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My New Arizona Strategy

January 4, 2011.

Arizona Antelope and Elk regulations are out, and the applications for those two species are due February 8.

In light of the high ongoing cost of Arizona applications ($151+ per year for the non-refundable license), the high out-of-pocket costs (license fees must be fronted in full), and the incredibly bad odds of drawing a tag in one of the top units (less than 1 in 100, even with several years of bonus points saved up), I'm going to try a new strategy in Arizona.

I've been applying in Arizona for 7 years and have never stood even a marginal chance at drawing a high-end tag. Over the next several years, I'm going to try to burn my points and draw some tags in Arizona. To do this, I'll forgo applying for the well-known but impossible-to-draw areas and apply in areas where there is less demand.

The areas with lower demand have lower demand for a reason -- either the hunting isn't as good, or there are private land access issues. To mitigate against these factors, I expect to have to use an outfitter, either to gain private land access or to leverage their expertise in hunting difficult areas and/or less-than-prime time periods.

Outfitted hunts, of couse, cost money. So I'll have to approach this slowly.

In 2011, my goal will be to draw a deer tag for a hunt where I've already identified an outfitter I want to work with. I've got 7 bonus points, and think I can probably pull this tag.

I'll (hopefully) submit a live application for Desert Sheep, just for the hell of it, and I'll build points for elk and antelope. If I draw my deer tag this year, I'll try to see if I can draw elk or antelope in the upcoming years.

"Why not take a chance and send in live apps for elk and antelope anyway?" some of you may ask (you know who you are).

Well, it's just too much cash to be out of pocket. I'd rather divert that cash towards long shots with slightly better odds (Wyoming sheep, for example). Or, just hold on to it while I continue the costly process of building a new house in the Denver foothills.

For those of you in the draw for Arizona elk and pronghorn, best of luck in drawing the tag that might have had my name on it.

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