right now im sitting on 10 pts in az. i can draw a number of late season tags both rifle and archery. so do i burn my points now or do i bite the bullet and keep putting in and hope i draw a better tag in 5-10 yrs? this would be my first elk hunt, and i could probably get out for one quick scouting trip. what would you guys do? what has been your experience with the late season hunts?
az elk?
- Thread starter slamdmini
- Start date
Bluffgruff
Well-known member
Hunt a couple late season hunts elsewhere first. MT, CO, maybe even a Wyoming or NM.
If it isn't one of the top 5 units, success rates are variable and depend highly on experience. I'm not advocating for you to wait until you can draw those top end late rifle hunts, just that you bring an experienced A game.
If it isn't one of the top 5 units, success rates are variable and depend highly on experience. I'm not advocating for you to wait until you can draw those top end late rifle hunts, just that you bring an experienced A game.
hogcarpy
Well-known member
Agreed. I’d would encourage some experience before any limited entry hunt. It will go a long way to help you be successful on a LE hunt that takes a decade or more to draw.
ImBillT
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2018
- Messages
- 3,889
I agree with the above.
Having gone on an AZ late rifle elk hunt that currently takes 9pts to draw, and saw only a handful of elk over a period of seven days, I must say that assuming AZ is so good that anyone can kill monster in an unit is totally bogus. Some of those late rifle elk hunts are tough, and have a lot of hunters hunting relatively few elk. I would get some experience AND be careful which late rifle hunts you apply for.
Having gone on an AZ late rifle elk hunt that currently takes 9pts to draw, and saw only a handful of elk over a period of seven days, I must say that assuming AZ is so good that anyone can kill monster in an unit is totally bogus. Some of those late rifle elk hunts are tough, and have a lot of hunters hunting relatively few elk. I would get some experience AND be careful which late rifle hunts you apply for.
The Hedgehog
Well-known member
You've got 10 points, roughly a decade of waiting, and almost $2000 in non-refundable license fees to go hunt for a raghorn.. Man - go hunting and stop wasting your money. Do a bowhunt in an average unit, and odds are you'll be hunting some really nice bull elk.
Do whatever you want, but I’d go chase raghorns somewhere else for a couple years. I personally wouldn’t build points in AZ if the intention was to get a raghorn. That can be had anywhere at a much lower cost.
wweaver79
Member
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2021
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- 12
Late archery. Spot and stalk a big bull hiding out after the rut. Not easy. But can get a big bull with 10. Do your homework on units.
J
Jason73
Guest
Go hunt an otc a couple years. Learn elk behavior in the forest. Find out what it smells like when an elk is close. How the thermals work in the forest. And a million other things you can screw up before doing it on a trophy hunt.
Completely agree with others here. I'd gain some experience on a couple OTC hunts and then look at using those AZ points. There is so much to learn, and the best place to do it is in the field. Use the knowledge you gain to draw that AZ tag in a couple years and gitcha a big one!
BOHNTR
Well-known member
Get proficient with your bow and hunt a mid-tier unit…..you might be surprised at the quality of elk hunt you can have. Next year’s archery elk season (2023) will be the latest in September they can get……I’d go then.
