Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Arizona auction tags.

What do you Arizona guys think about them ending auction tags?

I can't imagine anyone that doesn't profit from it being upset. I'm sure not.

I have looked, but not seen how/if AZ is going to make up the lost revenue. Assuming they will need to?

Be interesting to see if any other states follow.

Raise those NR fees, folks will complain but still pay.

For years the Rockefellers and I had the same opportunity at an Oregon bighorn tag. Random draw and once in a lifetime if successful. Now they can nail a sheep every year and with 50 years of trying, I've not scored a tag yet. Never cared for the auction idea and a couple hundred grand really does not buy much anymore.

Just the mule deer and desert BH brought in over $1 million this year. Don’t think that can be made up with NR increases.

Not defending auction tags, cause I’m kind of on the fence about them, but in NM, sheep draw hunts bring in around $27,000 yearly and the rocky auction tag alone brought in $600,000. The $600,000 is IMO a direct result of a transplant that would not have been done without revenue from auction tags.

Auction tags are about as controversial as Leupolds.

I know nothing about Oregon, so this is an honest question.

In those 50 years, have you gained more opportunity to draw with more available tags? If so, do you think money from auction tags helped? Obviously application numbers and the demand on sheep has outpaced any tag increases, but have the number of tags increased dramatically?

For me, I see more of a correlation between sheep and any other species regarding auction tags.

I am more for auction tags if ran by the state F&G. I am not for those that are given to third party organizations, all of them, for them to auction off. I'd not be upset if states had to have a raffle tag for every auction tag.

Assuming even half of the money made actually goes to wildlife, its a big loss.

I don't like the idea of rich, fat old bastards coming in for a shoot (not a hunt) at the biggest critters we have in the state. However, if the funding has been used properly, it is a lot if aid to our wildlife.

I think the bean counters ran the numbers and the short fall will only affect projects. They'll just do another mid season emergency raffle and rake in hundreds of thousands on application fees and only give away 3 tags.
I talked to one guide and he told me that his client intends to buy 100,000 raffle tickets. I guess there's your Shortfall right there. I don't know if the rules for spending auction tag money is the same as it is for raffle money. If not, then that probably is a big driver too.

Seems like everyone is all for raffle tags. I’m curious, how does everyone feel about people selling those raffle tags? I know most of the time people that win the raffle tags sell them anyway. On most years there is a standing offer of $20k here in NM to start negotiations. I’m also curious, let’s say you drop $200 bucks on tickets and win. Do you sell for $20k, $20k that will likely never benefit any wildlife, or do you hunt it? No wrong answers. Just curious.

Capitalism and freedom despite their awesomeness do have shortfalls.
I don't like the idea of a raffle tag which was initially authorized to fiscally benefit conservation to be sold for personal gain, but if it were me to make that $19, 800, I'd be all over it. I feel more than a bit hypocritical saying that, but it is the truth.

Some states such as Idaho allow landowner tags to be sold (technically, access is sold to use it via trespass fee) and I have personal friends who make $10K off those deals with nothing more than a handshake. Easy money. I get it.

I'm hunting it, and you're taking me.

If auction tags go away, the drawings are going to get even more diluted with big money.

Tiny, a lot of our E-Plus authorizations go for that and more. I know of authorizations last year that went for $12,000.

Tag numbers have increased in Or over time mostly due to new transplants. Odds are about 1 in 7 or 800 in the draws. We can not sell tags. Sizable land owners can sell access though.

I don’t have a problem with em personally , as long as every last penny goes into the species that the $$ was spent on.

I dont like them at all, there animals of the resident people who live there not whoever has enough money in there pocket, unfortunately hunting is becoming s rich man's game.

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I'm hunting it, and you're taking me.
.[/quote]

Sheep tag-hell yes I’m hunting it! Deer and elk I’m just not sure. I might be more inclined to sell them, and hopefully get enough to hunt the Jic or go to Mexico. It would be a lot of pressure and time to do either one justice(statewide deer/elk). I just don’t know. Be a fun problem to have though!

If the money that was raised went to helping the wildlife, then I am fine with it. There weren't very many auction tags available, but the funds raised was in the millions. A pretty good swap if you ask me. However, I do not know how the funds were appropriated, nor if there is an accurate way to find that information.

Sheep tag-hell yes I’m hunting it! Deer and elk I’m just not sure. I might be more inclined to sell them, and hopefully get enough to hunt the Jic or go to Mexico. It would be a lot of pressure and time to do either one justice(statewide deer/elk). I just don’t know. Be a fun problem to have though![/quote]

I know the stress/pressure of a tag like that would get to me.

That’s why you’re taking me.🤣

Hell yeah but I get to hold your ammo! I have no problem passing on good not great critters with other folks tags! Lol!

Most guys really don’t get how much pressure and logistics goes into a tag like that, no more fun and games. A few years ago a buddy of mine got gifted a statewide bull tag. He passed up so many great bulls- like 380-390 bulls it was insane. Then all of a sudden it was January. He ended up killing a 370 type bull and to his credit he was happy with him. He killed it in his home country where 10 years prior there weren’t even elk there. He had his three boys with him and it worked out good. If that had been me I would still be fretting over the bulls I had passed.