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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 18,926
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 18,926 |
This is in no way meant as a knock on your bull, but a lot of guides are the worst at over exaggerating a bulls score. Would you rather a client/reference say they killed a 280” or a 320”? Inches sale hunts. My guide on that outing killed his first Colorado elk at 12 years age and also began guiding hunters then. He grew up in the mountains in the Colorado Springs area and killed his 60 th bull with a friend of mine on the ranch where I shot mine. He has also measured many bulls for others. Interestingly, the day after we had taken my bull in to a game processor in Colorado City, he remarked that he had skipped a tine and needed to measure mine again. I asked him why? I had a great time that week and saw wild elk larger than mine, and then on the last day, I shot it running away at 110 yards with a Texas heart shot! I always wanted a classic 6x6 and the points be damned! More points would not improve my memory of that great week in the Colorado mountains.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,383 Likes: 3
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,383 Likes: 3 |
Idaho isn't quite so picky about antler size. A legal bull is one with at least 1 antler over 6 INCHES. With deer it's 3". They just want you to be sure it's a male.
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,113 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 17,113 Likes: 1 |
I’m sure there are guides/outfitters that focus on that. I really haven’t run into that and I’ve never been that way myself. I don't even remember who thought this one would be in the low 300’s and it meant nothing to me then and now.
I’ve not measured anything with horn’s or antlers that I’ve taken. Now, weigh the meat? Yes.
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Joined: May 2016
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 1,418 |
Well, I worked as an elk guide for quite a while. Still do as a fill in. For those who know how many bull elk were in on....I have no idea. I don't remember the easier hunts but remember the tough ones pretty well. I really recall the good hunts with a good dude hunter when we liked one another. 10 days in a spike camp will make this clear to you. This isn't a numbers game, it is about making memories. These memories are with you forever. A good hunting camp makes memories, imo
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,927
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,927 |
Here is my best bull. He was taken after 18 days of hunting in 2015, but over 20 years of pursuing elk with a traditional bows and rifles over 5 different states. Y'all can guess the score if you want, But he was measured by an ex P&Y scorer. It is not an official score, as I would never enter anything in a "book"
Last edited by CRS; 09/28/21.
Arcus Venator
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300 Likes: 1
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300 Likes: 1 |
Heres my best ....we actually DID measure him simply because so many people asked...307, and a 5 point at that!
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 4,350
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 4,350 |
5x6? Beautiful symmetry regardless
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Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 4,350
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2017
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,281
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,281 |
Guys that base their elk hunting on inches of horn don’t know (and probably can never know) anything about what I consider to be real elk hunting…
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,927
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,927 |
Guys that base their elk hunting on inches of horn don’t know (and probably can never know) anything about what I consider to be real elk hunting… I agree 100%, I have told many people that any elk is a good elk. Any elk with a bow is a trophy, and done with traditional archery equipment makes it even more special. I have logged more miles and vertical feet on my boots hunting elk, than any other species.
Arcus Venator
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,925
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,925 |
I would shoot any bull shown on this thread and go home a happy man.
Okie John
If Montana had a standing army, a 270 Win with Federal Blue Box 130's would be the standard issue.
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 433
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 433 |
All my bulls get measured.....adds to the description of what they are. 6x5, 32" wide, 285" or 7x7, 51" wide, 343". Helps paint a picture. Putting one "in the book", does nothing for me. I've killed 3 bulls over 300, in 35 years.....biggest being the 343"/7x7 mentioned above. All public land hunts. When I draw a trophy unit, I trophy hunt (and no, I don't shoot on the 1st day, what I would kill on the last day). I have my minimum set, and am prepared to eat the tag. All though, something close to the minimum, on the last day, will probably be in trouble! I've turned down many more 6x6 bulls, than I've killed, in my life. OTC tags, first legal bull gets shot. Cow tag, looking for a medium sized/low stressed cow....like I killed last Sunday. I typically meat hunt in my home state, and save the trophy hunts for hard to draw/high quality, out of state hunts. Andy3 PS: Remember 300" is 3/4 of the way to 400"!!!
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,927
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,927 |
[ I don't shoot on the 1st day, what I would kill on the last day]
That saying is for the guys who define hunt success by punching a tag.
Arcus Venator
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,927
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,927 |
Thank you, culmination of a lot of years chasing elk.
Arcus Venator
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26,252
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26,252 |
All my bulls get measured.....adds to the description of what they are. 6x5, 32" wide, 285" or 7x7, 51" wide, 343". Helps paint a picture. Putting one "in the book", does nothing for me. I've killed 3 bulls over 300, in 35 years.....biggest being the 343"/7x7 mentioned above. All public land hunts. When I draw a trophy unit, I trophy hunt (and no, I don't shoot on the 1st day, what I would kill on the last day). I have my minimum set, and am prepared to eat the tag. All though, something close to the minimum, on the last day, will probably be in trouble! I've turned down many more 6x6 bulls, than I've killed, in my life. OTC tags, first legal bull gets shot. Cow tag, looking for a medium sized/low stressed cow....like I killed last Sunday. I typically meat hunt in my home state, and save the trophy hunts for hard to draw/high quality, out of state hunts. Andy3 PS: Remember 300" is 3/4 of the way to 400"!!! This^^^ Good post! I would add, pretty much any elk is a trophy, especially a public land elk.
Last edited by alpinecrick; 09/30/21.
Casey
Not being married to any particular political party sure makes it a lot easier to look at the world more objectively... Having said that, MAGA.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26,252
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26,252 |
Only elk hunters will know a 300, 320 or 340 bull, but everyone can count to 6. I love it!……👍
Casey
Not being married to any particular political party sure makes it a lot easier to look at the world more objectively... Having said that, MAGA.
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,653
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,653 |
Best bow kill. Best gun kill Ugliest bull (gun)
Last edited by roundoak; 09/30/21.
You're Welcome At My Fire Anytime
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,927
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,927 |
Awesome, congratulations.
Arcus Venator
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Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 9,067
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 9,067 |
My buddy killed this one a few years ago on a high pressure public land unit. It ain't a 290.
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,042
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,042 |
Yeah, we can call that one a trophy!!!
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