Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Judging BIG elk....

Hey Guys,
I've got a tag in Alberta this year that SHOULD put me in front of bulls in the 320-380 range......with my goal being to shoot a nice 350 class bull if all goes well.
I know how to judge a 300 class bull pretty easy, but wanted some tips, pics, etc on deciphering those really big bulls that push that mark.
Any tips or comments on what to look for in those big bulls? I am certainly not a guy who is worried about inches....just want to know when I'm out there what I'm lookin at.....I know if it makes my jaw drop its going to most likely get shot....but wanted to see what was out there...

Thanks guys!! Pics welcome....

Rackmastr:Congrats on your tag. I used to know all the rules for judging big elk,but have mostly forgotten them.... But I'll try to help and others with more experience will no doubt chime in.Maybe they'll remember all the "rules".

First,I'd look for length and mass.A 350 class bull looks big and "boxy" and has a typical 6x6 configuration,in most cases;look for length and mass everywhere, in the main beams,and all of the tines.I think you want main beams in the 50" range,and the back "forks" will be deep and well formed with the main beam sort of (sometimes but not always) turning down.He will sort of look like he could scratch his ass with his back tines if he stretched his head back a bit.The swords should be long as well,IIRC between 18-24".The trez(is that what they call them?) will be long and sort of curved,out and up,and in a big bull seem to add to the appearance of a wide spread.

The first two tines will have length and sort of appear like they'd stretch out at least half the length of his face,maybe more in a really big bull,and sometimes sort of hook up.

With all of this,he will have a lot of mass carried throughout the rack,including the tines.

Each bull is a bit different,and some will have more of these characteristics making up for a lack of others;but a 350(and up)class of bull is a very solid notch up from a 300-320 class in all these characteristics,and once seen, will not be forgotten.A big bull will knock your eyes out and make a lot of these evaluations pretty unneccesary.He will look like "WOW" at first glance unless you're a really hard core elk hunter with a lot of bulls in your background,and exposure to lots of really big elk.

The biggest I've seen was a huge 6x6 in Arizona that I looked over for a long time.He had all the above characteristics in spades and I sort of concluded that he would gross book(about 375 IIRC)and may very well have been considerably larger;he appeared VERY wide because he was,and had very long trez that swept up and out,adding to the appearance of spread.Viewed from the side, his beam length had the "scratch the ass" length and forks were very deep.Generally he had all and more of what I described above, and was bigger in every regard than the 350 class bulls I had previously seen.

In the case of a really big bull,all this excrutiating evaluation will be unnecessary.Like Jack O'Connor said, the big one's will "look big".

Its really difficult to say exacly what to look for, bulls in this catagory can make the 340-350 mark by having exceptional brows, and average everything, or a big top and average bottom or nice all the way around. IMO brows and 4ths are usually pretty average on most mature bulls, but if you see one with a big 'y' at the top and long 3rds, you're looking at the kind of bull you want. By the big y means long mains and long 5ths, long 3rds should be 12" or more. If you find one like that, I doubt you be disapointed.

There are a gajillion pictures on the net of dead elk with the score. Spend some time studying them, and you'll get a lot better feel for what to look for.

If you know what a 300 class bull looks like, a 350 class bull will look huge in comparison. If its bigger than that, it will have long points all the way around and you'll probably be crapping yourself... I know I would. Only a Utard would be able to hold his composure in such a situation.

Haha thanks for the tips guys....kinda what I was thinking....

I have never killed a bull over 260.....the area I havent hunted in the past is an OTC area with easy raghorns but not much for anything big. Mostly farmland elk that get killed when they get past 3pt.

I have been waiting for 9 years for a good elk draw and a season opened up in an area right at home. From all accounts there sounds like a good herd with some very good bulls (pusing 400+ inches) and my goal of harvesting a 300-320 class bull has increased a bit.

I still have no idea what I'll do if a nice 320 class bull steps out on opening day. Hopefully pre-season scouting will give me an idea of what type of bull I'll hold out for.....either way I'm VERY excited.....

I am in the same situation as you--I have drawn a chance of a lifetime, and have the most realistic chance for a 350+ bull that I will every have. One way that I am trying to learn to judge them is just by experience--looking at photos to be able to compare the differences.
One place I found on the web is Bull elk photos

A big bull has a squarer rack as opposed to a more narrow U shaped rack. Then I think tine length comes into play.

take a deep breath and THINK and compare,look around and take a few seconds, don,t get tunnel vission on the first 4 point or larger rack you see! I see far too many guys that quickly count points and sqeeze off a shot all within a second or so of spotting anything approaching a decent bull, now thats TOTALLY understandable since I normally hunt on BLM or public access land, and seeing any good bull is reasonably rare, but Ive seen several cases where guys dropped satilite bulls and only then noticed the herd bull after the shot!
ask your guide if hes there but remember most guides want you to shoot ANYTHING thats near decent, and rarely hold out for a monster, because most guys would rather have a decent bull down to brag about than go home empty handed, and they know that.
plus many guides are part time locals who either don,t know what a truely large bull looks like or would prefer you took an average bull and got back to camp early, or might want to get the largest bulls themselfs. now obviously not all guides think like that but Ive known a few that were in the guide business only to make a few extra bucks and were not exactly worried about the elks BOONE/CROCKETT scores, thier main concern was getting the tag filled and the ELK out and back to camp.
ITs your hunt and YOUR choice,but keep in mind ANY decent bull is a trophy of sorts and its rare for a guy to get a decent bull on every hunt, on an average hunt, your probably going to see only a few bulls and if your holding out for a monster your taking a chance on going home with an un-filled tag!
I know Ive gone home with an un-used tag a few times when I passed on average/legal bulls , I was seeing,having shot something similar in the past, while hopeing for something bigger would show up and it didn,t

340mag you always crack me up.

rackmaster, if a number (350) is something you are hoping to end up with (in addition to a great hunt), you'll have to add some numbers in your head when looking at the antlers..

Don't worry about any shapes, "boxy" etc.. that plays no role in the score of the bull. Look for length of tines and the beam. Mass and spread are secondary.. To get to 350, the average length of tines should be pretty good. If you have some stunted brow tines of 12" or so.. you'll have to have some really good length up top to make up for it. And vice versa.. all elk racks vary. If you have 10" 3rd tines.. you'll have to have really long stuff elsewhere to make up for it. Good rule of thumb is 15" avg on tine length will end up with something in that range of bull.

A 320 bull usually looks a whole lot bigger than something in the 300 range. 350 is a whole different league that 320. It won't look small, and in most cases, no real need to add numbers, just shoot. If you're looking at a nice 6 point, but you are unsure, just start doing some math. If you're in a difficult to draw area with bulls around that are in that near 400 range, I'd do a lot of practicing and evaluating bulls in the 320-340 range and convincue yourself to pass... which will be tough as those are some terrific looking bulls. Take your time.

Good luck.

Since your tag is in Alberta, I would spend a weekend in Banaff National Park and view as many elk as possible in early September. If the season begins after the rut go to Banaff during the rut and glass any and all elk. Find the biggest bulls and use them as a benchmark.

Second visit all of the local taxidermy shops as they should be finishing up with last years mounts and ask what is the B/C points for each elk. Ditto with sporting goods stores. This will give one a realistic view of the what is available in your location. Go from there

If his fronts are as long as his nose... If he can scratch his ass with his whale tails... SHOOT!!!!!

At least in Unit one in AZ, we look at the 3rd's and 5th's. Usually one is short and the other long.
If this is the case in Alberta, make sure the 3rd's and 5th's are nice and long. If one is short, think twice unless you know he has it everywhere else. Soetimes its easier to tell a long or short 5th than a long or short 3rd.
In any event if the beams sweep back and that back fork is long and deep, you have a good starting point. If those fronts look as long as the nose like casey said and kinda have a nice sweep up, that is also good. If you got both of those and that 3rd point looks as long or close to the first two, thaen you got a solid bull.
Look at mass aswell. That big bull will carry it most of the beam.

The best thing you can do and should do, is contact a taxidermist or a few taxidermist in Alberta. Ask them what the average 350 bull has as far as tine length, beams and mass. As him for pics of those big bulls and measurements if he has them.

I did this when I was starting to field judge coues deer. My taxidermis said most mature coues deer have 15 inch beams, 22 inches of mass total, and about 14 inches inside. So I start at 52 (beams and mass), look at ears and guess spread, use ears or nose to guage tines. That saves me a lot of time field judging.

Contact a taxidermist and find that stuff out for the area you will be at. That will save you time and also help you tell that 320 from 350. I am sorry, but after a certain size big is big untill you hit that 380 mark where the oh poop factor sets in and you know he's a monster and who cares score.

Good luck and I hope you share some pics from your hunt and God willing success.

Kique

Pay attention to how much of the tip is polished. If you see plenty of ivory tip on all the tines, you probably have a mature bull. The points should all be distinguishable and distinct.

Everyone has their own ways of judging. I have mine, I usually shoot the first bull I see and then go over and measure it. It's just that easy...



My first bull opening day 1978 he grossed 385; since then I have shot the first legal elk I have seen, 40+ elk and counting, This one a 7X7 grossing 324...





I believe the tines are the key...how long, how much ivory on the tips, how do they compare with the mass of the main beams. I have shot quite a few elk, but not many big ones, no matter what they say, big elk are scarce.

That's the way to do it everywhere. That and the mass at the bases.

OK all you elk judges, what does this one score?

I'd guess 320 to 330 but it's hard to see the right side !!!
Later Taters

Both sides are essentially the same.

I'll even give you a hint: The left side has a 58" main beam length.

I've got him at around 356-367 give or take with out seeing his spread.
18" G1
17" G2
15" G3
20" G4
8" G5
55" mass
58" Mains
Assumed 40" inside
Helluva bull.Shooter on most hunts.

I was thinking 355 =- 5.

I hate judging pictures!!!!!!!!

By doing a quick glance, I would guess 335 to 345, closer to 335. I feel I am waaaaayyyyyyyyy off, but in any event doing a quick score that is what I would guess if I only had a quick second to guess.

The 4ths are nice and long, the 3rd's and 5th's to me are good, and the first two are good.
Can't see bases, but the mass looks good and like already stated, the widths is hard to say.

If this was the only look I had, I would bite the bullet, tell my client to shoot the dang thing as many times as he could. If I was wrong and he was way small, It would be on me. If I was right, then I would be the man.

Great bull from the side, so I would say a definite shooter. I wouldn't hesitate to kill that thang.

Kique

I'd have to say by looking at the pic closer, I'd guess a solid 360 bull.
That is taking time to guess everything out and using 58 inch beams to double, triple or quadruple the other points to equal 58 inches.
example, how many G4's will it take to equal 58inches? I'd say bout 2 and a quarter or so. and then doing the same with the other points.

Solid 360 by taking time, 335 to 345 by quick guessing.

Kique

That is NOT a 360 bull. He is not an inch over 340.