For those who are interested in such things, this past week another extraordinary bull elk was killed in the state of Arizona. The bull is a straight 6x6 and gross scores (green) in the 435-inch class. If entered in the book, the bull will likely place in the Top Ten of Boone & Crockett.

Their season starts in July?

You're new here, so we'll cut you some slack. If you don't have photos, or at least a link to photos, it never happened!

Last years Governor's tag. Tag ends July 31. This years start Aug 1.

Wowser. He's got some hooks.

Any idea whatzzone he was killed in?

Too bad its still in velvet. Some trophy a look good like that, but for such a whopper, been better in war torn polished horn.

....with broken off points.


If I wanted to shoot a top ten bull, I'd try to get the in velvet too....

To each his own.

But being in velvet makes it looked like ya shot it before the proper season.

You can strip the velvet.

These bulls are hunted in late July just so they are in velvet and as big as possible before shedding.

There are three tags available in az to hunt statewide and all year. Starting Aug 1st to end of July. Most wait all year till the end of July to kill a rare huge velvet bull.

Kent

Velvet is cool looking to me.

I don't think most of them wait, what usually happens is they don't get it done before the bulls drop their antlers so they scramble to get one before the season ends July 31st.

I know the story on this bull and there is a certain amount of drama to it- I guess that should be expect of an auction tag!

My buddy told me yesterday that the main beams were 65" and the G-1 on one side was 27" and the other a little shorter. I think it will have to be stripped if he wants to get in the book with it. P&Y allows velvet but he is a rifle hunter.

Would be a helluva shame to strip the velvet just for scoring, as it would make a wonderful mount as is. Though I have seen a set of flocked velvet antlers that looked pretty decent, so I guess a guy could add the velvet back on later.

My thinking as well. Big is big who gives a schit about getting in a book.

A guy willing to pay what that tag costs.

Guess you are right on that one

An amazing animal ... that does not appeal to me at all as a trophy. Maybe it's the East Coast in me, but I just can't go for critters in velvet.

Velvet smacks of hunting out of season. I don't care if he paid $500k for his candyass tag that the governor splooged on to hunt with 12 guides, 2 helicopters, 30 beaters and a wet nurse. It's hunting out of season and isn't a fair hunt done in the wilderness under fair conditions. It's just a hand job for a rich pussie.

I don't either, I was just answering the man's question.

Dddaaaaaaaaannnnngggggggg that's a hog of a bull.

Curious how much this rack will shrink after the 60 day drying period.

Sir, was not attacking you. I just prefer to earn my meager prize. Just articulating that I would rather not pay some "professional" hunter to select my target and cordon him off for me.

It is a legal, lawful hunt and anything to indicate otherwise is an absolute lie.

It's not a "hand job" for the rich, these tags actually generate a lot of revenue for the animals we hunt. There are just as many raffle tags as there are auction tags in a lot of states.

Personally, I feel they should all be raffled but it is what it is.

A good friend of mine drew the raffle deer tag here in Colorado last year and he was on a big deer. The locals thought he was the rich guy getting a hand job and they ruined his hunt. After they spooked the deer one guy ran across a snow covered sage flat and got between him and the deer as he was about to pull the trigger.

These guys had your mentality and they were way worse for the sport than any one or two tags

No worries. Sir? Now I feel old, I'm going to take a nap.

This stuff is pathetic. This so called "hunt" is nothing more than a kill to put big money into the AZ Game and Fish pockets.

Some fat-cat who can't hunt for himself hires an outfitter, puts on his camo, and then goes out and shoots a big bull in the summer when these bulls are easy to find.

Another canned pic of the shooter standing 8' behind the bull.


I'd take a 350 DIY any day over this.

So because you're content chasing your meager trophy in OK, you have to bad mouth the hunter, who did it legally and in his means? He is a good man, one of the finest that I've met, who worked hard for what he has. Raised good kids who are hard workers and making their own way through life and doing a good job of it. He loves elk and loves to be part of the hunt, not just called in to shoot. Puts time in, in the off season, shooting to be ready. He bought his first auction tag kind of accidentally. He thought the tag wasn't going high enough to raise money so he bid it up and ended up buying it. He has done a lot for wildlife, so guys like you can chase your meager trophy.

Waiting till the last few days of the hunt this "shooter" obviously had bulls to choose from with his hired guides watching and patterning the bulls during a no pressure hunt.

The pic posted shows an outfitter led hunt.

More of an assassination. You couldn't give me this so called hunt.

We meager hunters don't need his money. The Game and Fish employee retirement fund needs it, that's a fact.

You might not, but your critters do.

Tanner

Tanner, that just may be the case but one man's giving is not going to make sure I/we get to hunt. That's ridiculous.

I sat in on the last AZ GF hearing on raising Lic and tag fees about a year and half ago. They showed all their projected cost.

Employee retirement was at the top of the list.

Better or worse, they raised their rates again, significantly.

I love big DIY Bulls! Start a thread so we can see all of your 350 DIY bulls!!hahahaha
Assassination??? You sound as bad as the PETA psychos. I told myself I was gonna try to quit arguing with idiots, so you have a great day!!

Congrats to the Hunter and guides!!! The first of many tags this year for these guys!! Hope they kill some Giants!!!

Obviously something hit a nerve with you, really sorry about that!

The idea that the rich can buy a B&C tag reeks of Euro-elitism.

This stuff ruins sport hunting. Its all about money and prestige.

It's not exactly my cup of tea either, as I love backpack hunting and often couldn't care less what a critter scores, but I believe casting stones at a major fundraising tag has a better chance of "ruining sport hunting" than anything else. It's just one more thing for anti hunters to pile on about.

Tanner

My personal feelings about these tags aside... I fought hard against HB2072 to keep these tags to 3 per species... and won.

But since they exist and have existed and won't go away. No money goes into the general fund. All money goes into the HPC for habitat and specifically for habitat for that specie.

Last year AZ recieved 25+ million from Pittman/Robertson federal return. To use that money AZ or any state has to spend 25% to 75% P/R. HPC gets money from many sources including the auction/raffle tags. If some guy spends 250,000 for one tag that relates to 1 million on the ground for habitat.

That's the real math.

Kent

Also anyone can devise a habitat project, come up with volunteers, take it to G&F, they are happy to work with anyone as long as it's a feasible plan and they can get federal permits if on federal land.

Kent

I respect that thought.

The hunter looks like Dan Agnew. He pays big bucks to kill 400" bulls. He's damn good at it to. MONSTERS!

http://blog.kingsoutdoorworld.com/2008/09/08/new-state-record-washington-bull-elk/

I know of at least two 400" plus in Washington and at least two 400" plus in Arizona. He's got a passion for big bulls and deeeeeeeeeeep pockets.... He's killed two of the 20 biggest elk ever shot. The bull killed that started this thread may make 3 of the top 20 biggest bulls ever shot.

It's not Agnew.

Nice to see some facts and I agree with limiting these tags. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if it were all a raffle just to stop the bitching and moaning

I have shot carloads of these...




So I can get these...

Nice work Shrapnel.

Let me know when Arizona auctions off the drivers license without speed limits.

None of this happened in this hunt as I know the parties involved. THis bull was found by legwork of a couple of guys. They did babysit him for a few days though.

As for velvet, you can't shoot a buck in our early archery season that doesn't have velvet. I am surprised that this bull was still in velvet myself. Two years ago I watched three bulls within 10 miles of this bull strip their velvet on July 14th.

I think it is unfair to characterize a velvet animal as being poached. Unless I am mistaken, you can start hunting Sitka blacktails in July as well. They will certainly be in velvet.

For those who haven't done it, summer bucks and bulls are the very best eating-far better than a rutting bull or fall buck.

July is not an easy time to find them.

It can be, IF they are still in velvet they are more sensitive about their bones. They also are still hitting salt pretty hard. Just have to use different tactics. They aren't chasing cows yet, that's for sure.

I've only ever shot one caribou that was hard horned and the only moose I've killed was in velvet as well. I know lots of guys who hunt the alpine hard for early season bucks. They earn every one and they're normally wearing velvet. My uncle killed a big muley one November that was in velvet. Never knew we were doing it wrong, abiding by the limits and only hunting when season was open.

The guy bought the tag and with it bought the privilege to hunt whenever he wanted, so it was in season. He did nothing wrong in that aspect. And just incase anyone was unsure, money will buy ANYTHING aside from true love and a ticket to heaven. He paid his fee and played by the set of rules set forth for him.

Awesome bull and more interesting to me than the final score would be what kind of mount he ends up having done. Truly an uncommon trophy and I bet he'll be good tablefare to boot.