Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Reality of trophy elk

I have never hunted elk and have no experience with them, but I have an interest. What is the reality of the score of a good elk?

It is my understanding that for much public land hunting, particularly DIY, even 4 pt and 5t bulls can be tough to get. For private land hunts, excluding the mega bull ranches that are charging 20K, what is a good bull? 300, 325, 350?

I suspect 350 and better bulls are talked about far more than are taken. For those of you that regularly hunt elk, what is the reality.

405wcf

I hunt Roosevelt elk on public land in western Washington logging country. They only occur west of the Cascade crest, they're a different species than Rocky Mountain elk, and their antlers are much smaller compared to their body size than you'd see with Rocky Mountain elk.

I don't know much about points and inches and thirds, but I'd shoot any elk that passed the old-timer test, which is if an old-time elk hunter walked into a bar in a logging town and saw my elk hanging on the wall, then I'd want him to say, "That's a pretty good bull."

I'd shoot a bigger one if I saw it, but around here you probably shouldn't pass up many animals.


Okie John

I'm not trying to sound like a Smart @#s, but to me your question is a loaded question,
by that I mean, to me any Elk you shoot is a prize!
No kidding!
The meat is good, and these animals are trying not to get shot!
Any Bull with a Bow is a Trophy!
We can argue these points all day! The more experienced Trophy Hunters, who go in to a specific Area that's known for Big Bulls,
Will increase their odds, a t a 350+ Bull or you'll hear them say that 400 inch Bulls aren't uncommon!
Different Strokes!
There's Meat Hunters, Horn Hunters, All different kinds!
I think that you have to figure out what you want, to really answer your Question! JMO!

I Think we all like to see, hear, and talk about nice Bulls!

350 and better are considered big bulls.
To me anything over 300 is a good and a wall hanger, probably because I don’t have a big one hanging yet.

In my the last 14 years of elk hunting on public land, I’ve only had a handful of big bull encounters. Either wrong unit, tag, Season or I already filled my tag with a rag horn or spike.
Any elk is a trophy to me

The only time I’ve seen really big bulls is a couple of times during deer season and no elk tag. I take a legal bull at first opportunity and never regret it. I used to hold out for the trophy and ate a lot of tag soup. Since I’m near the 2-minute warning, 4th and long, I’m not so picky. The trophy elk is in the eye of the beholder.

Deer? Different story. I won’t consider a shot unless it’s potential 180 or better.

Happy Trails

Uh, outfitter buddy of mine is charging 30K+ for some of the bulls on his property, and he books full every year. Now that there is some rarified air IMHO.

Apparently not a slam dunk deal either. He said last season 7 hunters just flat out missed on their one opportunity to score a bruiser.

You have a pretty good grasp on reality. Private land bulls I'd be ( and have been..) happy with anything 300 and over. I hunted good private land for over 25 years and took two bulls over 300 in that time. Bear in mind we hunted elk for winter meat so the first legal thing in range got the tag.

I've shot some decent bulls, but I subscribe to the old saying, "Never pass one on the first day that you would shoot on the last day".

300 is a nice bull, anything over that is something special.
Phil

350 and over is a fine elk.

In Colorado, the elk are managed for quantity,not quality.Every unit might have 2-3 each 300+bulls,but they are few and far between and just as many are taken on OTC tags as drawn tags. 4x4' s and small 5'xs are the norm of elk taken and if you see a legal bull,you had best shoot it because it might be the only one you see. During peak rut/archery season, you might have a better chance of an encounter, but overalls success rate for archery in CO is about 10%and that is for all elk, bulls,cows, calves
I would not pay a private land fee unless the success rate for a 325+ bull was very good.

My biggest bull, which I measured was 343 and taken in a trophy unit in NW Colorado that issued only 25 tags a year.That took one took me 21 years to draw.

I have that one mounted and two 5x6's .One taken in Alberta on a guided hunt back in the 80's and one DIY in an OTC unit in Colorado

Most people WAY overestimate elk. Seen many “300” ” bulls that are really 275/280.

It also seems the bigger they are, the more people overestimate them. I would guess very few have seen a true 350”+ bull. Eta; especially on public.

This one came off private land in southeast Colorado and scored 330 or so. We saw a couple that were bigger and a 7x7 shot in the same valley a few days before we arrived. Too big to put inside, so it became a Euro mount overlooking our courtyard..

This bull was in an open unit but after the season had closed, and I was hunting cows. He may be the largest I have ever seen, controlled area or not and suspect he is 350-360".


Honestly, I believe I have seen 10X more 180 class mule deer than 350 class elk but I admittedly am not a guy who crazes over huge antlers and usually takes a raghorn so that I can get on to other hunts, especially on general tags which is all I have ever had for Rocky Mountain bulls.

As far as reality for inexperienced elk hunters, I think tag soup is reality, normally. People say elk are way easier than mule deer (at least mature mule deer), but I disagree. Maybe it is just the way I hunt and glass. I dunno but that is my experience.

That is some bull!

That's a solid bull that I'd shoot in a heartbeat, but he doesn't look 330" to me.

Was your estimate based on an unofficial and green score that the guides/ranch hands did?

Yeah. I've got 2 or 3 290" bulls that are bigger than that guy....

I agree. That bull doesn’t make 300.

I would be ecstatic with a 300 class bull anytime. There are some places where a 300 is considered too small, but those places usually take years to draw, very deep pockets, or the right contacts.

I have killed two over 300 and do not care if I ever shoot another, if one steps out great, but inches of antler do not mean that much anymore.

^^^^^ That’s still a nice bull regardless of real or guesstimated numbers. Last 2 bulls I shot consecutive opening day(s) were 5x5 and 5x7. I was happy to get them both and would hope that I can repeat. I guess that if you hunt long enough, a trophy might stumble across your path. I eat 52 weeks a year and elk hunt about 2 1/2 weeks. Happy Trails

I agree, I quit hunting with a tape measure years ago. Any branch antlered bull is fine with me. I've shot enough big bulls in my 74 years. There ain't enough 300" and up bulls in Wyoming for every guy that wants one, that's for sure & for certain. Set your sights a bit lower or be sorely disappointed.