Arizona Elk/Antelope Deadline TODAY (Feb 9)

cedahm

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 22, 2015
Messages
1,284
Location
Colorado
PSA (since I just got the pop-up message):

Arizona's application deadline for Elk and Antelope is today. Those tags aren't going to draw themselves :)
 
I personally would lean towards paper applications. I have heard horror stories about the electronic process, I tend to take them with a grain of salt.

I write this knowing that I am about to loose all my elk points PRIOR to the draw happening, on a tag I did not choose. I double check and triple check my applications and have been doing this for years in multiple states. However when I printed the receipt portion it showed not only 3121 as my first choice but an additional choice as my 2nd choice (antlerless at that), I only put one choice every time as it is the only unit I want to hunt... Every screen prior showed only one hunt choice. I've spent days on the phone on hold... waiting to get the "run around" about how it had to be my fault and there is no changing it.

If I had done a paper application I would have had irrefutable proof of my choices, however its now a he said/ she said with the AZG&F about their electronic process and how it couldn't be wrong.

I am not going to sit here whine and cry foul, just some food for thought. Its a tough pill to swallow wasting years of hopes to have it end that way...:( I'd hate for it to happen to someone else...:W:
 
Last edited:
Only applied for elk points this year, my son is getting married in mid Sep.
For the first time I didn't apply for antelope. Two seasons ago I finally drew an archery antelope tag with 17 points. Figured if I started over again, by the time I'd draw it, it'll probably cost $1,000 for the tag. They just keep pricing out the blue collar man. I got 18 points for turkey and 7 for elk, once I draw those I'm not going to play anymore. Been hunting AZ for about 22 years but it's getting too expensive now.
 
I write this knowing that I am about to loose all my elk points PRIOR to the draw happening, on a tag I did not choose.

Ugly. Don't we now have a one-time chance to return a tag and get points reinstated? I haven't kept up on the new rules well.
 
Ugly. Don't we now have a one-time chance to return a tag and get points reinstated? I haven't kept up on the new rules well.

I'll have to research that, the whole change with all the restructuring of the draw has left me behind the ball on this one... I'm not holding out much hope though...

On a positive, at least I still have deer and sheep points in AZ though.... surely I'll draw one of those later this year ....:rolleyes:
 
Sneakem, just cancel your credit card in the next few weeks before the actual draw. When they go to charge it and it doesn't work you won't get drawn. Don't answer or reply to their attempts to contact you for a different payment metbod. Better to lose 1 or 2 points than waste a bunch of points on a cow tag.
 
Sneakem, just cancel your credit card in the next few weeks before the actual draw. When they go to charge it and it doesn't work you won't get drawn. Don't answer or reply to their attempts to contact you for a different payment metbod. Better to lose 1 or 2 points than waste a bunch of points on a cow tag.

I was exploring that option...just didn't know if I'd still lose my points anyway. Losing this years point plus a likely loyalty point by being rejected really hurts my chances for my unit and likely adds more than a decade to my wait with the new changes to bonus point applicants. But at least I might salvage a chance to hunt one of the 6's or lesser units.....
 
I think it's not until your fifth missed application that they zero your specie points, but that could very well have changed.

The tag return option is supposed to be available starting in the June draw. From what I understand it will be a $5 option.
 
I'm guessing you never actually talked to anybody. I know for a fact you could have changed your app prior to the close of the draw.
 
I personally would lean towards paper applications. I have heard horror stories about the electronic process, I tend to take them with a grain of salt.

I write this knowing that I am about to loose all my elk points PRIOR to the draw happening, on a tag I did not choose. I double check and triple check my applications and have been doing this for years in multiple states. However when I printed the receipt portion it showed not only 3121 as my first choice but an additional choice as my 2nd choice (antlerless at that), I only put one choice every time as it is the only unit I want to hunt... Every screen prior showed only one hunt choice. I've spent days on the phone on hold... waiting to get the "run around" about how it had to be my fault and there is no changing it.

If I had done a paper application I would have had irrefutable proof of my choices, however its now a he said/ she said with the AZG&F about their electronic process and how it couldn't be wrong.

I am not going to sit here whine and cry foul, just some food for thought. Its a tough pill to swallow wasting years of hopes to have it end that way...:( I'd hate for it to happen to someone else...:W:

I just read on another forum that 2 other people ran in to a similar situation. One of them spoke with F&G and verified that the information was correct in their system and what was printed out was incorrect and a glitch. You might check with them tomorrow to verify.
 
I'm guessing you never actually talked to anybody. I know for a fact you could have changed your app prior to the close of the draw.

Probably depends on when he applied. Could have submitted a paper app to correct but postmarks don't count. As a NR that means you need to apply online at least 3 or 4 days in advance, and catch your mistake.
 
Being a new hunter i debated buying a point in arizona due to extremely low odds even after years of applying and high nonrefundable fees. I bit the bullet after watching Randy's season 4 OYOA rifle elk hunt in AZ and reading his most recent article. Helped justify the non refundable fee by grabbing an antelope point also. When are applications due for mule deer?
 
I'm guessing you never actually talked to anybody. I know for a fact you could have changed your app prior to the close of the draw.

Oh... I can guarantee you I talked to someone, multiple people. The first couple of days the said they would have I.T. look at it and took all my information. I followed up when I didn't hear from them and was given the "run-around". The day of the deadline, I was finally transferred to someone from the draw and they verified that it was "In Fact" in the system as a second choice and the only way to change it would be a paper application due by midnight that day, unfortunately the USPS doesn't have a 1/2 day delivery option. I was ASSURED that there was no way their system could have possibly messed up. Had I known days before I could have gotten the app there. I also recorded our conversations after the first call, just in case I need proof of the happenings as they state they record it too but who knows....I wanted evidence to get my points back...

I was very polite, obviously frustrated... I announced that I was recording the conversations, and I assured the ladies I was speaking with that I understood its not their fault, and by no means was I blaming or angry with them.

On a positive note, I am glad to not be on hold for hours. The elevator music was terrible, the repeated aquatic nuisance and life jacket reminders popping up every 30 seconds were never ending, which is a lot of times in those long waits. They must have a lot of complaint calls and use this "tactic" to detour most callers, because I was at my wits end listening to it.:W:

Obviously it is what it is.... I'm moving on from it. I just stated that I think the paper application is the way to go. Mail it signature required... make a copy... cover your bottom... Obviously the electronic system is flawed and has a proven track record of being flawed... I didn't believe it either until I was on the other end, I used it from the start....
 
Last edited:
Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

Forum statistics

Threads
110,807
Messages
1,935,170
Members
34,886
Latest member
tvrguy
Back
Top