year, I just got to get lucky!

For those 170+ NR's who are in the max pool and apply for Unit 13B, you're going to get 6 out of the first 7 tags in that 20% bonus point pass draw. Then the remaining NR's in that max pool are OUT unless they have applied for a second choice like a late 12A West (Kaibab) tag AND there are still some NR tags available.

Depending on how many NR's apply for the late Kaibab tags, sometimes it MIGHT drop down one or even two tiers before the 10% (quota) is filled on that hunt, but don't bet on it!

Sorry, to be the bearer of bad news guys, just the way it is right now.

Don Martin
Arizona Wildlife Outfitters

Here is why I am waiting for one more AZ Strip deer tag. The happy hunter is Tony Keller from Kingman. We assisted him on his 2010 AZ Strip hunt.

dang302 · May 24, 2012

Well I only have 3 points, but regardless, I think the answer is to move to AZ for 6 months and establish residency and buy a lifetime license. Good for a chuckle, but IM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING IT!

tawstaxidermy · May 25, 2012

I took the test and got the point , most very sereious hunters have, but the cost of getting to az. for some is not cheap gas , motel . etc. My wife and kids all have good points going but she will not spend the money to go there. dont forget about the ladys (wifes ) they now make up alot of high point holders in many states. It could be a 2000 mile plus round trip. all for a point. not worth it to some, plus there is a wave of hunters that jumped on the point system about 10-12 years ago from a few magazines apply apply apply. they love to hunt like most of us but there not gonna go out of the way for it. thats at least what I have seen .

Bura Nut · May 25, 2012

I think alot of people think the bucks are just easy to find on the kaibab. I have hunted it with Duwane Adams for quite a few years and his camp always kills big bucks on both early and late hunts but it all boils down to unit knowledge and hard work. he is well worth the investment for this hunt. www.arizonabiggamehunting.com........ Thanks, Allen Taylor......