AZ points/hunting license

[midwesthunter]

I am starting to build points in AZ this year. I know you have to purchase a non refundable hunting license. But if I am only buying points, can I spread the license across two years for antelope and elk? Like I can in UT?

 

[NoWiser]

https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?280835-Arizona-Worth-the-wait-cost

 

[805Bowhunter]

No you cannot. I was curious of the same thing awhile back. Your license must be "active" when the draw happens according to the regs. I have heard of people buying their license on the day that the drawing deadline (in this case the 13th of Feb), quickly applying for the draw the same day and then theoretically your license would still be good on day 365 of the following year when the following years draw deadline is. From my understanding however, if you were to actually buck the odds and draw that tag, your tag would be forfeited at that point because your license is not active. Tags in Arizona are only issued to hunters with a current license. Honestly for me, its not worth the risk of putting in the effort and money only to watch it go down the drain. Utah is a different story and what you're talking about doing is totally fine there. Just budget the $80 extra bucks a year and you'll be glad you did it the right way when you draw your tag. AZ has epic year round hunting too.

 

[NoWiser]

805's understanding is not the same as mine. Regardless, if you are just buying points, then you have nothing to worry about. Spanning 2 years will work. Just beware of the year the dates move back.

 

[Thomas11]

805's understanding is not the same as mine. Regardless, if you are just buying points, then you have nothing to worry about. Spanning 2 years will work. Just beware of the year the dates move back.

U can get two yrs outta of one license. Like was said above, they move the dates back every few yrs. so when that happens obviously it doesn’t work but other than that it works every yr. now if your buying multiple species it doesn’t work due to diff deadlines

 

[WapitiBob]

805 is mistaken

"Your license must be "active" when the draw happens according to the regs." this is not in the regulations

Having a valid license when they conduct the draw is not a requirement, having a valid license at the close of the application period, is.
The app period closes at 11:59 on 2/13, and your license is valid thru 2/13 if you bought it on 2/14 of 2017. Buying the license on the last day and "quickly applying" is also not required. If you purchase the license separately from applying for a tag, you have the option to choose a "starting date". I bought may license a while ago, with a start date of 2/13 and will apply before the app period closes. I will apply next year on that same license.

 

[cgarner]

805 is mistaken

"Your license must be "active" when the draw happens according to the regs." this is not in the regulations, in any shape or form

Having a valid license when they conduct the draw is not a requirement, having a valid license at the close of the application period, is.
The app period closes at 11:59 on 2/13, and your license is valid thru 2/13 if you bought it on 2/14 of 2017. Buying the license on the last day and "quickly applying" is also not required. If you purchase the license separately from applying for a tag, you have the option to choose a "starting date". I bought may license a while ago, with a start date of 2/13 and will apply before the app period closes. I will apply next year on that same license.

Wow, thanks for the explanation. I screwed it up this year, but will learn from my mistake.

 

[WapitiBob]

Just remember they're on a "week number" schedule for season setting instead of a calendar date.

2023 is the year the dates will kick back so you can not span 2022/2023

2018-2023 guidelines linky here:

https://www.azgfd.com/Hunting/Guidelines/

 

[805Bowhunter]

805 is mistaken

"Your license must be "active" when the draw happens according to the regs." this is not in the regulations

Having a valid license when they conduct the draw is not a requirement, having a valid license at the close of the application period, is.
The app period closes at 11:59 on 2/13, and your license is valid thru 2/13 if you bought it on 2/14 of 2017. Buying the license on the last day and "quickly applying" is also not required. If you purchase the license separately from applying for a tag, you have the option to choose a "starting date". I bought may license a while ago, with a start date of 2/13 and will apply before the app period closes. I will apply next year on that same license.

Apologies all. I was mistaken. Thanks for clarifying. I had heard about this but didn't dig deep enough and pieced things together that I had heard from others. I appreciate the clarification. So just to be clear WapitiBob, you can apply for the elk draw as long as your license start date is the day of the draw? For example, could I apply for the elk/antelope draw today (2/9) if my license is slated to start on 2/13?

I could see myself doing the 2 for 1 but it scares the crap out of me to have something go wrong with this state and the draw get messed up. Ive already purchased my lic for this year and applied so it doesn't matter to me at this point but am curious for future years (with obvious attention to the "week number schedule"). Thanks for the help with this all

 

[WapitiBob]

yes you can.

The system looks for the license to be valid on the closing date of the app period when you apply, if you have one on file. If you have no license on file, you are prompted to enter a license number. They do that because there are 3 ways to buy a license including paper from a retail vendor who has to submit the receipts.
I just went thru the app process and my "future" license was pulled up by the system.

 

[Bigjav]

Kind of along the same line of questions regarding the non-refundable license fee. For those who have been applying in the past, has the cost of the license been holding steady or is it going up every year? I'm on the fence about applying for Arizona and according to Randy's video someone new could expect to hunt elk every 4-6 years and reading the insiders strategy it says don't expect to draw with less than 10 points or 8yrs, so potentially $1400 into this thing before I can even buy a tag if the price holds.

 

[Thomas11]

Kind of along the same line of questions regarding the non-refundable license fee. For those who have been applying in the past, has the cost of the license been holding steady or is it going up every year? I'm on the fence about applying for Arizona and according to Randy's video someone new could expect to hunt elk every 4-6 years and reading the insiders strategy it says don't expect to draw with less than 10 points or 8yrs, so potentially $1400 into this thing before I can even buy a tag if the price holds.

4-6 yrs is a minimum. Are there hunts u could at that level? Yes but it’s gonna be slim pickings and mainly late archery tags, with a chance at some late rifle. 10 points assuming things stay bout the same gives u some more options. So u gotta decide if it’s worth it

 

[NoWiser]

4-6 yrs is a minimum. Are there hunts u could at that level? Yes but it’s gonna be slim pickings and mainly late archery tags, with a chance at some late rifle. 10 points assuming things stay bout the same gives u some more options. So u gotta decide if it’s worth it

I agree. With all the publicity these late rifle hunts have been given the last few years I think point creep is going to get nasty. I think a new applicant could expect 10+ years to get an average late rifle tag if they don't luck out and pull a random tag.

 

[Art Vandeley]

805 is mistaken

"Your license must be "active" when the draw happens according to the regs." this is not in the regulations

Having a valid license when they conduct the draw is not a requirement, having a valid license at the close of the application period, is.
The app period closes at 11:59 on 2/13, and your license is valid thru 2/13 if you bought it on 2/14 of 2017. Buying the license on the last day and "quickly applying" is also not required. If you purchase the license separately from applying for a tag, you have the option to choose a "starting date". I bought may license a while ago, with a start date of 2/13 and will apply before the app period closes. I will apply next year on that same license.

I bought my license on 2/14/17 last year. Is the license good through the time the deadline closes tomorrow on the 13th?? Seems like this is the way it reads but just want to make sure.

 

[Bamaboy16]

If I'm understanding this right you can get two apps for Elk and Pronghorn out of 1 license but because of dates and app periods I would assume you couldn't get Elk, Pronghorn, and Deer twice on 1 license correct? It would only work for one of the app periods

 

[WapitiBob]

Muley, if you go into your portal it should show your license is good thru the 13th. If that is the case, yes you are good.

 

[J Deck]

Has anyone checked their application details through the portal system after they applied? The application details says that I don't have any bonus points, which is incorrect. The portal system shows the accurate number of bonus points though.

 

[WapitiBob]

the app side won't show points