Book Your Adventure 1-800-346-8747
Book Your Adventure 1-800-346-8747

Elk Hunting in Arizona – Deadline Approaching

Eric Pawlak
|  
Species: Elk
Location: Arizona

Arizona Elk Application Deadline ALERT-  

The 2020 application deadline for Arizona elk tags is fast approaching. Non-residents must have their applications submitted by midnight, February 11th. Nowhere is the term “must apply state” more pertinent than in Arizona. Arizona elk hunting takes a backseat to no other western state. Remember, with Arizona’s relatively new system, where 5% of the tags are now issued randomly, non-residents now have a chance to draw some of the most coveted elk tags in the country. To get into the field faster, you should also inquire about the fantastic late rifle elk hunts in Arizona.

Draw Results – Mid-March

Point Only – Yes, Arizona does offer applicants the autonomy to apply for “POINT ONLY” where you have no chance of being drawn, but will obtain a bonus point.

 Five Quick Facts about the ARIZONA Elk Draw

1. Sequence of the Draw

Arizona offers five unit choices on their application, however for bull tags, only the first two choices will be considered. Anyone drawing an elk tag on their first or second choice will lose all accumulated bonus points (except your loyalty point, should you have one).

2. Non-Resident tag quota

In Arizona, up to 10% of the available elk tags may be allocated to non-residents. Of this 10% quota, 5% can be allocated to max point holders and 5% can be allocated randomly. However, this relatively new system finally gives non-residents a chance at some of the very best elk tags in the state.

3. Bonus Points

Arizona has a bonus point system in place where you will receive one extra chance in the hat for every year you have applied but were unsuccessful in drawing. You will also be awarded an extra “loyalty point” once you have applied for five consecutive years without drawing a tag. Also, if you travel to Arizona and take their Hunter’s Safety Class, you will be awarded a permanent bonus point for any species you wish to apply for. If you fail to apply for five consecutive years, then your bonus points will be purged. 

4. Party Applications

Arizona accepts party applications with a maximum number of four. Bonus points will be averaged and rounded to the nearest whole number.

5. Youth

To apply for an elk tag in Arizona an applicant must be 10 years of age by the start of the hunt. In Arizona, there is a mandatory license purchase at time of application. For kids 9-17 years of age this license purchase is only $5. Also, remember, WTA TAGS applies kids free of charge! Parents, grandparents and guardians who draw at tag, are allowed to transfer their tag to their child 10-17 years of age.

Summary

Call a WTA TAGS Consultant today and one of us can explain all of the details to elk hunting in Arizona 1-800-755-TAGS(8247). We’re here to help! Otherwise, we hope this helped and best of luck in the draw!

Recent Articles

Popular Elk Hunts

Elk, Rocky Mountain Elk   ·
Utah
From 
$2,500
Outfitter #075
Draw Required
Rocky Mountain Elk   ·
Wyoming
From 
$11,000
Outfitter #1075

Top Arizona Hunting Trips

Draw Required
Javelina   ·
Arizona
From 
$1,500
Outfitter #973
Draw Required
Mule Deer   ·
Arizona
From 
$7,500
Outfitter #841

Related Articles

Hunt the Fjords: Authentic Greenland Hunt for Caribou and Musk Ox

Hunt the Fjords: Authentic Greenland Hunt for Caribou and Musk Ox

When a boat noses into a remote Greenland fjord and you step ashore holding your rifle with an experienced Inuit guide at your side, it’s immediately clear that this isn’t a typical hunt. It’s not even a typical Greenland hunt.

Most Greenland hunting is centered around Kangerlussuaq, where larger outfitters operate within fixed concessions. WTA’s exclusive hunt in Greenland breaks that mold. Working solely with local Inuit guides Hans-Erik and his son Leon, this hunt takes just two to four hunters at a time into the wild western fjords in pursuit of caribou and musk ox. It’s one of the most intimate and authentic Greenland hunts available today.

A Different Kind of Operation

Based in Sisimiut on Greenland’s western coast, this is a deliberately small operation. There are no large lodges or rotating waves of hunters. Instead, you’ll stay in comfortable canvas tents with cots, enjoy meals prepared by Leon’s fiancée, and hunt open terrain reminiscent of Alaska’s Brooks Range. Only 15 to 20 hunters are hosted each season between August through mid-October.

From Greenland’s second-largest town, Sisimiut, you’ll travel north by Targa 24 boat into fjords where the guides have hunted for generations. This is nomadic-style hunting: glassing vast country and operating without confined concession boundaries.

The Hunting

The strategy is simple and effective. Glass from the water, locate animals, go ashore, make your stalk. Boat access allows you to cover far more country than land-based operations, increasing opportunities while keeping pressure low.

Musk ox success is essentially 100%. These prehistoric-looking animals are rarely difficult once found—the challenge is locating them. They’re especially well-suited to bowhunters, often allowing close, deliberate approaches.

Caribou demand more effort and patience. Trophy quality is respectable, and the experience is exactly what many hunters seek: challenging stalks, stunning country, and bulls worthy of both the wall and the table. These caribou deliver a complete hunt—earned, memorable, and deeply satisfying.

Cultural Immersion

With the 2026 WTA TAGS application season officially underway—marked by Alaska’s upcoming December 15 application deadline—it’s time to examine your strategy for the year ahead. At WTA TAGS, our goal is simple: to help you realize your hunting dreams. We can assist you in drawing high-quality limited-entry big game tags across the West, and help you build valuable preference/bonus points for the future!

More than an Application Service

WTA TAGS isn’t just a license application service provider. We’re a team of seasoned consultants and avid western big-game sportsmen who live and breathe this process every day. Our expertise allows us to build and manage your personalized strategy aligned to your unique goals. Whether you’re aiming to hit it big and draw a coveted bighorn sheep tag, build points for a dream elk or mule deer hunt, or secure annual opportunities to keep you in the field, we can help.

Every hunter’s situation is different, and every state’s draw system is unique. That’s where we come in. We study these systems so you don’t have to. From understanding point structures and random draws to identifying hidden gems with better odds and trophy potential, our team ensures your name is in the right hat for the right reasons.

Let WTA TAGS Handle the Details

The days of juggling credit-card charges, spreadsheets, usernames, and passwords are over. WTA TAGS handles every aspect of the application process so you can focus on what really matters—planning your next adventure.

Our tag-fee float eliminates the financial burden of fronting thousands of dollars in state tag fees (for those states that require payment for the tag upfront). We pay the tag cost on your behalf and manage the process from start to finish. When your application is in our hands, you can rest easy knowing every deadline is met, every form is correct, and every point is tracked accurately.

Apply for Alaska’s Most Coveted Tags

Apply for Alaska’s Most Coveted Tags

Most sportsmen don’t think of the draw when contemplating a hunt in Alaska. That’s because, for most of the big…

Get Trip Specials & Cancellations,
Right Where You Want It.

No spam. Just the good stuff. Opt-out anytime.