General Arizona/Nevada/Utah Question

[Joe222]

Hello-

I am new to the idea of pursuing a western Elk archery hunt so please excuse me if this is a "dumb" question. I want to build points for a hunt in 3-7 years. I have investigated a few states and realize that Nevada/Utah/Arizona require buying a license or a larger upfront fee to get preference points so I could see how this could be expensive to do each year. I therefore hope to pick only one "expensive" state to build points for a hunt 3-7 years from now. I am looking for a quality hunt but not one necessarily for the record books. Do you think its more worthwhile to have 3-7 points in Arizona, Nevada, Utah in a very general sense?

I could also understand this question being answered in that if I buy a license in Arizona then I can build points in other interesting species like coues or mule deer without much more cost (with same logic being applied to Nevada/Utah etc). Thinking along these lines, does that change your answer to the question above?

As a side note, I hope to also build points in Colorado as a less expensive "year to year" state. Do you think this is a good choice? Thanks in advance.

 

[rtraverdavis]

Of the three states you mention, Arizona is the only viable choice. With Nevada and Utah, the likelihood of waiting a lot longer than 3-7 years is very high. Utah gives out very few tags (and has a ton of demand) and Nevada is on a bonus point system—meaning you could draw your first year applying (profoundly unlikely) or not draw at all for 30 years. With 3-7 points in Arizona, you’d have to get lucky in the random draw to pick up a tag in one of the primo units, but could definitely draw a tag in a decent unit. And yeah, as long as you’re applying for elk, apply for everything. You never know...

Good luck!

 

[CampRipleyLF]

Of the three states you mention, Arizona is the only viable choice. With Nevada and Utah, the likelihood of waiting a lot longer than 3-7 years is very high. Utah gives out very few tags (and has a ton of demand) and Nevada is on a bonus point system—meaning you could draw your first year applying (profoundly unlikely) or not draw at all for 30 years. With 3-7 points in Arizona, you’d have to get lucky in the random draw to pick up a tag in one of the primo units, but could definitely draw a tag in a decent unit. And yeah, as long as you’re applying for elk, apply for everything. You never know...

Good luck!

This is some solid advise! To draw a good unit in Utah you need some absurd amount of preference points that takes up 1/4 of your life time to get. But same goes for Utah as for Arizona, if you are applying for Elk you might as well apply for all species for the flat rate of $10 each species.

 

[utah400elk]

The only advantage to Utah... If done right one license can be used for 2 draws. So it drops the cost a lot. I apply for all three plus NM, CO, and WY. I might add ID this year. I will probably run out of health before money so I try as many states as possible. I am now at the point that I am saving to buy landowner tags as well. There are a few deals on landowner tags that are very appealing when compared to applying for 20+ years?

However of the three, AZ is the way to go.

 

[Joe222]

Of the three states you mention, Arizona is the only viable choice. With Nevada and Utah, the likelihood of waiting a lot longer than 3-7 years is very high. Utah gives out very few tags (and has a ton of demand) and Nevada is on a bonus point system—meaning you could draw your first year applying (profoundly unlikely) or not draw at all for 30 years. With 3-7 points in Arizona, you’d have to get lucky in the random draw to pick up a tag in one of the primo units, but could definitely draw a tag in a decent unit. And yeah, as long as you’re applying for elk, apply for everything. You never know...

Good luck!

Thank you all for the kind help. If you do not mind, two follow-up questions...

Of the states that are "cheaper" in yearly cost for a nonresident to build points, am I right to believe the list for Elk includes Wyoming, Montana, Colorado? Am I missing any?

Thanks

 

[NoWiser]

Unless you get very lucky, it’s pretty unlikely that you’ll draw an archery (rut) elk tag in any of those states in 10 years, let alone 3-7. I do agree that AZ is your best bet of the 3, but you better be looking elsewhere if you want to be guaranteed a tag. I’ve got 8 points in AZ right now and expect it to take me 6 more to draw a low-mid tier archery tag.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

Of the states that are "cheaper" in yearly cost for a nonresident to build points, am I right to believe the list for Elk includes Wyoming, Montana, Colorado?

Colorado and Wyoming are probably worthwhile, though Montana is a frustrating state to apply in. You can buy bonus and preference points cheaply now, but you’re never guaranteed a limited entry tag in Montana (unless it’s undersubscribed to). Because of that, you’re stuck applying and buying a general tag then applying for your limited entry tag. If you don’t draw you either have to hunt the general license for $1k or turn in the tag and swallow $200 or so. It’s not a good state to apply in unless you have money to burn or plan to hunt the general tag if you don’t draw limited entry.

 

[rtraverdavis]

Thank you all for the kind help. If you do not mind, two follow-up questions...

Of the states that are "cheaper" in yearly cost for a nonresident to build points, am I right to believe the list for Elk includes Wyoming, Montana, Colorado? Am I missing any?

Thanks

I’d say that if you find yourself in a year in which you have some extra funds (good tax return or something) you could always try for Idaho or New Mexico. I’m not very familiar with New Mexico’s draw expenses, but Idaho isn’t cheap. But both states don’t have point systems and you could get lucky and pull a really good tag. Total crap shoot, but you never know. I don’t apply in Montana so I can’t speak to that either, but I think Wyoming and Colorado are both smart states for you to build some points in that you could definitely bank on when you’re ready.

 

[LaSportsman]

The good part about AZ is you can get an OTC archery deer tag every year while you wait on limited entry elk. Most GMU's are open for OTC archery deer (permit) for $300 as nonresident. Dates vary by unit but are open late Aug, mid Dec to end of Dec, then all of Jan.

 

[mevertsen]

There is no preference in Nevada. You just have to apply.

You could draw your first year, or not at all.

If you apply in NV you might as well throw your name in the hat for everything.