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Help me figure out the draw...

I am a long time lurker here that has learned a lot from all of you over many years. I am hoping that you all can help me figure out a strategy for the elk draw that fits my goals. My son (16 yrs old) and I are AZ residents that want to hunt elk every year. We do not care about big bulls. We simply like to eat elk and hunt and would like for one of us to be able to hunt every year, bull or cow. We prefer bowhunting but hunt with rifles as well. I have hunted 7W several times and know that unit fairly well. I have been lucky and drawn tags about half the time I have put in which hasn’t been much. Going forward and starting this year I would like to be a little more systematic about my approach. So, I would really appreciate any opinions on how you all would go about it if you were me so that we can maximize our chances of one of us hunting each year. I look at the draw odds and success rates and all that. But, I feel like I am going about it all wrong. Now that my son is able to archery hunt I would like to make this work every year if possible. All the elk country is about the same distance for us so that is not really a factor. Any help is appreciated. Thanks. Chris

Well, first off, WE ALL want to hunt elk every year! That is not really feasible in Arizona with the draw and limited tags. Archery bull tags are at a premium. You have a much better chance of drawing a rifle bull tag than a bow tag. Most of the archery cow tags are now in the general hunts, due to " hunter demand" . If you just want to hunt, and don't necessarily care if its your tag or you sons, I would put in separately for the same hunt that you want. You may both draw, or one may in year one and the next year the other person has more bonus points and therefore SHOULD have a better chance of drawing. Nothing is for sure, I know of people who draw archery bull tags several years in a row, and others who wait 10 plus years. After waiting 7 years for my last archery bull tag, and getting a little longer in the tooth, I have elected to put in for gun hunts, cause I don't want to wait another 7 years for a tag. My odds of drawing are much better. If you haven't already used it, check out HuntersTrailhead, Its a pay to use site, but it can provide you with the draw success and odds on most units with whatever bonus points you currently have.

I hope this helps, and good luck in the draw!

Notags, thanks for the reply. That is good info and does help. I was hoping there might be a way to increase our odds of hunting ever year but sounds like given the system and the demand for hunts that isn’t really going to happen. I will check out the site you mentioned as well as look at the rifle hunts more carefully. Thanks.

I would agree with notags. If your main goal is to hunt elk then the late rifle hunts are a better option. The guys that have figured out the Nov. archery hunts are very deadly. If you are a whitetail guy and can sit for long periods of time, that may also be an option. Most guys sit water or a travel route that time of year.

I ran into a guy that was sitting in a double bull blind the weekend before thanksgiving 3-4 years back. He was very comfortable and even had a propane heater inside. We talked a while and that is when he told me his first year he drew the hunt he had tag soup but he learned a lot. He has had 100% kill rate ever since and patience was his key to success.

As you would expect, bull hunts are much more difficult to draw than cow hunts. If it truly doesn't matter to you about big horns, research the draw odds for cow hunts and apply separately for the easiest units. One of you will probably get drawn most years, especially once you have applied enough years in a row for elk to obtain the loyalty point for that species.

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