1uofacat

No, they dont. When you apply for a leftover tag and are not successful they just send your envelope back return to sender without cashing the check. Thanks for the clarification. It doesn't make me any less annoyed with AZGFD. I believe that in most forums I am a big supporter of AZGFD. While that won't change, this aggravates me. Someone or someone's kid was next in line and should have gotten those tags. I agree, too many people over-react without knowing all the facts. Finishing 2 or 3 weeks early sounds great, but not issuing tags to applicants who did everything correctly is something they can never get back.

Should have applied with a check or money order... :/

Well, someone has to get them. I assume those are Sept. rifle tags? We've had those in the past... super hunts!

Congrats! I have the same antelope tag! This draw took every one of my 19 bonus points though! To top it off, it's been 10 years since the pic (in the avatar) of me with a bull tag in 5BN, but I guess this was my year, Finally! Unit 8 Sept. archery.

That trophy hunt is fun! In 2007 my son took a cow in a junior's hunt with a bull 20 yds away bugling and asked me to put him in for a bull tag the following year. I obliged by putting in for the Sept. rifle tag (5BN that year) and junior’s tag second choice. Wouldn’t you know it, he drew one of the 25 coveted tags! Needless to say he took a nice bull opening day.

last year the portal was up on 3/27, cards were first hit 3/17.

G&F Portal Postings = "Plus-size individual identifying as a female" sings... until then, anything is possible!

Pac8541, sorry to hear that, but that's one of the reasons I haven't put in with CC #s for a cpl years now. We're all human and can make mistakes. What happened to me a cpl years ago was outside of my control and happened w/out my consent (bank canceled my card randomly almost a week after the cutoff date on a year the actual draw did not take place the following morning due to "issues" with their "consultant"). Of course, zero recourse for anyone that happened to as those of us simply became "statistics". You may be able to get a leftover tag on the NAD (assuming there are some), but there's issues there too as I heard last year they put all the archers and rifle elk hunters in the same area at the same time... Other than that, there's Colorado or Utah... Sometimes there is a tag or two left over from the Hopi elk hunts. I know someone who years ago actually picked up one of those tags on the leftover draw.

Explorer, I'm assuming you haven't had 10 years of September bull tags! If so, you'd either get banned or hundreds of requests to apply together! haha

Lots of tags azbugler, that's a "great" kind of busy! Same here (somewhat) as "our group" has 4 tags so far for archery elk and 5 paper apps still in so there could be more. One of the paper apps is for an archery lope tag for myself (19 pts), so curious where you put in for. just curious when the most recent charge anyone saw hit their account... knowing there may still be a couple.

It took 10 days for results to be posted on the Portal last year. We have both paper and CC apps in, so far 4 elk tag "hits", and we have 5 "paper" results still pending, plus a cpl more CC apps to go... it could still happen for the last two CC apps (4 out of 6 so far)

cuttem, eliminate the stress and use a check!

The AZ G&F years ago decided to automate the draw process. Sounded great, but they didn't realize the issues that would have, namely declined credit card charges and what to do about them. Because those declined charges were typically not the fault of the applicant, the second year they implemented this they called everyone who had a declined card in an effort to give "us" a chance at receiving a tag. We've all heard stories here where people received calls and were able to provide a different card and received their tags... not everyone was so lucky however. While that worked, somewhat, it delayed the completion of the draw process. In addition, the added headache of making those calls, likely in the hundreds, became quite burdensome. Now there are no calls being made, but rather we need to "ensure" our cards are "good" before the draw starts. Here's a list of what my family has had happen over the past several years and what I am doing to prevent this from ever happening again. 1) Shortly after this new process started, our bank declined the G&F charges because there were "multiple large charges of the same amount" that to someone evidently looked suspicious (they were elk tags). The G&F called twice and luckily someone was able to answer the second call, provide a different card, and we received our tags. Our bank did not inform us they declined these charges, we only found out when we called the bank to find out what they did and why. While on the phone, the G&F rep asked if we knew another person with the same last name. They were related and we had them use the same "new" card and they were subsequently given their tag as well. There is no record of a call from the G&F to the second number (cell phone). 2) A few years into this new draw process, our bank suspected our Debit/Credit card's information was compromised so they canceled our cards prior to the draw without informing us. We had plenty of money in our account, but we never saw charges hit our account, nor did we receive any calls from the G&F. New cards arrived in the mail the week after the draw process started. After receiving the cards/finding out what our bank did I called the G&F and was told we were rejected on two elk tags due to rejected charges and there was nothing they could do. 3) 4 years ago my sister-in-law was drawn, but her card was declined due to a "suspected security breach" and new card being issued to her. She never received a call from the G&F, and did not receive her tag, but retained her bonus point. She received a new card weeks after the draw was over. A call to the G&F did not help. 4) 3 years ago, I verified my account had funds the week the draw started. It was frustrating not seeing any hits on my account, and when I tried to using the card that weekend it was "declined". I called my bank and they told me they re-issued my card because it was set to expire soon (6 weeks away). I checked my portal and according to my portal I didn't even apply. I couldn't change the card as it was too late. I called the G&F the following Monday and they would only say the draw was in process and "don't trust the portal information". In the end I was supposedly "not drawn"... but to this day don't trust what the G&F told me, especially given the portal didn't show having applied. My bank statement showed application fees hitting my account in mid-Feb. Perhaps I just wasn't drawn, but will never know for sure what happened. Last year I decided to eliminate any of the above issues by applying with paper applications and money orders. The only difference was I was not looking for charges to "hit" my card. While this has been "exciting" in the past, more often than not it turned out to be frustrating. Didn't we also hear about some last year that had charges "hit" only to disappear later on? Know I was drawn last year and received some tags, but not for antelope w/19 points... Personally I will never again risk not receiving a tag because someone outside of my control declines charges or decides to re-issue cards at their discretion. I would prefer the G&F simply process the tag charges when we apply and issue refunds to those not drawn, PERIOD! Until the G&F chooses to "prevent" declined charges during the draw, I will never again apply with a credit card... it is simply not worth the risk!

Rossi, you are right on last year's elk draw... I stand corrected on what I thought. Last year the regs stated 3/16 at 11:59PM for the cutoff on changing cards and hits started morning of the 17th. In 2016 for elk, regs stated March 17 at 11:59PM and hits started two weeks later on April 1st. BTW, I did not look up the other draw cycles since elk of '16. Assuming there are no issues with their "consultants", that would put this year's stress day for many on Friday, March 16th, or the 2nd... if that's the date. If there are "issues" this year however, a lot can happen in 2 weeks.

For most people, you will never have an issue. When it happens to you however, it will likely change your opinion. It's obvious who you trust bone, good for you. As far as no paper apps next year, unless you are the one making that decision you don't know when or if it will happen. el diablo, since when does the G&F start charging cards the day after the cut-off deadline, or even told us accurately when they will actually start the draw?

It appears some may have ignored one of my main points. Regardless of what institution you use, the fact is they can cancel your card or deny charges without your permission or knowledge regardless of what you say prior to any draw or whether or not you have "available funds" to cover them. It happens every year. I honestly do not know if it is against Arizona law to charge the full amount or not when you apply, like some states do, but it might be the case here. Per-paid cards might be another "safer" option, but are they really? Lastly, for the vast majority of applicants there haven't been problems that we know of and charges have gone through just fine, especially if you get a tag! What if you don't get a tag? How do you know for sure a charge wasn't denied? Just don't be naive to think it can't happen to you, & if it does the odds "it won't" are immediately meaningless. Do whatever you feel comfortable with, but for myself that means paper applications... & good luck on the draw!

Seriously? $150 for them to tell you what published odds are? Makes me want to say I'll do it for $140!

Keep in mind every Sept bull tag owner wants a 350 bull so there will be w let of competition. Also, 350 bulls are probably closer to 1 in 10 bulging bulls, & a few will be exceptional. The only rule is they won't come in numerical order, so while you could see 3 in a row, you may also see 30 or more before you see 1. Enjoy your hunt, but remember there's nothing wrong with collecting a 300" bull either, especially if done right!

I'm sure we'd all like to see a snapshot of your results showing that you applied for the same hunt 4 times (1-4), then we're drawn for your 5th Choice. Also, did you do this for the past 3 years each year? Lastly, were you drawn on your first choice for those years, or "5th"? Looking forward to seeing those...

While that sounds like a reasonable explanation, this is not what happened (based on a screenshot of which hunts were applied for & the results clearly showing the 5th choice was successful... Note that this was later removed from this thread). There were 5 different bull elk hunts applied for in this case, not the same one 4 times, then a "second" as a "fifth" choice.

I'm interested on hearing what it says now. Mine hasn't changed... archery cow when they first showed, same now.

Haven't been there since the fire, but we always used to camp on the west fork of the Black River. It's in the southern part of the unit, but was a great spot to hunt out of as well as take a day off fly fishing etc.

While I could say that's BS (having applied w/19 goat points in unit 9 this year & not drawn... again...), I've had my fair share of tags in the past. Also I have a son who years ago drew a Sept rifle bull tag in 5bN w/only a hunter ed point... it happens. Congrats on the tags. Another son & I drew archery cow tags, so at least I get to go. We didn't know until just now as we applied w/money orders.

Mormon Lake, 3/26/17

Upper Lake Mary looking west 3/26/17, lake at max level.