Anyone use the Cabelas or some other permit application service for trying to draw difficult to get tags?
Thanks

I use Hunter Application Service(888-824-7748)owned by Larry and Stephanie Altimus. Nicest people in the world. They know the game. If you contact them, tell them Mark said hello.

With the Internet & most states having on line apps why not just do it yourself & save a few bucks?

I subscribe to Eastmans & Huntin Fool but I'll fill out my own app.

Especially since Cabela's TAGS filed customers applications late, and missed the Arizona deadline!!!!!!

Used Altimus nice thing about him is if you don't have the bucks to front the fees for the expensive tags he will do it for a reduced cost then if you draw you have to front the entire fee. It used to cost me around $2500 to use HAS to put me in for elk,deer, and sheep.I did it myself this year with the help of the Huntin Fool and saved myself alot of money. Was not able to put in for all the tage that required license fees up front though. Huntin Fool has a complimentary issue you can scan through on there hunting site.

Just heard that Az G&F Commission voted against Cabelas T.A.G.S., 5-0 for granting them an extension. Sounds like over 500 applications were rejected because of them missing the deadline.

I'll bet Cabelas has about 500 pissed off customers. Thats pretty horrible for them to have missed the deadline.

From the Outdoor Wire 3/17/2008


Arizona Game & Fish Commission Denies Cabela’s Request

Asking “what can brown do for you†probably wouldn’t be advisable in Arizona for the next few weeks. An apparent snafu by the delivery company with that trademark phrase has left several hundred elk hunting hopefuls out in the cold when it comes to this year’s drawings.

On Friday, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission unanimously voted to deny a request by Cabela’s that would have extended the 2008 pronghorn antelope and elk draw deadline.

The petition from Cabela’s for the extension came after theArizona Game and Fish Departmentreceived elk and antelope applications submitted by Cabela’s tag service after the established deadline. Those applications were on behalf of 568 hunters.

Cabela's offers an application service known as T.A.G.S. — Trophy Application and Guide Service. For a fee ($50 each in the case of Arizona elk and antelope), Cabela's will prepare your applications for western big game draw licenses, including analyzing and selecting premier trophy areas. They also front the application money for you ($595 in the case of Arizona elk, $485 in the case of antelope).

Arizona Game and Fish Commission officials say the petition says Cabela’s sent to the department three packages through a private courier fromNebraskaon February 11, 2008. The packages, unfortunately, didn’t arrive at the department location until after the posted deadline time of 7 p.m. on February 12, 2008.

The commission agreed to the hearing in accordance with Commission Rule R12-4-611 that allows for petitions to be heard by the commission when no other administrative remedy exists. In the unanimous decision, it appears the Commissioners felt there was really no remedy that would be equitable – other than a rejection of the petition.

As you can imagine, the chat rooms in Arizona lit up with the story – and what were some bits of miscommunication that resulted in Cabela’s commenting on some of the chats and discussion boards. In those comments, a Cabela’s spokesperson said that, despite all the rumors, there was never a thought, implication or threat of a lawsuit against the state if the petition were denied. “With full faith in the administrative process,†the statement says, “Cabela’s will abide by the decision of the Commission.â€

Some of the 568 out-of-luck tag applicants might disagree with that high-road approach. The repeat applicants will lose a bonus point that would have been awarded to hunters who entered the drawing but didn’t receive a tag. If they had applied five consecutive years for a tag for a particular genus, they would also have received a “loyalty bonus pointâ€- those, too, are gone under the petition decision. To accumulate those points now will mean not being awarded a tag for the next five years.

Arizona officials explained that under the worst case scenario an individual would not earn a bonus point, would lose one and now have to apply for five consecutive years before being awarded the bonus point. All the individuals, however, will still have the bonus points they’ve earned for being unsuccessful in past draws or draws that they purchased a bonus point.

Clear? Me neither. Net-net, the Game and Fish Commission decision means that the rules, quite simply, are the rules, even if you are a major retailer that’s been let down – big time- by a courier service.

From the Arizona Game and Fish Dept. site:

Commission denies request to extend 2008 antelope, elk application deadline

News Media
Mar 14, 2008


The Arizona Game and Fish Commission today unanimously voted to deny a request by a national outdoor equipment retail company that would have extended the 2008 pronghorn antelope and elk draw deadline.

Cabela’s petition to the commission was a result of the Arizona Game and Fish Department receiving elk and antelope applications after the established deadline that were submitted by the company’s tag application service on behalf of 568 hunters.

According to the petition, Cabela’s sent to the department three packages through a private courier from Nebraska on Feb. 11, 2008. The packages didn’t arrive at the department location until after the posted deadline time of 7 p.m. on Feb. 12, 2008.

The commission agreed to the hearing in accordance with Commission Rule R12-4-611 that allows for petitions to be heard by the commission when no other administrative remedy exists.


That sounds like 568 angry hunters and some money that Cabelas will have to refund... It's a toss up whether it would have been "politically correct" to allow the late entries but at the same time there is a deadline... If the delivery service was an hour late maybe they would make an allowance... Once the dealine hits though they have to check all of the entries for completeness, verify fee validity and then proceed to the draw... That started the next day and those entries had not yet been submitted... I hand delived mine to their office the week before but then too I live here and shoot at the range just down the road from their offices...

Ken....