eltaco

I've got the tag as well, just finished my first day in there, bulls were bugling but not showing aggression. I'd get responses to calls, but only one came in to them, the others I had to chase down. All in all, it was a pretty good day. Drove a lot of the unit afternoon to get a better bearing. I didn't see very many elk today, I have some learning to do. This country is VASTLY different from others states I've hunted.

Huge congrats to you both! I'm headed to the same unit right now... Just hit the border, should be in there around 2am. So stinking excited! Hope I can find similar success!

Guilty as charged, I guess. This will be my first time in AZ, and I am also coincidentally new to the forum. That said, I think most people go searching for forums when they are looking to learn about things they don't yet know, and this forum seemingly has the most information on the web regarding my particular interests (elk hunting in AZ). While I am new to this forum, I also regularly log in to ArcheryTalk, Rokslide, Elknut, TacomaWorld, etc. I've been a member of all of those forums for a number of years now, but originally started when I was looking to learn about topics I didn't have a full understanding of prior to joining. Also, I did FINALLY draw a tag in AZ, and Flatlander is again correct in saying that I haven't been to the state to scout prior to putting in this year. That makes 5 years of entering the draw without ever stepping foot in a unit. I understand that might sound odd to some, but I basically get enough time each year to scout and hunt a week to week and a half in the area that I've actually drawn. Any time spent in AZ would have meant not investing time in the hunt that I was directly preparing for each year. If I had the opportunity to realize success, my remaining time was spent helping others harvest and so taking time to go where nobody has a tag simply didn't hit the top of my To-Do list. Additionally, my unit selections have changed from year to year as I further my research, and my drawn tag this year was a brand new unit entry this season, so any time scouting other units would not have directly related to the one I have actually drawn. I'm also NOT at all looking for anybody's secret spots or anything of the such. I'm researching techniques, bull quality, harvest stories, road conditions/closures, water availability, etc. to determine how best to approach my unit. My scouting on the ground will tell me the rest of what I need to know, and I'm quite confident that I will locate elk without secret GPS coordinates. There is a lot of info to be gleaned from the web that gives me a HUGE jump start without ever spending the gas money and time away from family. I know already that I won't be going on my first scouting trip completely blind, as I have researched the area enough to know areas of interest going in. Lastly, I'm here to gain information just as much as I give it. I've hunted ID, UT, and CO, and also apply to WY and AZ (neither of which I've yet scouted). I've had the pleasure of hunting bull elk each year with a bow for a number of seasons and recognize that this is not a privilege that everyone has in some states, so I come with a bit of knowledge and experience from surrounding areas. You can also look me up on other forums to quickly find that I've spent oodles of time helping with bow setup and tuning, backpacking gear selection, and elk hunting techniques. I understand the concern as this time of year inevitably brings a fresh wave of new faces, but bear with us as we're all trying to learn and improve our skills in the woods. I look forward to making some good friends here and having a place to turn to when we're all looking for some uplift when times get tough this Fall! Nothing beats having a community of guys in the area to share experiences and information on elk behavior and activity when September finally rolls around.

I can finally see my draw results online, and now see my permit number. Is this number my draw position amongst other NRs, or simply my draw order amongst all other applicants? My permit number shows 15, archery elk in 6B with 5 bps as a NR entering the draw. I had been reading that 7bps was the minimum NR to get drawn in the bonus pass last year, so curious if applications are down and I was actually drawn in the bonus pass, or I was in fact the last NR to draw a tag outside of the bonus pass. Never been drawn in AZ, so not sure how the permit number works.

Welcome... At least throw a guy a bone and give me some photo credit for that toad in the first pic I did my best to properly capture his hugeness.

Thanks for confirming that, Jim. Excited to be hunting, just was unclear on this particular aspect of the draw. Can't wait to get out there.. lots of learning to do!

I had it written down as 7pts for last year, I must have looked at how many points were required for 100% draw success. So since I had enough points for the bonus pass for my 2nd choice, but not my 1st choice, is the 1st choice completely irrelevant on my application? As I'm reading it, the 1-2 choice pass occurs after the bonus pass is complete, so I was likely never even considered for my 1st choice. Correct? ND... I feel for you. I grew up in Williston

I pulled my 2nd choice.... 6B archery bull! AZ, here I come!

Yep, it shows that I've drawn by way of bonus points, but no information on the unit drawn, yet. Nice catch. This must have just happen as I swear I looked at it an hour ago

As much as that info stinks to hear, it's all helpful information towards understanding what my expectatations should be this Fall. I appreciate your input. Its tough being a NR trying to make draw decisions the first time around... Never fully know what to expect until you get a season in the area under your belt, and I'm looking forward to it !Where are you from? Chances are you'll see more elk during that 5bs hunt than any other hunt you've ever been on. Still lots of elk in there, and it's almost all tall pine country. I'm currently in UT, lived in CO and ID for a few years each. Never been blessed with an AZ tag and know that I am not in a top tier unit but still hold some expectation that it is likely to be one of the most memorable hunts I've been on to date. You guys are fortunate to chase the elk that you get to in AZ. I'm quite used to chasing lots of ragorn bulls around with a rare glimpse at a nice 6x6 a couple of times a year. It's a tough system for NRs at $152/yr with 0% chance of drawing any of the "top" units outside of the bonus pass, so I'm just hoping for a quality hunt that I might have the opportunity to come do every 5-8years. I just can't wait to be back in elk again this Fall ! Very excited to get down there !

As much as that info stinks to hear, it's all helpful information towards understanding what my expectatations should be this Fall. I appreciate your input. Its tough being a NR trying to make draw decisions the first time around... Never fully know what to expect until you get a season in the area under your belt, and I'm looking forward to it !

This will also be my first trip to AZ. I'm in on 5BS as my 1st choice and 6B on my 2nd choice, both early archery bull tags. Regardless of which I've drawn I'm interested in learning more about both units this year. Lots to learn this year and it will be fun to get some serious boots on the ground this Summer and Fall!

Bone777 So if G&F issued 100x of tags in every unit, you're saying they would have zero impact on the game quality in the area? Your point that genetics and food play a role in quality is valid, but saying that herd management is completely irrelevant is 100% incorrect. The reason top-tier units in any state offer better bull potential is largely due to the vast differences in tag allotment... or, by your theory, the food and genetics drastically change as soon as you cross a unit border. I've only been here for a few posts, so that's probably an invalid observation, as well. I am only here for the results, but this topic has me intrigued...

Still no change for me. Looks like the data migration has started though!

NR, 5pts, early archery bull 1: 5BS 2: 6B Looks as though I've drawn, and I have to assume I drew my 2nd choice since it's clearly the easier draw. That said, I understand the draw process really well, just don't know where you are retrieve the Resident/NR applicant numbers to come up with the odds. I know how many NR tags were remaining after last seasons' bonus pass, but not sure how you're getting to the simple odds beyond that point. Seems as though any early archery bull tag is a needle in a haystack beyond the bonus pass, for a NR. I tried to at least give myself a chance at drawing this year, and looks as though it paid off... very curious exactly how fortunate I've been! I know neither are top-tier tags, but I'm very excited to get out there and experience AZ this year as it will help direct my draw decisions in your beautiful state going forward!

I have had a hit on my credit card for a week and the system tells me that I still have all of my bonus points, both with the new login and the old check draw results link. I don't know what you're see if Vossy, but my screen is not indicative of a drawn tag. I think it was around April 5th when results were actually posted last year, No ?