Ten Tips When Applying For Elk Or Antelope Hunting Permits
Thursday, January 29th, 2009 at 7:16 PMTen Tips When Applying For Elk Or Antelope Hunting Permits
Arizona Game and Fish Department
Arizona - -(AmmoLand.com)- If you have visions of elk steaks on the grill or sending those trophy horns of a 70-class pronghorn to the taxidermist, don’t forget the most important step – applying for a hunt permit-tag before the deadline.
The final deadline to submit paper-only applications for a 2009 hunt permit-tag for pronghorn antelope and elk hunts through the draw process is Tuesday, Feb. 10 by 7 p.m. (MST). Applications must be received by mail or hand delivered to a department office before the deadline; postmarks don’t count. Remember, there is NO online application process for the draw.
To help hunters navigate the application process, the Arizona Game and Fish Department offers these tips:
Buy your 2009 hunting license before applying. If you need your license before the draw is completed (April 24), buying your license now will eliminate the wait and long lines at department offices. (Note: This is a great year for a combo hunt and fish license – the fishing should be fantastic this year.)
Use the new editable PDF application. By using a computer to fill out the application, many errors are eliminated, including legibility issues. Just fill it out, print it out, sign it, include your payment, and deliver it to the department. Remember, there is no online application process for the draw.
Consult the 2008 Hunt Arizona booklet. Research draw odds, hunt success, tag allotment and more with this valuable resource available online in PDF, or purchase a hard copy for only $6 at any department office.
Pay by check, money order or cashier’s check. The department doesn’t accept cash or credit/debit card payments with the hunt permit-tag application. (Note: You may pre-purchase a license at the front counter with cash or credit/debit card.)
Include the correct payment amount. Be certain to double-check your math when making out your payment. There is a worksheet on the second page of the application. Also, make certain you don’t transpose any numbers when writing out your check, money order or cashier’s check (it’s more common than you may think).
Use a separate application for each species. If you are applying for both elk and antelope, you must use two separate applications, envelopes and payments.
Use the “Hunt No.” in the first through fifth choice fields. This is the four-digit number in the far left column under each Commission Order. Don’t use Game Management Unit numbers (which are typically alphanumeric).
Consider what type of hunter you are. When looking over the Hunt Arizona information, keep in mind what type of hunt you are after. Do you just want elk meat, or are you dead set on harvesting a trophy? Do you have flexibility in your travel time, or is it limited? All these play a key role in your odds of being drawn. It could take time to draw that rutting bull tag compared to a late-season muzzleloader cow hunt.
Include your social security number – it’s a federal law. Even if you use a department-assigned identification number, you are still required to include your social security number. If you only use one number, it must be your social security number.
Only use one choice when applying for a bonus point. If you are just applying for a bonus point, use the first Hunt No. listed under each Commission Order in the first choice field and include the $7.50 application fee (leave the second through fifth choices blank).
For some other great tips and additional insights on how to get drawn, check out the article in the Arizona Wildlife Views Magazine at www.azgfd.gov/i_e/pubs/ElkHunting.shtml. The award-winning bi-monthly publication is a great resource for wildlife enthusiasts and a steal at $8.50 for a one-year subscription.
Staff will be on hand at each department office on deadline day to assist hunters with the application process. If this is your first-time applying, or you are new to the process, feel free to stop by and ask for assistance. However, license sales at department offices end at 5 p.m.
The 2009 Arizona Pronghorn Antelope and Elk Hunt Draw Information regulations booklet, application forms and the 2008 Hunt Arizona are all available online for downloading from the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/draw. Hard copies of the 2008 Hunt Arizona publication are also available for sale at all department offices.
To learn more about big game hunting, wildlife management and the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, visit www.azgfd.gov/hunting.
About:
The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Deputy Director, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Deputy Director as listed above.
