Well, the rush is on!!
We have over the counter elk tags in Arizona. Instead of waiting years to draw a highly coveted tag, you can now just buy one and go hunting. In fact, you can hunt almost any time that fits yer schedule.
There are hunts in January, May, and September. And, as a bonus, these tags are good for any elk meaning, you see one and you can shoot, no need to see if it is a bull.
But, why is our game and fish Department doing this?
Well, in looking into these areas that have these tags, they are not only close to towns, they are close to agriculture areas. These elk are in areas that are not traditionally “elk habitat”. Therefore, these elk are “undesirables” and are needed to be eliminated.
But, this will be like no elk hunt you have ever experienced……..most of them are living along river bottoms, where there is shade for bedding.
Easy enough you say, we will just go in there and find them, maybe hang a treestand and wait. But, there is a catch, (isn’t there always?)
There is a reason why the AZ game and Fish Dept. has made these tags available. These elk have not been taken during regular hunts and there are a couple of reasons why;
1) the stuff these elk live in is very hard to walk through, let alone have an opening for you to get a shot.
2) there are very few elk in these areas, one estimate is 30 elk at most. (thanks Dan)
But, the last I heard there have been over 1000 tags sold for these hunts.
So, before you decide to hunt elk in Az with one of these tags, ask the Game and Fish Department alot of questions.
Also, ask if the elk are on private property and, if there is reasonable access.

Keep ‘em sharp,
Garth