Hello all, I am proud to anounce that I will be moving to Arizona!

I am a born and raised Buckeye, but I hate the snow and received a job offer so I took it!

My question concerns hunting. In Ohio we can only used slug barrels on our shotguns. What do you boys use out here? I have heard that semi-auto rifles can be used.Is this true???

If this is true I cant wait to get a rifle in .308.

What do you boys use for hunting? I will probably go up north to flagstaff for elk hunting, would a .308 do the job?

I am looking for a good .308 semi-auto in the $700 price range that would be accurate enough to take an elk or deer at 300 yards....is this even feasable?

Thanks for any help and I cant wait to move!

First, you have to get drawn for a tag---its all on a lottery drawing sytem here---forget all about "over the counter tags" in Az., except for Mtn. lion and fall bear (and of course small game) and theres no such thing as taking multiple deer a season (like you're probably used to). Theres a whole lot more people that DON'T get drawn for elk tags than do. No stupid ass slug gun rules, and yes, a 308 would do fine for elk if you do your part.

Some high demand deer units (hunts)are tough to get drawn for also

You can get over the counter bow tags.

Quoted: Hello all, I am proud to anounce that I will be moving to Arizona! I am a born and raised Buckeye, but I hate the snow and received a job offer so I took it! My question concerns hunting. In Ohio we can only used slug barrels on our shotguns. What do you boys use out here? I have heard that semi-auto rifles can be used.Is this true??? If this is true I cant wait to get a rifle in .308. What do you boys use for hunting? I will probably go up north to flagstaff for elk hunting, would a .308 do the job? I am looking for a good .308 semi-auto in the $700 price range that would be accurate enough to take an elk or deer at 300 yards....is this even feasable? Thanks for any help and I cant wait to move!

YOU CAN PUT IN FOR BLACK POWDER ,ARCHERY  ,HANDGUN, CENTERFIRE  , QUAIL  JAVELINA   BEAR  ELK ECT

YOU CAN PUT IN COW ELK  EARLIER IN THE SEASON . IF YOU PUT IN FOR ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF HUNTING THERE WILL PLENTY OF HUNTING FOR YOU.

Holy cow, guy! You can kill an elk with a .22 rifle. As for accuracy, you almost can't miss an elk at 300 yards! Now the problem out here is that all big game hunting requires that you be drawn for a tag. I've been here 20 years and have hunted about half of those years because I can't get drawn. It has been 4 years since I was drawn for deer. This year, all I got was Spring Javelina. Fortunately, we have plenty of coyotes and other non-game creatures that provide entertainment, or, for most of us, all we'd get to shoot is paper. Paper is, by the way, the most commonly shot creature in this State. In answer to your question though, you can pick up a used .308 in a model 700 Remington, or even an older 721 Remington, for lessthan $300, and it will be more than potent and accurate enough for elk at 300 yards, or 500 yards if you wanted to try it. Also, yes, you can hunt with semi-auto weapons, but your magazine cannot be capable of holding more than 5 shots. Good luck.

QUOTE:  
YOU CAN PUT IN FOR BLACK POWDER ,ARCHERY  ,HANDGUN, CENTERFIRE  , QUAIL  JAVELINA   BEAR  ELK ECT

YOU CAN PUT IN COW ELK  EARLIER IN THE SEASON . IF YOU PUT IN FOR ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF HUNTING THERE WILL PLENTY OF HUNTING FOR YOU. QUOTE

KEY WORDS here  are "put in for"!----I'm trying to get across to him that "he ain't in Ohio no more" when it comes to hunting, especially deer. People from back there go in shock when they hear how tags are issued and QUANTITY issued in Az. I'm originally from Michigan, been here over 20 years, but still go back for deer hunting occassionally----everyone there is use  to a DEER A DAY during MULTIPLE seasons ($10 doe tags over the counter--1 a day!)
I'm trying to let him know that you can't just "buy a tag" and head for Flag.

And yes, bow can be baught over the counter, but he didn't mention bowhunting. BUT, you don't have to put in for Quail

Not trying to bum him out--just a dose of reality----a few months ago I posted in a thread here about overhearing 2 older guys in a Sportmens Warehouse talk HUGE shit about Az. and its hunting, and the fact that "had they known" they would have moved somewhere else. I finally piped up and told them that "IF hunting was so important to you, like you make it sound, you would think a person would spend a few minutes RESEARCHING it before moving ACROSS the country", like this guy is doing on the hometown forum, or by going to a G&F website for the state, etc.
Msokol13 wants to be informed--thats good.

Guys,  I REALLY appreciate all the help you have given me! I am still not sure if I want to spring for a Polytech M14 or a Remington 700 VS or PSS in 308. Both are about the same price but I have never hunted with a semi-auto rifle and think it would be a good challenge for me.

I am not that psychotic about hunting, so if I get picked out of the lottey thats great. If not, there is always next year. There will be plenty of paper to keep me busy as one of the above posters mentioned.

Oh yeah, I will be moving to the Glendale area. I am young(23) but know my fair share about rifles and handguns so if someone ever wants to meet me at the Scottsdale Gun Club let me know!

Oh yeah, for the gentleman who works in realty I appreciate your offer to help me find a home. At this time I will not need your services but please send me another e-mail, I accidentally erased the one that you sent me.

I would like to have your information so I can save it for the future.

Not another Friggin "Ohiowan" from "Ohiowa"!!!

Quoted: Not another Friggin "Ohiowan" from "Ohiowa"!!!

Thanks now I feel real welcome.

Hey, don't let it get you down. We all kinda hate to see our sparsely populated State becoming another overly-populated State, but the thing to remember is almost all the native Arizonans live on the reservation - so the difference between you and most of us is one of degrees only. Welcome.

I'm from ohio  Been here 7 years.. Welcome to Arizona Msokol    No more shoveling snow..

Oh yeah, I will be moving to the Glendale area.

Welcome to the neighborhood.   Here's hoping you found one of the nice areas of our fair city and not the 'I'm not walking their at night without my FAL and a rabid pitbull on crack.'

I'm still amazed at the great state of Arizona...  I doubt their are many more shooter friendly places on earth? NFA machine guns?  Go for it.  Silencers?  Send in the paperwork, pay the tax and go pick it up at any of a 1/2 dozen places in town.   .50 BMG?  World class gun smiths?  Top notch AR manufacturers?  Oh, and ASA too.   But everyone needs some comic relief. :P

From what I was told it is a safe area. When we went to the apartment complex it looked pretty nice. We are in the Arrowhead area I think it is called? In North Glendale....this is an okay area right?

Quoted: Oh yeah, I will be moving to the Glendale area. Welcome to the neighborhood.   Here's hoping you found one of the nice areas of our fair city and not the 'I'm not walking their at night without my FAL and a rabid pitbull on crack.' I'm still amazed at the great state of Arizona...  I doubt their are many more shooter friendly places on earth? NFA machine guns?  Go for it.  Silencers?  Send in the paperwork, pay the tax and go pick it up at any of a 1/2 dozen places in town.   .50 BMG?  World class gun smiths?  Top notch AR manufacturers?  Oh, and ASA too.   But everyone needs some comic relief. :P

We as in the State is in the midst of a 10 year drought. The number of deer tags issued has dropped almost 70% from the highs of the early 90"s. And that's because the deer heard is down 70% since then. I remember hunts at the North Kaibab where I saw over 120 huge BUCKS in a 3 day weekend. Today, there isn't a deer track to be found in the same area due to lack of water & feed. As a matter of fact, there have not been any deer in this certain area since the fall of 2001!!! And thats from a Game & Fish Ranger . It's far worse than people think. But the elk heards are going to soar in numbers due to the big fires we had. Instead of forrest, we have pasture with dead trunks growing there. The elk are going nuts. But, good luck drawing a tag. It's tough to do. We have moved our archery hunt from unit to unit just to find deer. We have taken up hunting in areas that have small lakes as they are the only sure source of water for game animals. In 2004, Az. G&F spent $1.3 million dollars hauling water to the deer up on the North Kaibab plateau. And it will be worse this year if we don't get some snow pack in the high country. And there is NONE in the forecast. So, there is the long & short of it.  You better team up with a hunting buddy with a good 4X4 if you want to hunt here.
One cool thing hee in Arizona is that you can hunt big game with an AR15. ANY CENTERFIRE rifle is legal for big game. If a semi auto, you are limited to 5 round mags. I have 8 to fit my AR's. And that's for hunting ANYTHING (big game, varmits, etc.) with a semi auto.

Oh one more thing, I moved here from Akron back in the 70's so don't let these dudes get you down. Just make sure you dring some hot babes with you and or their moms, too!!! We need to keep a balance of sane Midwestern girls to balance the lame babes from Southern California!

Msokol13 welcome.  I too live in the Arrowhead area.  Nice area.  No crack apts here.

I am looking for a good .308 semi-auto in the $700 price range that would be accurate enough to take an elk or deer at 300 yards....is this even feasable?

This IS Arizona!
Not only is it "feasable" I think it's mandatory!
If you want a military type A M-14 would probably work best.
If just a semi is what you want, and considering the price range you stipulated, everything from a FAL to a Browning BAR is a possibility.
Oh yeah, welcome to AZ!

See Buckeye, we ain't all xenophobes here! Again, welcome!

Thanks guys...cant wait to live among all the cactus....I mean cacti!

Born in Arizona, so I must advise you of the new laws required to relocate to this fine state:

1. You must bring in 10 fine looking women. I like brunettes.

2. You must provide names and addresses of a 100 fine looking women in Ohio, so that when we visit Ohio, we will no be alone.

3. Whenever you visit Ohio, you must bring back more women.

4. Did I mention girls?

5. If unable to complete the above mentioned, you must commit to buying a gun a month for the next ten years. Every year a Arizona born resident gets to chose a gun and transfer it to his or her gun safe.

6. Welcome to Arizona, liberal guns laws, class 3, loats of get togethers, and lots of shooting.

From what I was told it is a safe area. When we went to the apartment complex it looked pretty nice. We are in the Arrowhead area I think it is called? In North Glendale....this is an okay area right

Not bad actually.  Like any large metro area though, you need to keep your eyes open.  I was sad to hear that a Peoria cop was shot out on 88th and olive, that's not a bad area normally.  (Due south a few miles from arrowhead...)

As to your 308, why not build what you want?  AZEX arms or ARS are both located in the Phoenix metro and both are world class FAL smiths.   Go buy an IMBEL receiver and a FAL kit before the supply of good kits dries up.  A few compliance parts and you can have a top notch battle rifle that, with a 5 round mag will work nicely for elk. (Although probably a few hundred more than you were looking to pay, but a huge step ahead of any CAI junk you'd buy in that range.)

FSE Has absolutely cherry kits for sale.  The one I got last month looked like it had never been outside the box.  Zero wear and a pristine bore.  (And if all goes well, mine will be back from ARS around March....)

the nroth part of Glendale, above Dunlap-ish, is fine, though we are startring to get our share of stop-light panhandlers.

City government is another story (I ran for mayor in 2002), but they're only there to take your money. :)

Perfect for hunting any game.