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I've never bothered to learn how to measure and have no idea of what numbers are considered a really good one other than seeing one with WOW value. It's got to where the hardest part of bull hunting is getting the tag. We'd rather hunt cows than miss out on getting a tag so that's what we've been hunting for the last 5 years. We can get a tag OTC any time and have very high odds of getting an elk, plus cows are better eating. I guess that's one of the perks of living in a mountain state.


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Originally Posted by Rock Chuck
I've never bothered to learn how to measure and have no idea of what numbers are considered a really good one other than seeing one with WOW value. It's got to where the hardest part of bull hunting is getting the tag. We'd rather hunt cows than miss out on getting a tag so that's what we've been hunting for the last 5 years. We can get a tag OTC any time and have very high odds of getting an elk, plus cows are better eating. I guess that's one of the perks of living in a mountain state.

Right on! As an old timer once told me, "You don't eat horn".


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Gentlemen, thank you for sharing your experience and insight.

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I've always been a meat hunter since I shot my first elk, a 5x5 bull, when I was in college in the '60s. Over the years I've certainly shot my share of elk all on DIY and most on solo hunts, and most on public land. Hunting pressure on elk and all other animals has tremendously increased in the 55 years that I've been hunting. When shot my first bull I was hunting with one of my college roommates and he wouldn't let me take those horns in his car with us back to college. I had to wait until his parents would bring them in their pickup when they came to visit him. Back then a lot of meat hunters just left the antlers in the woods.

I am continually amazed that people will pay $20-30k for an elk hunt, but that pretty much guarantees them the inches that they want. There are still 300+ inch and even B&C bulls on public land, but they are not easy to find. I have two friends that each shot a B&C bull in the last few years, but they were in a limited draw unit and may have been on private land that they have leased.

I think that I have only shot two bulls over 300", one netted 330" and the other gross scored 375". I shot both of them in Wilderness Areas back when I had horses. I eventually had both of them mounted. They were also the first bulls that I saw those years. Here's my 375" bull...
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


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Going from memory, but I think success on bulls in Oregon runs at about the 15% rate. Averaged, that would be a bull about 1 out of every 6 seasons. I've often passed on branched head gear in Id and Wy, but here I'll drop the first antler spotted. As to serious Booner's, those have to carry some age, and are as rare as hen's teeth. I acquired preference points here for years and eventually drew for one of our two trophy units. Guide said we could be picky, and I'd probably be done in 3 days. Eleven days into the six day hunt I eventually pulled the trigger. A nice six by slightly better than 4 others I have on the wall, but not the trophy I was hoping for. Still though, I've never put a tape to any of the animals take.

I've had a couple seasons where the goal was trophy specific. Always ended with tag soup. Across all of my seasons, I think I've seen three bulls that would have been Booners. Closest was probably 400 yds in a screaming wind blizzard. Might have been able to hit him, but I had no idea where. Passed and took a closer 6 by that was about 150 yds out. Like several have mentioned above, it's getting to where a framed and valid tag is the real trophy.

Now if I would just follow my wife and her cameras around, I'd maybe do a bit better. She scores all kinds of trophies. I have nothing on the wall that even approaches her images.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]


Last edited by 1minute; 09/26/21.

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Some of the biggest antlers in Idaho will be found in the range of hills along the NV border. It's easy hunting and very limited tags. The odds of drawing a bull tag there are very small, like 1 in 20 or worse. Cow tags in that area are much easier to get. In fact, in some areas, there are cow tags left over. The cow hunts are late season and if it rains out there, look out. Those roads can get treacherous.


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Rock Chuck: Yes. A distant acquaintance drew a northern Nev tag and hunted those small isolated mts that dot the region. Got an extremely fine bull, showed it off at every gas/eat/drink/stop on the way home and online too. They also noted that no one at all got in the way of their doings. Got home and found in some follow up readings that they'd been out a week before the opener. Turned themselves in and a judge was going to shove the whole book down their throat. The Nev Game and Fish boys though pointed out the self incrimination/sacrifice and suggested lighter doings. Had to forfeit the elk and pay an out of season fine. Will likely need another lifetime before drawing another tag though.


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Lots of folks tend to overestimate size when it comes to elk, and a few more things. If I kill one I want to measure, I can do it myself, but I can also “proof” my score with a certified B&C scorer/regional biologist in my Sunday School class. It really IS about the hunt when you get down to it.

My favorite story is an acquaintance who was bragging about his 360” bull of a lifetime. He got quite indignant when another elk hunting buddy and I both said “hmm…..320, maybe 325” He was furious. His manhood had been questioned! My B&C scorer buddy later measured him @ 324”.


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Every year, I tell myself I’m going to hold out for a big one. Then I see a legal bull and it feels like it might be the last chance I’ll ever get to shoot an elk. 😁

Stuck this one Friday night, DIY, public ground, and by myself. 12 yard shot.


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Any elk with a bow is a good elk. Congratulations.

Just got done help a friend with his Black Hills archery elk tag, which is an exceptional elk area. He hunts with a longbow which ups the challenge even more. Was only able to hunt with him 4 days, and in those four days we had 4 bulls, 2 cows, and 3 calves within 20 yards.

The biggest bull we called in was a bonafide 300+. He never came closer than 40 yards.

.


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on a guided hunt with a bow i shot a bull that scores 374 B.C. typical that hunt cost me $5000.00 cash 10 years ago ,my son`s biggest bow killed bull elk on public land is bigger than my bull around 380 B.C his bull will score. i called that bull in for him we had no ideal this bull was that big or that it had such perfect big antlers with white tips, we were very lucky , we are just average bowhunters my son is a very good archer and dang lucky too. good luck ,Pete53

Last edited by pete53; 09/27/21.

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A 300 inch bull is a good solid 6 point or huge 5 point. Most will look at 300" bull and go wow. Most experienced hunters go wow at a 320 or 330 bull. When they get over that there is no doubt they are giants. Around here (north of the freeway) they have weak 3'rds that really kill the score. The South of the freeway bulls that RockChuck talks about have different genetics and are bigger in general, but a young guy could die of old age before drawing on a hunt with drawing odds of 1 to 2%.


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Originally Posted by centershot
A 300 inch bull is a good solid 6 point or huge 5 point. Most will look at 300" bull and go wow. Most experienced hunters go wow at a 320 or 330 bull. When they get over that there is no doubt they are giants. Around here (north of the freeway) they have weak 3'rds that really kill the score. The South of the freeway bulls that RockChuck talks about have different genetics and are bigger in general, but a young guy could die of old age before drawing on a hunt with drawing odds of 1 to 2%.
A while back I posted this photo that I took some years ago in Shoshone Basin, east of Salmon Dam. These guys were satellite bulls. Up the hill behind them was the herd of about 20 cows and the biggest bull I've ever seen. I never got a good look at his antlers in the brush but he could have been a 7x7 or larger. He was phenomenal. I didn't have a tag or that front one might have been in the bag. I think I could have easily got within bow range.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


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Originally Posted by centershot
A 300 inch bull is a good solid 6 point or huge 5 point. Most will look at 300" bull and go wow. Most experienced hunters go wow at a 320 or 330 bull. When they get over that there is no doubt they are giants. Around here (north of the freeway) they have weak 3'rds that really kill the score. The South of the freeway bulls that RockChuck talks about have different genetics and are bigger in general, but a young guy could die of old age before drawing on a hunt with drawing odds of 1 to 2%.



I’ve heard the weak third deal about so many areas. And I’ve seen a lot of bulls with weak thirds. I’m starting to think that thirds are just hard for most bulls to grow no matter where they are.

But to score really well they have to have good everything.

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I think there are some areas with awesome genetics for thirds.....but they do seem to be weak more often than other points from my observations.

Here's a 275" (I believe....it has been a while) western Wyoming bull with good (albeit, uneven) thirds. I have to wonder what they would have looked like if he were a few years older...
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


Back to the OP....here's a pic of a bunch of what I consider "good" bulls for a fairly experienced hunter to get into on a general season/public land hunt. The 2 biggest ones near the center are well south of 300" I believe.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Another view of the big bull in the post I made on this thread earlier. This is a top tier bull IMO but isn't much more than 350" I wouldn't think. The do get bigger even on public land open hunts but they're not common and are incredibly tough to kill. I sure as hell have never killed one close to this size. They need age, genetics and nutrition. I am convinced folks that consistently kill bulls like him often put 10X the scouting time in and 20X the overall effort of the average experienced elk hunter.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]



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several years ago an uncle of mine went to a "elk hunting Seminar" that was held at one of the sportsman shows. He told me that the very first thing the host of the seminar asked was "of this group, how many of you have killed an elk? Stand up." My uncle said quite a large bunch stood up. Then the guy said, "OK of those of you standing, how many have killed a 6x6 bull elk? stay standing and the rest sit back down." My uncle said very few people stayed standing.

My point is that very few elk hunters ever even kill a 6x6, let alone a big one.


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A lot of good points being made here, and some mighty fine bulls being shown. Congrats to all who have made it happen, and best of luck to those still trying. smile

Never had my 6x6 Wyoming bull officially measured. My unskilled attempts at measuring come in around 330 or so. He's got about a 50" spread. I thought he was one heck of a bull until I got to the taxidermist. He congratulated me, then picked up the rack and set it down inside the rack of a 7x7 that had been killed by some bowhunter! That was an education. I'm a tad over 6' tall and about 200 - 210 pounds in those photos.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

These days I'd just as soon hunt cow elk. Tags are easier. They taste great. There's not much room on the walls here at home, but there's usually room in the freezer:

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Oh, here's a nice bull I found while "hunting" with my camera. I think they'd have had a fit if I shot him there in Yellowstone.... I don't know what he scores, but I'd be very happy with him:
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

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Originally Posted by Rock Chuck
I've never bothered to learn how to measure and have no idea of what numbers are considered a really good one other than seeing one with WOW value. It's got to where the hardest part of bull hunting is getting the tag. We'd rather hunt cows than miss out on getting a tag so that's what we've been hunting for the last 5 years. We can get a tag OTC any time and have very high odds of getting an elk, plus cows are better eating. I guess that's one of the perks of living in a mountain state.



I'm with RockChuck on this one. I grew up and live in great elk country and have them in my backyard almost daily. Got 4 nice ones hanging on the wall, one a shoulder mount and the others just antler mounts, three are 6x6 and one a 7x7, one is archery and the other rifle. Shot many smaller ones also. My 2 sons have taken elk bigger than mine and same thing, nobody pulls out a tape measure.

I've never put a tape to any elk or deer I've shot, wouldn't even know how to do the scoring thing anyway.

Heres a guy that was in my pasture a few weeks ago. He's a goodone.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

This pic is at my water trough.

[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]


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Here is bull I got in Unit 201 in CO.The brisket is 23 inches from the floor and the antlers 1/2 from 8 ft ceiling.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

The bull on the left is just barely a 6X but it was a big bodied Alberta bull.There is another on the same wall, out of the photo of the same size.Might go 300,but probably more like280

The antlers on the right are my first elk taken in 1965 or, 1966

My last full 6x antlers are down in the barn rafters takenin2018.I quit hunting bulls after that. A solo hunt at 12,000 feet, processing, loading it on the pack mule was all wanted to do being 76 years old.

Last edited by saddlesore; 09/28/21.

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Most guys who shoot big bulls do it because they have been hunting elk a long time and know what to do for the opportunities on the big bulls. Very few really big bulls are killed by chance, though it does happen, even on public land.

In my book any elk is a trophy. You usually have to work hard for them, get into their territory, make a good shot with a bow or a rifle, then get several hundred pounds of animal to your truck, camp, and to the cooler eventually...

Since this would be your first hunt, set your sights a lot lower and enjoy the experience and learn a few things about elk hunting. After a few trips you may get lucky or learn enough to find a big bull and have a tag in your pocket at the same time... I've seen very big bulls on public land that I'm pretty sure would go around 400, but always had a spike tag or cow tag in my pocket, so had to just watch them walk away... my son and I saw a huge bull elk a couple years ago while deer hunting. We were driving to an area to hunt after our morning hunt and a huge bull walked across a meadow about 50-60 yards from us like he owned the place. If there was a 400+ bull elk in that unit (and there are) this was one... he must have known it was deer season and he was also in the rut because he was in no hurry to prance across that meadow. It took me an awful lot of years hunting in some very rough country to get my first decent 6 x 6 elk and I think he would score around 300, but I've never measured him.... I was more than tickled to get him and relive the hunt every time I see him on the wall...


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