Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting What is your most significant elk?

Wow. These are great stories. Keep them coming. I am glad to hear that it is about all kinds of things, and not just antlers.

That one hunt I mentioned wasn't significant because of the bull, or because of the tough pack, it was because of how it came down.

I knew they were there because the bull bugled. I started their way, and it turned out they were coming mine. Soon I caught flickers of movement and was immediately pinned in a little open spot surrounded by lodgepole seedlings. Cows and calves were moving past me just yards away on all sides. Many were so far past me I could no longer see them. As I waited for the bill to show, I knew soon one would smell me and there would be a stampede. The suspense was incredible! When the bull finally stepped out he was 13 paces from me. I had cows almost within touching distance. It just can't get much more exciting than that.

My most significant elk is not even one I killed. It happened to be my wife's first elk I cannot remember being prouder or happier killing an animal myself.

All great bulls.

CL.....awesome KY bull. congratulations to you. That is a tag I want badly.

My first elk, probably the biggest I have ever seen or will ever see. What a nice way to start an elk hunting career, some 33 years ago...

My most "significant" elk was my first.. 1988 bowhunt in the Gila. I didn't even own a bow until I drew the tag. Was able to self learn shooting and bow set-up in three months. Was a pretty decent shot to 40-45 yds by the hunt. It was a DIY pack in hunt with my bil and his two brothers.
Well we covered a lot of country, lost 22 pounds, and I shot a nice 6x6 on the 8th evening. then "as they say", the work begins. Would have been a simple pack out 5 miles to trailhead except that one of our horses had gotten sick the morning I shot my bull. Two of the others tried to get him to the trailhead (and then on to the vet), but he went down on the trail about a mile from the trucks. They tried to get him up, but no luck. Went out to trailhead to get help and when they returned a large black bear had finished him and began feeding.
So here I come down the only way back to the truck with two horses loaded with my bull, (I am walking) , and it's quite intimidating to see that bear growling with all his hair standing on end at about 75 yds. the horses are wanting to take off, and my once powerful bow feels pretty puny. Managed to get out without furthur excitement and have memories of a lifetime.
John

ps. The preacher from town came in there a couple days later and knocked that bear over...

I have taken 9 bulls with a bow and arrow, my most significant I took in 1996 in unit 16C the Gila forrest in NM. It was a tough year and the Elk were'nt doing much, the rut hadnt started and water was every where, so the elk were very scattered. On the 5th morning I heard a bull bugle in the meadow below me, it was too dark to see him. I began cow calling and the bull answered, but wouldnt come in. I began a small bull bugle and the bull immediatley answered and continued to bugle. I saw a couple of cows coming my way so I settle in next to juniper and let 19 cows pass by at yardages from 7-30....the I saw the bull. What a bull he was!! He was pawing the ground and the began tearring the heck out of a small tree..I continued to call, but he would not come any closer. The bull started around me and up the slightly sloping ridge. When he topped the ridge I called and he stopped at 56 yards, I drew...let the 60 yrd pin settle and began the pressure...I watched the arrow as it flew through the air for what seemed to be forever. I saw the impact of the arrow hit its mark just behind the shoulder and a bit high, as the bull turned and ran I could see just the fletching sticking out...the bull crashed 60 yards later.

The bull is a 7X7 and scored 396 p&y....

For me, its my 2008 Bull. Happens to be my first elk and my best elk so far. Got me hooked and now 3 bulls and 3 cows later, that one is the most significant still, likely always will be.

Sure nice to read that for some folks, size has nothign to do with the memories.

Really good stories here!

Isn't it great that the hunt and what happened is so important to so many? I hope the stories keep coming in.

Probably my two most significant elk were the broken-antlered "5x3" taken with a 50-yard bow-shot in 1987 (my first elk bow-kill) and the spike that was my wife's first elk, taken a couple of years earlier while I was sitting right beside her.

Have never been as excited by any other elk--and very few other big game animals, period.

Although I have killed a fair number of elk since I was able to start hunting them (ie, after college) my most memorable kill is in the future- January to be exact as that is when my son, who turned 12 this year, and I will be on a late season cow hunt. I am already so excited I can't stand it! Worst part is, I can't even tell him about it until Christmas!! It's killing me...

Would have to be my sons first bull, killed this year on public land.

1st elk with a recurve. colorado, 1973 or so.

My most memorable was a modest 4X5 taken in unit 36 in SE New Mexico. Memorable because of the enormous job of packing it out.

My next one.

My most significant elk would have to be a full grown cow I took in 1994. This was my first elk ever. Some people would say "just a cow. no big deal".

I was hunting private property @ Elk Mt. WY, which is some of the best elk territory a fellow could want. But what made this elk special was who I had with me. I gave my 8 year old daughter a day with dad & asked her what she wanted to do. Go elk hunting was the reply. So I took her out of school for the day & we went.

When I got the cow down she was a little peeved that I would not let her field dress the elk. So I pulled the liver loose & let her reach down into the gut pile & put it into the bag. She was happy then.

Icing on the cake was that I shot this elk with my .300 H&H that was built for me by Jimmy Jones out of Morrow GA.

This cow, taken with my two sons, 7 & 8 at the time. Public backcountry, DIY. Lots of miles put on with my little guys that year. Fond memories.

Most "significant"? That would have to be either the first, a spike back in the early 80's or a heavy 6x5 I took in the '1998-2002 time frame (would have to look in my records to be sure).

My first, the spike, was with my 7mm RM and a 162g Hornady BTSP in some aspen in the middle of a snow storm.

The 6x5 was part of a herd of 80 or so we spotted about 11:00 coming over a rise in the sage country. They spotted us, too, and backed off, finally deciding to rest on the crest of a small hill some 600 yards away. We couldn't close without being seen so we waited and watched through sunshine, rain, sleet, snow and then more sunshine until about half an hour before sunset when they moved off the hill. We were able to use a hill as cover to get within about 450 yards (measured later with a GPS). To get closer I had to push myself with my feet, headfirst on my back, the last 100 yards through several inches of the new white stuff (which covered up the small barrel cactus very effectively!) and sage. Finally I reached a down slope where I was exposed and could go no further. The bull had bedded back down behind a cow but after a while they got back up. The bull stayed behind the cow as they walked and I wondered it I was ever going to get a clear shot. One or the other eventually dropped back and I put a 160g Grand Slam though the bull with a broadside. It dropped at the shot but got back up. I took a second shot but it missed high when the bull dropped just as the trigger broke. We ended up cleaning that one by flashlight, a first for me.

Easy question to answer for me. My first one.

It was a raghorn 5 x 6 and was the only elk I shot while hunting with my Dad. I've shot many more since then but none as important. A few years ago while hunting with a good friend, we both connected on great bulls. Mine a 360 6 x 6 and his a 315 7 x 7. After we broke camp and were headed home, I made a very emotional call to Dad to tell him about it. I never could have anticipated the joy and excitement to come after shooting that first elk. Thanks Dad!

My first one, a 4x5 raghorn, also my best and longest shot!