How long has it been since you been drawn for bull elk

[joeybari]

Its interesting to hear both sides of the argument, I feel that this argument or discussion falls on def ears with the game and fish. Most of us including my self go to G&F meeting and always bring up the draw process and it seems like they (G&F rep) has been trained to avoid the question or there just tiered of hearing it I say to bad we all pay your pay check and that’s what you are there for.

I don’t feel or think there something that will be done in the future regarding the draw process, But I would like for the G&F to have some sort of dialog regarding the discontent that many hunters have with the AZ draw. This is after all OUR G&F don’t we the hunter, tax payer and donors have the right to question, or challenge the rules that are in place.

I really don’t want big changes in the way things are, but there must be some done when it comes to hunter out there that have more then 8 point and still don’t have a tag in there hands. That’s about 70 to 80 dollars that went to bonus points and 7 to 8 years of not pulling a trigger (bow, rifle muzzle loader). Come on doesn’t that person deserve a better chance than that hunter that gets a tag every year.

Please don’t tell me that it all depends on what hunt you put in for; I’m talking about Trophy hunts. That why most of us have the higher point in the first place.

 

 

[tjhunt2]

Now here's a thread I can fit in with my 8 points, but not as much as some of you! Hearing about you poor folks sittin' there with 15+ points makes ME feel better! What sucks every year is hearing about the folks drawing back to back Trophy elk tags or every other or even every three years drawing Trophy elk tags. I fully understand the guys like TJ who apply for an easy draw tag and get a tag consistently, I'd do the same if i didn't have points. But those guys drawing trophy hunts consistently really bugs me and I can't help but wonder how that's possible, but it is what it is. I just want a tag and right now I'm just experiencing my annual feeling of rejection

 

I really think a 3 year waiting period would help make things a bit more fair, that would have to help lessen the amount of folks that have waited 10+ years for a bull tag!

 

I am happy for those with tags though, gonna be some big antlers this year! JIM>

 

Jim, I can imagine how frustrated you are, and rightly so, not drawing an elk tag and I feel your frustration along with all the others in your catagory. I know you are saying, I possibly can't feel your frustration, after drawing 20 elk tags in as many years but believe me I do. I see you and a few others are always saying I don't put in for trophy tags and I understand your point of view. I personnally don't use that word ( TROPHY ) in my hunting vocabulary. I think of a trophy as something you get at a bowing alley. I love to hunt and I'ld rather go hunting every year than wait several years not drawing a tag because I think a big bull is not more important than the hunting experience itself. My way of thinking isn't on the same page as alot of you who want to put a big bull on the wall or in the books but I do respect your decisssion. I don't keep it a secret and never have that I hunt 22 and I have a million memories with my late Mother on those hunts. I wouldn't change a thing. I love to hunt and that is what is most important to me in life. I play the odds because I am a hunter and want to hunt, period.

 

I really envy you and your outfitter's business and know you are a class act and hope you finally draw that tag someday you have been waiting on.

 

TJ

[bonecollector]

I drew a late archery tag 2 years ago in 6a the first year they had that hunt with 1bp. I feel for the guys that have been waiting for a long time, its makes me think if I ever want to hunt elk again I should put in for a hunt with less demand. Good luck to all with tags and for those of us who didn't get drawn hopefully next year.

[luvdemcoues]

Man, what a depressing thread. Here I was starting to feel sorry for myself because I haven't been drawn in 2 years. Thanks for putting it into perspective for me. I am like TJHunt2 in that I put in for the areas that I have a better chance at getting drawn. I just love being out there. Besides, there's always a few good bulls even in those areas with higher draw odds. If I don't stumble across one of those, oh well. At least I was out.

[ajohunter]

I agree with you TJ. The trophy is in the eye of the hunter himself. Instead of "trophy hunts" lets call them what they really are. High Demand hunts. I myself average 7 to 8 years in between elk tags. 1994 I had a 6A archery bull tag, 2003 late rifle bull in 8, and again in 2010 I drew the late rifle bull hunt in 8. Since 1995 the late rifle hunt in 8 is all that I apply for. 7 years is a long time to wait to get drawn as we all know, but I only want that specific tag so im willing to wait it out. On the other side of it I have friends that have drawn the same tag 4 or 5 times since 2001!!!

[COOSEFAN]

Now here's a thread I can fit in with my 8 points, but not as much as some of you! Hearing about you poor folks sittin' there with 15+ points makes ME feel better! What sucks every year is hearing about the folks drawing back to back Trophy elk tags or every other or even every three years drawing Trophy elk tags. I fully understand the guys like TJ who apply for an easy draw tag and get a tag consistently, I'd do the same if i didn't have points. But those guys drawing trophy hunts consistently really bugs me and I can't help but wonder how that's possible, but it is what it is. I just want a tag and right now I'm just experiencing my annual feeling of rejection

 

I really think a 3 year waiting period would help make things a bit more fair, that would have to help lessen the amount of folks that have waited 10+ years for a bull tag!

 

I am happy for those with tags though, gonna be some big antlers this year! JIM>

 

Jim, I can imagine how frustrated you are, and rightly so, not drawing an elk tag and I feel your frustration along with all the others in your catagory. I know you are saying, I possibly can't feel your frustration, after drawing 20 elk tags in as many years but believe me I do. I see you and a few others are always saying I don't put in for trophy tags and I understand your point of view. I personnally don't use that word ( TROPHY ) in my hunting vocabulary. I think of a trophy as something you get at a bowing alley. I love to hunt and I'ld rather go hunting every year than wait several years not drawing a tag because I think a big bull is not more important than the hunting experience itself. My way of thinking isn't on the same page as alot of you who want to put a big bull on the wall or in the books but I do respect your decisssion. I don't keep it a secret and never have that I hunt 22 and I have a million memories with my late Mother on those hunts. I wouldn't change a thing. I love to hunt and that is what is most important to me in life. I play the odds because I am a hunter and want to hunt, period.

 

I really envy you and your outfitter's business and know you are a class act and hope you finally draw that tag someday you have been waiting on.

 

TJ

 

 

Thanks TJ, I admire your thoughts and reasoning. I'm more frustrated for other folks rather than myself, I just hope I don't have to wait as long as they have! I'd be perfectly fine with a lesser demand hunt but I've got a certain hunt that I really want and have never gotten it. In the meantime I've watched MANY folks draw the same hunt multiple times over the years while i've been (somewhat) patiently waiting! It's not because I just want to kill a book bull, for me it's mainly because I want to have that certain tag in my pocket and finally get to hunt for myself in my favorite unit! I can kill a bull that meets my standards on a lesser demand hunt, I just want that certain tag once and then I'll do exactly as you have and play the odds to get a tag more often

[Switchback]

This is now my 12th year no tag and all my stuff is now for sale.....exspeciallly after hearing 2 people i know drew back to back archery 27 bull tags

 

 

[ehunt]

Jim, i am in the same boat as you...i want a unit 9 archery tag just once!!! After that i will start applying in other units.

 

Switchback, hang in there man!!! I know a bunch of guys who have had tag after tag in great units which is BS!!! But stick with it and your time will come!

[hunterdude]

It's been a long 12 months for me!

[HaYen]

... I personnally don't use that word ( TROPHY ) in my hunting vocabulary. I think of a trophy as something you get at a bowing alley. I love to hunt and I'ld rather go hunting every year than wait several years not drawing a tag because I think a big bull is not more important than the hunting experience itself. ...

TJ

 

Yer right. If I would have put in with my buddy, I'd be hunting this year. I still may help out over his Saturday / Sunday. I've decided not to put in for Deer this year (just purchase a point). Its a busy election year and I'm blowing my vacation days to attend a wedding back home in August. So even if I did get drawn for Elk, I'd probably be looking for a new job

 

Congrats again to everyone who got drawn.

 

BJ

 

[azhuntnut]

I have been very fortunate when you comes to the draw. David

01-early archery bull

02-early archery cow

05-early archery bull

07-early archery bull

10-early archery bull

 

[jdub]

2001 - 11M Early Archery Bull

2004 - 4B Early Archery Bull

2009 - 3A/3C Early Archery Bull

2010 - 8 Early Archery Bull

 

Luck. Plain and simple (along with some marginal units).

[Coues79]

Only been a year for me, but still, it hurts pretty bad to hear "you were not drawn for elk". Hope next year I can grab another one.

[DCMHunter]

You can make the time in between tags as long or as short as you want it. I now have 16 BP for elk and 17 for antilope. I put in for the preferred hunts and then a few years ago I started sharing my points with my brother-in-law from Wisconson. With that being said I have hunted elk for three of the last five years by picking up left over tags for cows. This next year should put me and my brother-in-law in the bonus pass for the hunt that we want. I will be applying for left over tags again this year and I am very excited that I can apply for some good hunts not just cow hunts. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE DRAW SYSTEM. It could be worse and be a prefrence point system.

 

DCM