Steelhead31

Is it as hard as it sounds? I hunt archery-only, and was wondering what to expect with the big game tags.

AZBear

It's easy to get OTC for deer but a real pain to get drawn for archery bull elk and slightly easier to get archery cow tag, but not by much. AZ uses a point system but it is not very effective and leaves a lot to be desired. It's still the only game in town and you just learn to put up with the disappointment and look forward to next year.

I personally apply to several western states and hope that at least one will favor me with at tag. I so far have been blessed with a tag for CO this year and am still waiting on NM. I missed out on WY, UT and AZ this year but my hunting partner was drawn for a rifle bull tag this year so I will at least be helping out with that. This was his forth tag in 13 years he has had two rifle bull tags and two archery cow tags. I have been drawn twice in 10 years and only drawn archery cow tags.

Steelhead31

Are OTC deer tags whitetail only? I remember hearing mulies are draw somewhere. I am not picky about the gameat all, and am basically justwondering if I am going to be able to hunt in Arizona for something I can eat and possibly be proud enough of to mount.

Thanks

AZBear

All the OTC tags are for Archery deer and that is any antlered deer. Remember there are drawings for special permit tags as well and they can be specific as to what animal can be taken. We have a sub-species of White tail deer here call a Coues (pronounced cows[/i]) and it is considerably smaller in size than what you are probably familiar with. In the record books they have their on section. That doesn’t make them any less difficult to hunt and having hunted both I personally feel the Coues deer is much harder to hunt but that is my opinion and I’m sure someone will take me to task on that.

The hardest thing about eating one will be getting the tag and then making the kill, surviving the heat while hunting and on and on and on…remember its desert out here. As far as mounting one you would be proud to hang on the wall just go to Cabelas here in Phoenix and take a look at all the record Coues deer they have on display and I think it will answer your question. I think you will find hunting in AZ to be a real joy and very interesting and it can take you a life time to get around to hunting it all. Take a look at the Game and Fish web-site http://www.azgfd.gov this site has a ton of information on it.

Steelhead31

Thanks for the great info. Couesare more than enough excitementfor me. That comforts me knowing I won't have to sit out the season because of a draw result. Hopefully I can make some connections at the local ranges and go out with someone this season to get a feel for how it is done out there. My roomies aren't into hunting, so I'll kind of be on my own.

tempehunter

Build up points by applying every year, the draw sucess rate is somewhere between 5-15%, but you can harvest a monster some dayif you put forth the effort year after year.

Good luck

butcherholler

Ive lived in new mexico for ten years now but am originally from Illinois,let me know if you get drawn for NM Ill help you locate some spots and let you know what to expect on your hunt.As far as Arizona deer man let me know if your gonna go cause I didnt get drawn for NM but am really considering hunting AZ with a bow,if your interested maybe we could hook up for that.As far as deer AZ dosnt have a different season on muleys,whitetail,or coues a deer is a deer in there book,yet we all know theres a huge difference. MULEYS,BOW,SEPTEMBER...ITS ON!!!!

Steelhead31

Will do man. I'm moving to Mesa, AZ from the Chicagoland area next month, and really want to hit the ground running (making connections, scouting, etc.) when I get there. I don't have to work until the middle of August (ah to be a teacher [8D]), so I have a month to get ready.

mwaite

[/align]In my opinion, and from a midwest point of view, the archery hunt for coues is pretty tough. I personally don't think I'm talented enough for it. But I bowhunted for elk in unit 11M last year, which surrounds Flagstaff, and we saw lots of mule deer bucks within bow range while we were scouting IN A DIESEL PICKUP!!! They honestly didn't act like they cared if we were there. 11M is an archery only unit, which is nice, and the deer tags are over the counter. The season runs during the first half of september. Let me know if I can help you out any, scouting, and so forth.