Arizona Draw Worth It?
Wild Sheep
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I for the life of me can not figure out Arizona sheep draw odds. I'm basically just trying to figure out if it is worth putting in for 15$'s for a point, or is it completely worthless? I already put in for Deer/Elk/Antelope, so I have the hunting license and get it every year (even though I've never stepped foot in AZ). I can afford the 15 dollars, I'm just wondering if there is even a lottery chance I'll ever draw? I'm young, but not that young (by some of these draw standards). I'm 30, so I may outlive some of my competition, but I would guess there are a lot of guys younger than me with more points as well.
If you're interested in hunting sheep, you'd have to be crazy to not apply if you already have the hunting license. The odds are horrible, but it's not impossible. Don't put in for the RMBHS hunts, more of them go in the bonus point pass.
Another thing I'm struggling to analyze is what to even apply for that has a random tag available.
People draw every year as a first timer,not many,but they ask at the sheep clinic who drew the first time applying,and there is usually someone.For me it took 39 years as a resident to draw back in 2010.I am applying now for Rockies,but probably won't draw in my lifetime,as I'm 68,but I will continue to try.
IMO.... yes but only because you already have a license. Odds for sheep are ridiculous. Roughly 10 non resident tags each year and roughly 12,000 non resident applicants many of which have 20+ bonus points
You'll never draw by preference, but its the cheapest sheep lottery in the west.... assuming you already have the annual hunting license. Most of the app services are publishing annual reports on which units are being drawn in the max-point draw and which had licenses available in the random.
What sticksender said. The AZ sheep regs show which units you're allowed to hunt in as a NR - there's a number in the footnotes for each unit - I think 11 was the code for NR if I remember right.
In with 22. Yes, it’s worth it.
It's worth$15 to me for the slim chance. I just ask my draw odds advisor (Ike) which unit to apply :).
It's the cheapest sheep raffle ticket you can buy. So worth it. But I'm an optimist, and my name has been drawn for 2 sheep raffles. . . . So I always expect it to happen again :)
In with 25 not holding my breath though haha..
Yes, you can either look for the code in the regs, or it should be any hunt that has more than 1 tag available would offer a chance for NR to draw. I'm in a similar position age-wise, and I'm sticking in the AZ sheep draw. It's a cheap lottery while I try to take advantage of the deer/elk opportunities in AZ.
I drew a Rocky tag the first year I put in for it. I had 17 points which is way under max
If it is worth it only if you draw a tag? Then No. Probably a 99.7% chance you will never draw that tag and never recoup the $15/year.
Is it worth $15 for a 0.3% chance at a Desert Bighorn? I think so, unless you have plans to pay outright for a hunt...
Thanks-questions answered. I was just basically making sure I had a chance to draw a tag, which I do. I could care less about the 15 bucks, that's worth less than 1% odds all day in my head. Terrible, terrible chances, but actually better than me drawing my home state of WI's elk tag haha.
no, i would like to have all my AZ money back.
There's zero chance you're going to draw so all of you should stop applying.
Seriously, I just finished applying. There was a note that showed up when I selected the units and it explained the process fairly well. Many guys are still locked in on the AZ rules before they changed last year. Here's how it works per the AZ application website:
Select the hunt number(s) of the hunt(s) in which you wish to participate. The hunt numbers will be indicative of the species you selected earlier on. The AZGFD Draw is run in three passes. The first pass is the bonus point pass and considers only applications with one or more bonus points and evaluates hunt choices 1 and 2. 20% of the tags are allocated to the bonus point round. The second pass looks at hunt choices 1 and 2. The third pass takes hunt choices 3, 4, & 5 into consideration. Those applications with hunt choices listed in three or more hunt choices will be run through all passes of the draw (providing the applicant has bonus points). The same hunt number can be used in all five hunt choices. For more detailed information on how the AZGFD Draw works, click here.
Apply for a unit with at least two tags and you'll have an chance in hell at drawing for $15 which is better than no chance in hell since you'll never have max points.