Life stinks for me again this year!!!

[wyatts daddy]

Well another year and no Elk hunt for me. That is seven years and no luck with the draw in Arizona. My cousin was drawn for late rifle Bull hunt. The kicker for me is he doesn't even like to hunt. His father puts him in every year in hopes to get him to love hunting as much as we do. My problem is the tags here in AZ are soooooooooooooooo hard to come by that I would hope the tags go to somebody that really wants them! His is a youth tag and it doesn't take away from my chances but it does from other youths that do want the tag. He hasn't said he won't go but I don't even know if he knows his dad put him in the draw!!! I hope he decides to go so he and his father can bond again for they have grown apart. Prey for them.
Bill

[AZStickman]

I hunt with guys who like to hunt and really don't get the point of threads like this...... My hunting partners and I drew cow tags this year and are tickled pink to be hunting Elk.... I've drawn 4 cow tags and 2 Bull tags in the last 7 years and I can tell you here in AZ there's as much opportunity to hunt Elk as anywhere else and you can expect to get drawn the majority of the time if you are smart with your application........ Just look at the draw results and odds, anyone can figure that strategy out...... If you want to only hunt Bulls then the odds get tougher but then you've made the choice and should be able to live with the results of your choice...... If you want to hunt Bulls in Units that afford a better than average chance at one of the top end Bulls AZ has to offer well, get in line and be ready to wait 7-12 years....... again your choice...no sniveling allowed and no pity from this quarter .....The sour grapes attitude over someone else drawing is nothing short of ridiculous...... Terry

[wyatts daddy]

Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough. I'm not upset that he got drawn I'm upset because he doesn't want to go hunting. What I'm upset about is the tag will probably go unused when it could go to somebody that wants it. You are right about how to go about getting drawn here in AZ. I do have 7 points and I'm holding out for a Bull hunt and I'm more than ready to wait. I've read my thread again and really don't see where I'm SNIVELING!!!! Just voicing my opinion on how the system gets messed up with people putting in for the limited amount of tags that don't want to go hunting. If you would read the thread it states that my cousin was the person drawn for the hunt why would I be upset about a family member getting drawn. I get to go on the hunt and that is almost as much fun as doing it myself.
Bill

[AZStickman]

Bill..... Sorry to have jumped on ya so hard but you hit a sore spot with me....... I've been hunting Elk for the better part of 36 years and it is and always has been a very special hunt for me....... AZ has by far the best Elk hunting anywhere and I don't understand the way folks have reduced it to a series of antler measurements to gauge success..... That's not my bag but to each their own....... I could never hold out for 7 - 10 years waiting on that one special tag..... I'd be too busy dwelling on all the years of Elk hunting experiences I cheated myself out of waiting to draw that tag..... The other part of your post that got to me is your statement about Elk tags being so hard to get..... When the truth of the matter is it's the trophy bull tags that are so hard to get.... The fact is Trophy tags should be hard to get ... There's been so many guys complaining about the lack of hunting opportunity here in AZ that the Game and Fish twisted that complaint by the wanna be Trophy hunters and took 1400 Cow Elk tags away from the bowhunters in order to create more "opportunity" in the general rifle season..... The irony is there's not a shortage of opportunity for cow Elk hunts, just look at how many of those hunts have 100% draw success every year, and what they did won't stop those that play the trophy game but don't want to pay the price of the wait..... As to your cousins situation I think it's great his dad is trying to get him fired up about hunting and his tag doesn't have to go to waste if he decides not to use it...... As of 3 years ago many of the folks on this site helped to get legislation passed that allows hunters who have drawn a tag to donate it to non profit 501 (c)(3) organizations who provide hunting opportunities for children with Life threatening illnesses...... The Hunt of a Lifetime Chapter here in Arizona has put out 16 youngsters on 17 hunts over the last two seasons with this tag transger provision and already have 4 kids on the books for hunts this year....... If you'd like to know more about the HOAl program here in Az go to this site....  www.hoalarizona.org  ...... Again I'm sorry for coming off a bit harsh in my response and hope there's no hard feelings....... Terry

[6 POINT]

I love elk hunting but I also love elk eating and after years of eating rank bulls I killed a cow. I'll never go back to looking for horns I can't eat. Try hunting cows.You might find it more challenging than you think and its definatly better eating.

[wyatts daddy]

Terry, None at all. Maybe we can talk sometime about helping me with the draw odds for next year. You are so right about the horns. It's not that I want the trophy but as you know there is nothing like getting the bull within 20 yards of your hunting partner, that smell, the rush!!!! My wife and kids won't eat the elk so after I put enough away for me for the year I donate the rest and give most away to my friends. That is why I'll wait for the bull tag but it still hurts not getting drawn again. Terry thx for the note I feel much better. I sent you a pm before I read this. As for the my uncle trying to get his son to go, I'm all for it myself. He is a vegetarian and just won't go. I will tell my uncle about the donation. Thx for the info on that it makes me much happier to know that is in place. I need to get more involved with what's going on in our state's hunting regulations to help ensure the hunting opportunities for my kids and grand-kids.
Bill

[AZStickman]

Bill.... I'd be happy to help you with your draw strategy for next year..... Maybe we can gbet together at Usery between now and then and fling some arrows....... Don't consider your season a loss because you don't have an Elk tag in your pocket I've been seeing some great Mulies in my Elk country and the Bowhunters get a crack at them right up until archery Elk starts...... There's also Bear,Lion and Fall Turkey to be had...... Good Luck to you...... Terry