1uglydude

My kids will be in the Gilbert District when the start school, and Gilbert always seems to make a special effort to schedule its breaks at different times than other districts in the east valley. From the various districts I checked, Gilbert is the only district that has its fall break during the early youth hunts this year. Usually, Gilbert kids get the shaft. As for the 3C youth hunt, they also cut the tags way back to 25. It should be a quality hunt because of time of year, lack of OTC archery, and fewer general tags. I wouldn't worry about the adult hunt screwing it up...I'd worry about actually being able to pull the tag.

The guidelines state that, where possible, there shouldn't be a junior deer hunt and a junior elk hunt going in the same unit at the same time. That's why the 3AC junior elk hunt used to be a week later than the other junior elk hunts. Now that the junior deer hunt has been moved to November, the junior elk hunt is the same date as the other junior elk hunts (except for the elk hunts in 22 and 23). To the general question of why they junior elk and deer hunts tend to take place at the same time: First, the guidelines state that they should try to schedule the hunts at the same time as a school break. These hunts often fall during fall break/Columbus Day (although this year fall break is the week before the hunt). Second, they've got to fit junior hunts in when there aren't any general hunts for any other species going on in the unit. If you set aside certain weeks and decide that all junior hunts should take place at that time, it makes it easier to fit all of the general hunts within the schedules provided in the guidelines. It's all about uniformity...where possible. Finally, and this isn't in the guidelines, but I've always assumed (as stated above) that the thinking is that when a kid draws a junior elk tag, scheduling the junior hunt on the same week may open up opportunities for another kid to get a junior deer tag.

According to the hunt guidelines (which are used as a primary source for each year's hunt regulations), the October whitetail hunt should generally open on the "Friday of week 43." If that has landed on a full moon the last few years, then it is only by coincidence. They don't go by moon phase when setting seasons. The reason all the hunts run somewhat later this year is because the first Friday of 2012 was January 6th and leap year threw the count off a bit.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I'm just curious what your loads/stats are for your .257 wby rounds. I shoot the same caliber using the accubonds. I'm pleased with the accuracy, but I've been thinking of trying out the TTSX because I have liked how they've performed in other calibers. PM me if you'd rather not put specific recipes on a public place.

My inside source who is a Federal Law Enforcement for the FS says he hasn't heard of any such law, but he promised to do some research on the subject for me. I don't like fogginess when it comes to this type of stuff, I want to know where it says..... My guess is that if you run into the right ranger, s/he could fine you using the regulations for littering.

BINGO!

According to who? Under ARS 13-2927 you can't put out food for wildlife in Maricopa and Pima counties only...and hunting activities are specifically exempted from the law. So, what authority are you referring to, because I'm sure a lot of people would like to know if there is something else out there?

Do you really think Non-res applicants are hitting the 10% cap on all hunts? I highly doubt you've got non-residents scrambling to pay nearly $600 for late season cow elk tags. The non-res cap is a CAP, it's not a set aside. In other words, I don't think there are going to be 2,300 non resident elk hunters in Arizona this year.

Have you considered that a large portion of that $7.50 may go to an outside vendor that processes applications and the draw?

That's exactly how I have always read it. 'Tis better to have grandpa transfer the tag than a non-hunting mother.

First, are you sure it's the exact same card? When your expiration date hits, you get a new card in the mail with the SAME number and a different date. So, even though the card number worked at application, it may not work on the draw. Second, I'm willing to bet that the Game and Fish system simply takes the data that you yourself enter into the online database when it enters the card. I can't see them having some poor sap take information that is available digitally and then enter it all by hand. I could be wrong on that, but I doubt it. So, is it possible that you entered the wrong date on the application? If so, it may not have raised a red flag for the bank when the charge was under $20. Different story when you're talking hundreds of dollars. Third, was a it a DEBIT card or a credit card? If it was a debit card, then the amount charged would DEFINITELY impact how the bank treats a mis-typed expiration date. Never use a debit card on the draw. Never. Banks are hyper vigilant when it comes to online debit card purchases.

That doesn't make any sense. If you're saying that a higher percentage of tags may go to the group with less points because of the higher number of applicants, then yes that's true. But that doesn't mean that any individual applicant with fewer points has a greater chance just because he's in that group. If there are 100 tags to give, and 10 guys with 3 points apply and 400 guys with 2 points apply, then chances are most of the tags will go to SOMEONE with 2 points. That doesn't mean that a person with 2 points has greater odds of drawing a tag than someone with 3 points. On some hunts, the odds ARE greater with fewer points because guys with more points end up drawing their second choice in the bonus pass. This is most likely to happen on javelina hunts or some of the early whitetail hunts near the boarder. Squaring points wouldn't solve that. In additiona to the bonus pass issues, you've also got to remember that this particular report doesn't spell out who drew as a first choice, and who drew as a second choice. Nor does it say who drew a first choice on another hunt and wasn't actually considered for a second choice. All you get here is a total number of first and second choice applicants. So, while it may look like a group had better odds with fewer points, that may just mean that a significant number of guys in the group in front of them managed to pull a first choice hunt. There are a lot of variables to consider. In the end, it comes down to luck, but you can increase your odds against house if you attempt to put a reasonable estimate on the unreported variables when you do your math.

That doesn't make any sense. If you're saying that a higher percentage of tags may go to the group with less points because of the higher number of applicants, then yes that's true. But that doesn't mean that any individual applicant with fewer points has a greater chance just because he's in that group. If there are 100 tags to give, and 10 guys with 3 points apply and 400 guys with 2 points apply, then chances are most of the tags will go to SOMEONE with 2 points. That doesn't mean that a person with 2 points has greater odds of drawing a tag than someone with 3 points. On some hunts, the odds ARE greater with fewer points because guys with more points end up drawing their second choice in the bonus pass. This is most likely to happen on javelina hunts or some of the early whitetail hunts near the boarder. Squaring points wouldn't solve that.

As I said before, it's probably because it was a Debit card. This thread should be called "DEBIT Card Dishonored because it was a DEBIT card." Credit cards and debit cards are not the same thing, even though that little VISA symbol may make folks think otherwise. The banks get leery of allowing large internet purchases against checking funds. Most of the times it isn't an issue, but it sucks those few times when it is. I bet that most of the rejected cards were debit cards. Not trying to kick you when you're down, but the more guys that can learn from this the bettter.

First, it's always dangerous to use a debit card for these things because banks are much more likely to deny internet charges for debit cards...their red flags go up more quickly when you're dealing with funds in someone's checking account...and rightly so. Second, I'm not sure what you mean by "it shows that I would have drawn my first choice." The way the results are now shown, it only lists your first choice next to "NT DRWN"...even if you put a second choice. Is that what you're referring to?

Are u sure it was from the arizona game and fish? Thats just weird The wife ran the credit card by accident at nordstroms, her hair salon, and dinner for her and her friends,,,,,,, what a tease!! Another year with no tag, not to be negative, but i put in for the october rifle hunt which i was told by several guides i was basically guaranteed for with 10points, and NOTHING. Meanwhile my buddy with 1or 2 points gets drawn for the same hunt 3 out of 5 years. How is this possible??!! To say bonus points mean anything is a joke!!! I am slowly loosing confidence in this system the AZGFD has set up. anyone else feel the same way?? Now im done venting Time to find some guides that know what they're talking about. Unless you're applying for Limited Op. hunt or a cow tag, there are no October rifle elk hunts that are guaranteed with 10 points. The closest you can come for a guaranteed early rifle bull tag is 14 points in 6B.

I think you mean page 14. Look at the hunt with the date range of Jan. 1 to Jan. 31, unit 34A is listed. You won't find it in the hunt that runs Dec. 14 - Jan. 31.

The fee for buing a LICENSE online has always been there. It has nothing to do with the draw, or them not getting to cash a check. License fee and application fee are separate. Always has been.

Eight business days or eight days total? If it is eight days total then we will know what hunts in a week! Long wait! Eight days total according to my records. Keep in mind that it was the first time moving back to that system, so there may have been bugs to work out...but on the flip side, this is a much bigger draw with more applicants to deal with.

For the spring draw it took 8 days after the first cards were hit before the results were available on phone and online...just sayin'

I drew an early archery bull tag in there. So excited that I can't sleep at night.

I drew the same hunt...but I'll settle for 175" :-)

Was that the white truck that was parked off of Batamote road about 1/2 mile west of the old ranch? We were camped about 1/4 mile west (white Chevy 3500 flat-bed pulling a utility trailer loaded up with a red ranger...and a maroon S-10) of the ranch. Friday night about 9pm after we went to bed we had a group of 2-4 aliens walk right through the edge of our camp. Scared the heck out of us...but I think we scared the heck out of them too.

If I remember right, didn't they cut the number of tags available for 23 in half for this season (at least for the late hunt)?