Arizona Spring Draw 2024

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The Arizona Spring Draw is used to allocate tags for all permit-only spring hunting opportunities in the state. It includes hunting opportunities for bison, black bear, turkey, javelina, and Raptor (falconry). In this article we’ll discuss the draw process, requirements and cost, and dates to help you prepare for the application. You can read about additional Arizona hunting opportunities in our overview article.

When is the Arizona Spring Hunts Draw?

The draw normally opens in early September and closes in early October. Dates for the 2023 Arizona Spring Hunts Draw are below, which are for the 2024 hunt season. You can add this draw and others to you OnPoint calendar to never miss an application.

EventDate
Online Application OpensSeptember 5th, 2023
Deadline to ApplyOctober 3rd, 2023, 11:59pm AZ Time

What species are available in the Spring Hunts Draw?

  • Black Bear (spring season)
  • Bison (spring season)
  • Turkey (spring season)
  • Javelina (spring season)
  • Falconry (annual)

What is required to apply for the Arizona Spring Draw?

Hunters must possess a valid hunting license in order to apply for the draw. The license must be valid on the the draw deadline date. Purchasing an annual license will allow applicants to apply for the other Arizona draws with little incremental cost.

What does it cost to apply in the draw?

The application cost varies depending on the quantity and type of species applied for. In addition to purchasing a hunting license, applicants must pay an application fee for each species applied for. This fee is the same cost as the bonus point fee for each species, and unsuccessful applicants will receive a bonus point for each species applied for. Successful applicants will be charged the full price of the tag. All fees are listed in the table below.

ItemResident PriceNon-Resident Price
Combo Hunt & Fish License$57.00$160.00
Application Fee (per species)$13.00$15.00
Bonus Point (per species)$13.00$15.00
ItemResident PriceNon-Resident Price
Elk Tag$135.00$650.00
Deer Tag$45.00$300.00
Pronghorn Tag$90.00$550.00
Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Tag$300.00$1,800.00
Desert Bighorn Sheep Tag$300.00$1,800.00
Turkey Tag$25.00$90.00
Bear Tag$25.00$150.00
Javelina Tag$25.00$100.00
Bison – Bull/Any Tag$1,100.00$5,400.00
Bison – Cow/Yearling Tag$650.00$3,250.00
Bison — Yearling only Tag$350.00$1,750.00
Raptor Tag$13.00$190.00
Sandhill Crane (3 tags)$30.00$30.00

How does the draw process and points system work?

Arizona has a hybrid draw process and point system, although they refer to the system as a Bonus point system. The draw awards tags in three phases:

  1. Phase 1 (20% of tags, 1st & 2nd choice, preference style) – In this phase tags are awarded in order of points held, then decreasing in points quantity until the 20% cap is reached. A random number is generated and assigned to each application which serves to order applications within applicants with the same points quantity. Only 1st and 2nd choices are considered. This portion of the draw behaves like a preference point system.
  2. Phase 2 (1st and 2nd choice, bonus style) – In this phase, the system behaves as a bonus system. Applicants are assigned a number for their application, and receive one additional number for each point held. Their application is then assigned the lowest (best) number from their group. Tags are then allocated starting with the lowest number of all applicants. Only 1st and 2nd choices are considered at this stage. All remaining tags can be allocated at this stage if there are sufficient applications submitted.
  3. Phase 3 (3rd-5th choice, bonus style) – If any tags remain, they will be allocated at this stage. It behaves the same as phase 2 (bonus style).

Arizona Hunting FAQ

How does the Arizona Draw Process work for Big Game Hunts?2023-09-26T18:15:58+00:00

The Arizona draw process for big game hunts is a multi-phase system that offers hunters a fair chance to secure permits for various species like deer, antelope, elk, turkey, javelina, and bear. Here’s a breakdown of how the Arizona big game draw works:

Three Phases of the Drawing

The draw consists of three phases – the bonus point pass, the first-second choice pass, and the third-fourth-fifth choice pass. Each application goes through a random number generator program before each pass.

Random Number Generation

For every application, a random number is generated, and additional random numbers are added for each group bonus point, including Hunter Education and Loyalty bonus points. The lowest random number for an application is used in the drawing. New random numbers are generated for each pass.

Group Bonus Points

Group bonus points come into play when 2 to 4 applicants apply on a single hunt application. These points are calculated by adding the genus bonus points, loyalty bonus point, and hunter education bonus point for each applicant and dividing the total by the number of applicants. The average number of bonus points in the group is used in the draw.

Checking for Permit Availability

When an application is reviewed, the system checks for available permits in the chosen hunt. There must be enough permits for all applicants on the application, including non-resident caps. If not, the application is passed, and the next one is reviewed.

The Drawing Phases

First Pass (20% Bonus Point)

In this pass, 20% of authorized hunt permit-tags are issued for various species. Applications with maximum bonus points are reviewed first, and if permits are available, they are issued. The process continues with lower bonus point categories until all permits are issued or all applications with bonus points are reviewed.

Second Pass (1st and 2nd Hunt Choices)

Applications that didn’t succeed in the bonus point pass receive new random numbers. The lowest random number applications are reviewed, and if permits are available for the first or second hunt choices without exceeding nonresident caps, they are issued.

Third Pass (3rd, 4th, and 5th Hunt Choices)

For applications unsuccessful in the first two passes, new random numbers are generated, and the third, fourth, and fifth hunt choices are reviewed for permit availability.

Awarding Bonus Points

After the third pass, the drawing concludes, and applicants who did not receive permits are awarded an additional bonus point for each species they applied for. These points are reset to zero for species where they received permits.

Are trail cameras legal in Arizona?2023-04-18T01:05:39+00:00

As of Jan. 1, 2022 trail cameras are no longer legal for use in hunting. Specifically, they are prohibited “for the purposes of taking or locating or aiding in the take of wildlife,” according to new rule R12-4-303. A. 5.

About the Author: Danny

Danny
Danny is an avid outdoorsman and hunter. He got into western big game hunting in 2016 and has been hooked ever since. He began hunting as a child in the bluff country of Western Wisconsin.

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