What would you do?

[rugerman]

I have 11 BP going into the draw next year. For the past several I have been putting in for early bull and muzzy hunts. I'm getting the itch bad!! Would you burn em all on an archery hunt? Or stick it out? My daughter is 2, I guess if it takes 8 more I could sign it over to her. I also have 3 herniated discs so I'm kinda glad I didn't draw this year. Working hard at rehabbing it. Well harder than Lindsay Lohan How many BPs do you have and what are you holding out for??

[wklman]

i've got 8 bp's and am only putting in for the rifle bull hunts since i don't have the time to archery hunt.

[COUESAZ]

Some may see a rifle tag as burning a tag. I would put in for what you fill more comfy with when it comes to shooting a monster bull. I only put in for 2 areas and alternate them each year. 9BP

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

3A/3C, 9, 10, or 8 would be all I'd be puttin' in for with those points.... reguardles of weapon.... IMO.

[azpackhorse]

I apply for archery bull only and have 7BP's, if I were you and muzzy elk is what you want to do then I would stick with that plan.

You may want to think about trying to get a tag in NM just to cure your itch, it's easier to get a tag there than here.

 

Remember when muzzle loader hunts weren't popular? same with archery

[Red Rabbit]

Not much compares to chasing a bugling bull and calling him close with a bow in hand. I'd scrap the Nov rifle desire and hunt em in September with a bow.

Unless you have max points, the odds of getting drawn for an early rifle tag are less than 1% with even 11 points. Odds for archery are 80-100% with 11BP.

Call G&F and order the bonus point analysis by hunt number for $25.

[firstcoueswas80]

yep! chase em with a bow!

[muledeerarea33?]

whats the amount of bonus points you need before they draw you? I have 8 as of this year

[tjhunt2]

Rugerman...11BP

wklman....8BP ....

Arizona Guide....9BP

azpackhorse....7

muledeerarea33....8BP

 

That adds up to 43 elk hunts between the 5 of you guys. Here is my take and I'm not trying to rub salt in to a wound but either you are unlucky as he#@, don't pay attention to the odds, or it's rifle bull no matter what. Not all of you but certainly some of you would rather not hunt unless it was a bull tag. That is fine if that's what you want but I personally will take any hunt over not hunting at all. While all of you have spent not hunting elk I've been filling my memory bank with a whole lot of memories spent with family and friends that I wouldn't have had if I had been holding out for a 1%-5% draw tag.

A trophy elk hunt means the world to some of you and that is what you like but to me it is all about the hunt, meat in the freezer, and memories galore. I've heard just about every excuse there is when it comes to why people don't want to burn there elk tag on an archery hunt but the one that gets me the most is,"I don't have time to hunt archery".

First of all let me knock on wood...I've had at least 21 elk tags over the past 30 years or so that I can remember. I have had an archery tag every year since 1991, 17 tags straight, and some years I got to be picky and pass up dozens of bulls and went without but still have 10 archery filled tags out of 17 and a whole lot of memories to boot.

So to answer your guestion rugerman, yes I would burn BP's for an archery tag. Each their own but the hunt means more to me than wanting to hang a trophy on the wall. It just might happen anyway to me before you draw your tag. I HOPE NOT! Good luck on your next year draw.

[azpackhorse]

I hear what you're saying tj but if I am the tag holder I want to hunt archery bull in the rut. I go on elk hunts every year and I enjoy just being there and experiencing it all but when it comes down to me personally nothing compares to rutting bull elk with archery gear.

 

next year I will have my 3rd Arizona elk tag........................hopefully

[tjhunt2]

I hear what you're saying tj but if I am the tag holder I want to hunt archery bull in the rut. I go on elk hunts every year and I enjoy just being there and experiencing it all but when it comes down to me personally nothing compares to rutting bull elk with archery gear.

 

next year I will have my 3rd Arizona elk tag........................hopefully

I hear what you're sayin. Can't beat that time of year during the rut. Good luck on next year's tag and all your hunts to come.

[rugerman]

Thanks RR, I called G&F and picked up a 2006 BP analysis(2007 won't be out for a while longer).

 

tjhunt-. Years 1-2 were apps for cow tags, 3-6 for rifle/archery bull 7-10 premium apps. Looking through the BP book it looks like what RR said is true. with 11 BP I could draw pretty much any archery hunt. Or I could continue to hold out for a rut hunt where there are only 25 hunters/unit. I have drawn a deer tag every year(knock on wood) and been on several elk hunts in the meantime. I'm not a purist trophy hunter (several spike deer can attest to that), but I'm not burning 11BP on a cow and I'm not so sure about a hunt with 200 archers either.

[rugerman]

Ok I can understand wanting to hunt, but i see someone put in for a limited opportunity hunt with 10 BP????

[tjhunt2]

Ok I can understand wanting to hunt, but i see someone put in for a limited opportunity hunt with 10 BP????

 

Now that is where I draw the line. Your chances are looking good for next year. Good luck!

[badred6]

The whole BP system is all luck of the draw. IU say this because I got drawn this year for a early muzzleloader hunt in 3b. I only had 2 BP's, i was not expecting it but I will take it. When it comes to the draw, you just have to get lucky, The more BP the better your chances. But in my case i was just lucky