Seems to be a ton of elk experts, know the best bullets, calibers, how to kill bulls CONSISTENTLY. How many folks here have hunted and consistently killed bulls. I’m talking, walk into a store, buy a bull tag and go hunt, no applying whatsoever. Before the crying and whining starts, every member on this board can fly/drive to Washington state, go to your local sporting goods store and buy a rifle, muzzleloader or archery tag otc and hunt branched bulls with absolutely no drawing/lottery whatsoever. Let’s have er. 😘👍👊🏻

I have and on public land none the less, however i was mentored by one of the greats (saddlesore).

🙋‍♂️
I draw all my bull tags at the Walmarks. I’ve punched a few of them.

I have in the Ridley’s in McCall gotten quite a few elk tags.

I know you’re prejudiced against the Wyoming draw but we do real well on the general tag draws for non-res hunters. All on public land.

I like this thread. You’ve done well pilgrim.

I know it’s not the monster bulls but the old goat and I have hammered the hell out of the MT Emily Spikes in Oregon as well.

I know you know how to kill elk, and several others here, tryin to sniff out the “elite” bull hunters, suspect it will be pretty mum though, as they have to draw bucks tags too…haha

Next time you guys are in mt Emily, either come to my place, “3 extra bedrooms, bathroom for free, as well as grub “, or let me know prior I’ll come down there and hook up with y’all Scotty. 👊🏻

Not yet on an OTC, hope to after the youngest graduates college.

That’s a plan.

I honestly love hunting them devils. The old goat passed alot of lessons. We will be in Wyoming this year. My old Detachment Commander will be there will us as well. Hasn’t hunted elk since before he went to OCS. it’ll be a great camp.

Shoot I just wanna catch a steelhead JMan. Never had the pleasure of fishing for them.

Oh stop it Scotty!! 😂

We need to do this then. 👍

Done.

Man, I wished I applied for the spike tag this year.

I gotta keep you away from my son I n law, co workers, uncle Dick, my god it’ll be the marine corp bday all over again at the Rife house!!! Haha 😂😂

Most of my bulls were killed with non-draw tags. But keep in mind the laws were a lot different going back to the late 60s and up through the mid 80s. When I started hunting elk there were no drawings in the states I hunted in. All tags were bought over the counter for many years.

Savvy and appreciated. 👍👊🏻

Quit side tracking my threads. 🖕🏿😂😂

Washington schlep here too. I'm going on 28 or 29 years now with NEVER drawing a bull tag. Once they call my number not one more penny to them.

With that said, the motto at my place is "beef free since 93'".....and still winning.

Whereabouts in Washington? Ya good bull tags are hard to come by for sure. Thankfully we get to hunt em every year.👍

You didn't have to delete your cow pic\response

Are you squirreling away any points anywhere?

I'm no expert on elk. Only been hunting elk about a dozen yrs. I've taken 4 bulls here in Utah. All on public land. 3 of 4 on OTC tags. All DIY. I've still got plenty to learn. But know enough to contribute on occasion.

Yeah, you’d probably have to put the fine china away.



Roger.. carrying on

I have in Idaho, and Colorado. Never in Colorado again, way to many ppl.

Just archery.

Kent

I have, in Idaho. However, not recently. These days most of the bull hunts in southern ID are draw only and the few open hunts have tag quotas and are very hard to get. If you don't buy it the 1st day they go on sale, you don't get it. In what's probably the premier OTC hunt in so. Idaho, unit 36, the tags sell out in less than an hour. So, the last 5 or 6 years, my group has switched to just hunting cows. The tags are much easier to get and I don't care about antlers.

No, the only points I’m getting are deer and antelope in Wyo.

I quit the points quit a few years back. Figured I was better putting that money towards UW authorizations for lesser units in NM. In essence I guess that makes it OTC. Even the lesser unit authorizations are skyrocketing in price now, so not sure that was a smart move.

Wyoming general elk hunts are pretty good SLM. Usually 2-3 points and you'll snag a tag. I can't say enough good about the units I have hunted there. Usually very accessible and good to great hunting.





















Usually draw a mix of cow/calf and general tags in our group. Typically we do pretty decent.

[img]https://hosting.photobucket.co...-B6E2-25AEDD60FD34_zpshkfqtltr.jpg[/img]

Good stuff.

I probably screwed up on my “plan”. Will probably start adding Wyo. elk points as well. Hunted OTC archery in CO once and decided that wasn’t for me.

My dad and I tag-teamed one on an ID OTC tag (with iddave).

I did for many years. I shot cows in ML season and then bought a OTC bull tag for 2nd season. Probably shot 30 of them or so. Last one was in 2018 on a solo hunt. After that,I figured I was too old to handle one alone,and I no longer relished playing in the snow and cold. So I only hunt ML now.

Awesome Scott. Idaho was my first western hunt after I returned from OIF I in 2003. I would’ve never ventured elsewhere, but wolves came on strong and quick in a lot of the units I hunted but it’s still near my top places to hunt.

I actually need to do some research and get back there. My best bull came from there. Not a beast but I am pretty proud of the hunt.

SLM, elk points for a general elk tag are worth the trouble. Goats, Sheep, moose are getting outta control for me as a non res, but deer, elk and antelope are still top shelf great hunting.

Hell ya Dave is a hellava hunter, and a good guy to boot. 👍

You guys do well too Scotty. 👊🏻 Hell ya

nice pictures thanks for posting, Pete53

My one and only bull was a do-it-yourself hunt on public land with an OTC tag. Colorado

Bulls both CO OTC and WY General on public lands. MT NR draw tags. Tagging varies by state. More recently by draw tags but still public lands. Also cows on general (for meat) or draw as second choice since I want to hunt even without preferred tag. Have a few years in and a lot of meat packed out on my back.

For many many years here in Idaho you could get over the counter tags for some areas, especially the Selway areas. We killed lot of bulls in there in September and I'm sure some of them had never seen a human being before. Many times I called in bulls just using my mouth, no bugle. A couple of times my mule called them in when she got scared & started braying.
I've taken 25 elk in my life, about half of them with revolvers & a good share of them have been cows because now days most hunts are a draw hunt & it's easier to draw a cow tag plus I'm a lot older & cows are easier to handle. You can see the revolver in my shoulder rig in the first photo. In the second one I had to left my six gun & all my gear & the other side of the river to ride across & retrieve the bull. Almost always my OM Ruger 44 flat top.




Dick

I’ve only shot nine, one of which was in area 76, a draw unit in Colorado.

Hell ya, very cool Dick. Got a couple older buddy’s that used to hunt the selway/lochsa pre wolf, boy I wish I woulda been born sooner! Sounded pretty epic. 👍

Awesome stuff. Thanks for the pictures!

https://www.sportfishingmag.com/trolling-secrets-pros/

For years, Idaho's Stanley Basin was an open hunt, surrounded by draw hunts. If we didn't draw closer to home, we'd go buy bull tags in the Stanley area. They had a quota but you could buy tags as late as August. Then a few years ago, it got discovered. They had to reduce the number of tags to 1800. When they go on sale, they'll put 900 on sale at vendors at 10am. Those will sell out in under an hour. Then the other 900 go on sale online at 1pm. They'll be gone in under an hour, too. It's turned into a zoo.
If you applied for a draw hunt but didn't draw, you have to wait 5 days before you can buy a tag in one of these quota units. You wait 5 days for a tag that sold out in 1 hr. Yeah, right.

I have taken 16 bulls in 4x4 or better areas, all on public land and otc tags. Two of those hunts I did solo from Pa.
All hunts diy with no outfitters.

Beretzs, thanks for removing that freak bull in the third pic from the gene pool!

Elk in my avatar was a 0 point first rifle draw the year I killed him, in a unit that was OTC for a few of the various seasons, just not first rifle. It is no longer a 0 point draw though. We killed another bull in the same area the next year on the 0 point unit, just a few days before OTC 2nd season started.

If I don’t draw my bull tag in Oregon, I’ll do 2nd season OTC spike tag.
Killed many spikes and few bulls over the years.
My daughter almost killed a monster few years ago. Just couldn’t get a clean kill shot due to a cow in front of the bull. 4 years later and it Still hurts to think about.
I hunt 2 specific units that butt up to each other. So I know them pretty well over the last 13 years. Not trying to learn a new area every few years.
There is a reason why 10% take 90%

Killed my 10th bull last fall with an OTC DIY archery tag. There are no good OTC rifle hunts left in Idaho. I do put in for draws and have killed 6 more bulls with rifles when I draw a tag. I draw a rifle tag about every 6-7 years.

I've taken 2 dozen nice bulls on general MT licenses. 2 nice archery bulls on 2nd choice permits (guaranteed at the time), and one good rifle bull on a limited permit.

I've taken 2 bulls out of state (DIY) that were limited quota, once with an arrow in the Gila Wilderness of NM and another with a rifle in NW Wyoming.

I've usually struggled a lot more on the limited draw permits, maybe because there's some pressure, dunno.

I’ll come hunt elk in your territory Jud!!. If you can show me how not to get killed. I’m young enough to think it’ll all be good if I shoot something in the thickest schit ever.

td bank houston

I shot this guy on state trust land about a mile from the parting area, OTC tag.

State trust land, otc tag

Getting a tag is the hardest part of elk hunting. We switched to cows simply because we can get a tag almost every year while bull hunting is like you experience - every 6 to 7 years.

Consistently, No.
OTC bulls on public land, DIY, Occasionally.
Draw area bulls using preference points, better success there.
Too many checkmate encounters with nice public land bulls when I held only a cow tag.

Washington hunter here. We apply for branch bull tags but are happy to hunt spikes on the east side every year. IIRC I’ve killed 6 spikes since we really started focusing on elk in 2009. A couple cows as well. My 15 year old daughter killed a spike on opening afternoon on her first season last fall

I've killed a few OTC bulls, but it has been pretty hard to get a decent tag OTC in Oregon for so long I stopped trying except when I don't draw a tag. Most of the OTC tags are pretty low odds hunts to begin with but a few are in units we are familiar with so we keep trying when our preferred units aren't drawn in the lottery.

A few years ago, my brother and I had opportunities at a couple nice bulls over the counter in our OTC unit. The first one I brainfarted and we missed out on a couple spikes in a huge group of elk across a canyon. I read the rangefinder wrong - by 100 yards and shot right under the belly of the elk. So did my brother at his when he took my ranging advice...
The next day we spotted another spike quite a ways off and across a very large canyon so we sat for a couple hours and watched it feed until we got tired of watching and walked away. We were both fairly recently out of heart surgery and decided we didn't want to die packing an elk through that canyon that particular day....

Since we drew our tags last year, we will probably be going OTC this year again, so we are already planning some early season scouting ... but I think any more OTC hunting lots of states is getting tougher ...

Bob

Here's a few I got on general OTC licenses and taken on public land back when hunting was better. I've been getting pickier, and hunting is getting more difficult, so i don't get an elk every year these days.

MT 373 archery
MT 365 rifle
MT 370 rifle


Last ones I got were 2013 (370 archery), 2014 (347 archery), 2017 (335 rifle), and 2019 (347 rifle). Shot a permit bull in WY in 2020, an average 6X6 after a long season frustrating hunting - it took max points, I'd been applying for decades and it was one of the smallest bulls I've ever taken.

Without getting into my records, my best guess would be @15 to 20.

Some great elk.

Any big bears lately?

Hellava collection for sure. I’m with ya on the pressure of a good tag, though I’ve only drawn 1 bull tag, I know how it is for sure.

3 bulls over 360” on public land OTC is not something many can say they’ve done.

No it’s not.

Kurt, that pretty well describes my elk hunting - course, you’re a better elk hunter than me too. I never get tired of seeing those bulls and that grin!

You’re welcome buddy. I believe he broke his skull on his roll down the mountain. Probably laughing at me the whole time knowing I was using an 30-06…. Taught that sucker.

It gets hard to shoot a niceish 6 point. Cows always eat good.

A few general OTC public ground bulls.

Que the Seinfeld intro.

The pictures of your OTC public ground bulls are failing to load.

Greenhorn, awesome elk, hats off to you sir. Awesome.

Spectacular bulls there GH!!!!!!!!!!!

Nice bulls John. That’s about all I hope for in the general units.

You’re right about the cows though. They pack easier as well.

Yep nothing wrong with those bulls. 👊🏻

I'm 79 years old. I've killed 21 elk, all of 'em in Colorado, and all on Resident license.

Two of 'em were bulls, both on Public Land. A non-typical 3X5, and the other I think was
3x3 raghorn.

The 3x5 was on a OTC Res. bull tag bought from K-Mart around 1967. Don't remember where or when I bought the other Resident OTC bull tag.....probably 1981.

Last elk I killed was a butter-fat lactating cow, in 2019, on a Resident lottery draw tag.

Twenty of 'em were with a blued wooden Rem. 700 ADL in 30/06. The other one (most recent) was with a Tikka T3X also in 30/06. Almost all with 180 grain Nosler Partition handload.

FjLee

I am not following you fjlee.

Colorado has or had "Resident OTC Raghorn tags", specific and only for raghorns? Was there a difference between it and a mature bull tag? Was there point ror size restrictions but depicted on the tag itself? Did you mean the resident OTC tag that you put on the raghorn?

"OTC lottery draw"? What is that?

ALL of my bull tags have been otc, and I was pretty consistent about killing them...Quit a few years ago...the mountains got steeper and the elk got heavier.

Does BC count...? The rest of mine were drawn on points in area 49 (Leadville) Colorado over a 20 year span.

I've only hunted OTC areas for the past 41 years and have taken 22 elk. 14 Bulls. OTC areas can be great hunting areas if you are willing to go where other hunters wont.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

T Inman......I understand your confusion! 100% my fault. I'm sorry about my misleading somewhat non-sensical statements.

Both bulls I killed were with Resident OTC bull tags. There was not any specific "raghorn" designation with either of those 2 bull tags.

There was no antler point restriction on either of those 2 OTC Resident bull tags.
The "OTC lottery draw"......a total contradiction in terms.....and a brain fart on my part. That cow was hunted and killed with a lottery-drawn Colorado Resident cow tag.

I apologize.

FjLee Denver,CO

Only until recently have I not used OTC tags. I am not a hard core elk hunter any more. Never liked it much any way. I maybe killed 1/3 bulls, always tried for a cow if I could. With over 50 notches, I have had my share. I plan to give it a couple more years then hang it up.




t

To the original post, all the bulls I’ve taken were with an OTC tag, and on public ground here in Montana.

I did several times but that was years ago circa late 1960's - 1970's here in AZ.. ( does that count???) when AZ still had otc tags. Walked from my (parents) house most of the time. Now I walk from my house (well to tell the truth now that I'm OLD I do drive a couple of miles to get away from homes). Still live in elk country.
I can't hardly draw a tag nowadays. Last tag was 2018 and got a decent 5x5, nothing to brag about.

Looking out my backdoor.

Just about every year. I live in an OTC part of Montana. Some with bow and some with rifle. Some years I save my general elk tag for a cow though and therefor don’t shoot a bull.

Not a problem my man...thanks for the clarification.

2020 DIY Bitterroots backcountry - otc tag

Dandy bull, I can still see your face though.😁

Some of us are spoiled Brad.👍

Boy just moved over your way, he's pretty excited for the archery bull hunting over there.

Killed my last 3 bulls on last 4 hunts on an OTC tag. That’s all I do anymore. I’ve been building points in case I feel the urge for a trophy hunt. The elk steaks we grilled tonight were the real trophies!

Many of the units that I hunted as a general hunt are now permits only. Stanley basin in Idaho, Mt Emily in Oregon, as well as others. I have a great record on elk . I killed my first bull elk in 1960, in a river basin near Coos Bay, Oregon. My last one in Oregon in 2020, technically now a draw hunt. But the number of tags is around 1000, so there are lots of draw opportunities. I took 26 bulls in Idaho, all on general hunts. So my estimate of my bull kills is close to 45 , with a total of 75. In several instances, I chose to kill a cow on a either sex general tag. My focus as a hunter, is to hunt, I don't care where or how, I want to hunt. My years are short so I pray for an opportunity to hunt every year.

Wow....nice bull, and from my old stomping grounds.
Idaho or Montana side of the Bitterroots?

Region6, which state? Utah by chance?

Idaho side for this one - West of the Nez

Nice bull.

For a Smurf.😆

I’ve killed 5 OTC bulls in CO all on public DIY but I’m a meat hunter first & kill cows 3 to 1 compared to bulls. Can’t see that changing a year without elk burger is like a year without sunshine.

Hell ya, you’ve been at it for quite a spell, good huntin, hope you get a few more. 👍

He won't do a danged easy hunt... Tried to get him to apply for deer or antelope, nope, just keeps packing elk quarters.. Whatever, must be what keeps him a young 76

I dam sure hope I’m still getting around like that at 76.

Same here SLM.

Blue tape in the event of bad weather 😊

When I lived near Rapid City, S. Dakota my buddy and I hunted the Bear Lodge Mts. of Crook County, Wyoming. We toppled many elk including a few bulls. As primarily meat hunters, we were joyful for the success we shared. God is good!

Sherwood

Hahaha. I deserve that. Should have gone a shade deeper

If there is one thing I hope for - it’s that.

Strong like bull, smart like tractor. 2/3 in the Frank with a raghorn and small 6x, then 1/1 with a raghorn in the Sawtooth this year. Had a good big bull tag in WA back on '06 and ate the tag. Done four november hunts in the Lee Metcalf and ate those tags too. 0 WA spikes in 3 or 4 tries. So, almost a vegetarian, batting way under .500.

Solid. Love the Frank. SO tough & so rewarding.

Edited to capitalize SO.

Good mountain bull Pints!

That bull reminds me of one I shot some years ago. Don’t think I’ve ever posted it.

Thanks! Lots of suffering made the hunt even sweeter - you know what I mean.

3 bulls with otc tags. Son has killed 5 with otc

( Damn nice bull Brad!)

What Washington tag ya have vek?

Goodun 👊🏻

Beautiful animal, Brad!

When I hunt general, witch is almost always, I hear so many low country hunters complaining about this or that circumstance. I also observe that these folks like to leave camp late & come back early. Generally I set up some sort of basecamp by my pickup and talk up anyone who I meet before the season gets going & I head out for higher country. I get a lot of questions over the years like where have you been or hey it’s been a few days everything ok? I am quiet spirited in general so I don’t usually add a lot of detail to my answers of where I’ve been or what I’ve seen. I usually have crusty & bloody hands and arms & a stained backpack when I make these observations.

Goose Prairie Rifle

Similar here - OTC and public land. Haven't been chasing them much in recent years for the same reasons (steeper, heavier, etc). Problem now is I have an 11 year old grandson on fire to kill elk and deer so I'm going to have to find it in me to do the elk thing again.

Here’s my best bull, took him in the Frank Church as well, I’ve got a couple others I’ll dig up as well.

Good in Scotty, look at that clean shaven pup!! 👊🏻

Nothing comes easy in the church. 👍

Yep that’s a good tag. Goes to show a good tag doesn’t guarantee anything but the opportunity to hunt in said area’s.

Judman: I have - a number of times!
When you mention "consistently" then that is not my forte - I am more of a Deer, Antelope, Black Bear Hunter and don't Hunt Elk every year.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Nice bulls Brad and beretzs.

I have. In Oregon and Idaho.

Ain’t easy and you tend to shoot the first bull you see.





P

Helluva pair of bulls POC and Brad. It’s great to see them big tan SOBs. Nothing gets me as revved as elk.

All the muzzleloader tags are draw here and that's when I hunt elk so no OTC bulls for me. Closest I can come is this one, when I drew the tag it took zero points so "almost OTC:"

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/8094743/1

I have personally taken 25 elk in CO, WY and UT. Probably pretty evenly split between bulls and cows. Every one was taken on public land on DIY hunts. All the bulls were OTC tags. Cow tags normally have to be drawn.

Were you a resident of Wyoming when hunting elk there? Didn't realize there were OTC elk licenses for non-residents.

Oregon Washington Idaho Montana Colorado...Several in a few states.

Another one of the many middlin' OTC bulls I've shot. I specialize in the broken antlered 290 - 330 class stuff!

And yet another broken up, small 6!

And another of the "bring me your halt and lame" variety... I'm not joking, this one had a club foot!

Another nice one, Brad!

I arrowed a lot of OTC bulls in CO and lost count over the 35 years I bow hunted there. And 5 more on drawing tags too (one was a Roosevelt in BC).

Another good mountain bull!

Brad I see you’re living dangerously as well, gold ring on your scope and Talleys.. 🤦‍♂️🤣

Killed my first bull (spike) when I was 16 with an OTC tag in Idaho while hunting solo.

I’ve killed 26 bulls since then to the best of my recollection, and all
have been OTC tags. I’ve been the guide on about the same number.

These are the two I’m most proud of. My son’s first bull and my son’s best bull to date. He’s 19 and he’s killed four bulls and two kills so far fwtw…





and his most recent…..

Great bulls all around! I’m with ya - nothing keeps me wanting more mountain time that Elk. They are an outstanding adversary 1 on 1.

Hunted cows in WY and UT. Was a CO resident for 54 years.

I've killed my fair share of elk and all bulls have been on general tags save an Alaskan Roosevelt bull.
Mainly raghorns and all in Idaho, Montana or Wyoming. I normally shoot the first decent bull I see so I can get onto the next tag or hunt more birds. I have yet to draw a Rocky Mountain bull tag in any state, and I put in for a lot of them. Oh well. I will take what I can get.

Hell ya brother Dave, you and rowdy gettin er done. 👍

So do I Ted, unlimited tags a guy better or you’ll be hungry.👍

I have killed several OTC bulls in CO and a couple in WY on a General draw tag in the past 10-12 years. And several cows in both states in the same time frame. In all honesty, the last several years have been cow hunts. I like posting pics of nice bulls as much as the next guy - but I like eating elk a whole lot more. Plus you don't have to deal with those pesky horns catching on everything on the pack out

Great pictures fellas. Amazing stuff.

All bulls I’ve taken have been OTC tags, except for 4 “grocery store cows” I shot holding a depredation tag.

🦫

Good stuff, always enjoy your hunting posts.

My average general season/OTC/Public land/DIY bull. A 2-3 year old raghorn.
One day I will get serious and find a really big bull to kill. It'll probably wait until one year when I don't have any other tags to deal with as October and November are normally ridiculously busy for me. So much to kill in such a little timeframe...

Tiny, what rifle is that in the picture? You use so many different rifles, it’s like rifle roulette with you on what bang-bang stick you’re slinging.

Winchester SuperGrade?

🦫

Ive killed 2 out of 3 trips. Nothing big enough to brag about but bigger than most around here have killed lol.

Aren’t all rifle tags draw in Oregon? Not slighting you as I know the country you hunt.

Hopefully I’ll get the saddle mtn premium this year. 👍👊🏻

Disregard, looks like some are and some aren’t. I’ve always paid attention to saddle, powers etc which are. 👍

You’re way ahead of the game then, lotsa folks never have or will kill one.

Correct, SuperGrade.

.375 H&H. Back in my magnum days.
Still have it but haven't shot it for a few years.

Hell ya that’ll hump em up! 👍

Draw territory is primarily Eastside of the State for deer and elk tags.

West side / Coastal for deer and elk is OTC, with Saddle Mtn being the exception - It’s a draw unit, but it’s basically a guarantee draw with the number of tags they issue. Saddle Mtn is 3 point or better on head gear.

🦫

Copy. Im sure we’ll see the day shortly when all otc elk in wa and Oregon will be draw. Only thing we got goin for us is terrain and vegetation, and not many non residents wanna hunt up here. 😂😂

2021 ODFW made all Archery Deer Hunting a draw for Eastern Oregon units, just like rifle hunts.

There’s talk of them doing the same for archery elk hunting on the Eastside of the State.

This would obviously increase the hunting pressure on the Westside units with OTC tags.

We’re probably the last generation to have had some viable hunting...The kids growing up now, might not see the same hunting opportunities we did.

Sad as fück!

🦫

Yep, the boy has seen the writing on the wall, he just packed his crew up and moved to montucky. Should get the grandson some good killin over there before it too goes to shiit.

That’s no shiet. Guys I work with dream of killing AN elk. They act like I take a shuttle to the moon and capture a freaking Martian when I go out of state and kill a bull. None of them have hunted more than 10 miles from home or 200 yards from the corn spinner. They’re really going to shiet a brick when I head back to AK and shoot a moose this September.

I've never killed a trophy, just raghorns. These are different animals--I just wear the same hat and shirt a lot. (My Chickenbuck shirt was absolute MAGIC for me for a few years). All are OTC tags.

This first one is my friend's. We both had a bead on him, but I told him to shoot it, because he'd never killed any big game critter before.

NICE, my first elk was near Allegany east of Coos Bay, Oregon. These a great looking young bulls !! Good Job

Hell ya wade. Any those from out where you and tommy used to hunt?

Last time I hunted Saddle Mountain we had 3 pt or better tags. I saw a herd in a small draw and sneaked up on the ridge across from them about 100 yards away. There was a spike in the herd with spikes that went straight up and were probably 30" -36" long and had rings around them every inch or so like a darned African gazelle... weirdest spike rack I've ever seen. Lots of elk that week, but no 3 pt or better that trip...

Bob

Of the years that I could hunt elk, killed two Colorado Bulls on over the counter tags. Killed a lot of cows as we were and are essentially meat hunters. I spent a week in the old home grounds two years ago and saw one cow, glimpse of two bulls in the oak brush. Saw no groups at all. Numbers seem to be down there. If my rifle had been in my hand instead of slung, I would of had a bull. My bad.

A couple of them. In fact, the pic with the Ruger #1 (chambered in .45-70 Govt.) was the elk season after Tom died. He bought that rifle from me but died that same year, never having had the chance to hunt with it. I bought the rifle back from his wife and decided to take it hunting. Tom's son, Joe, had scattered Tom's ashes on the slope that goes up into the trees behind me in that pic. I hunted down that slope into the swampy bottom. I was picking my way through some vine maple when I stumbled upon that bull. I shot him with a bullet that Tom had loaded before he died. I had a single bar of cell signal down there so I called Joe and told him what had just happened. He said, "So you killed an elk and it fell on the old man--that's cool!"

How often do you get to kill an elk with your dead partner's rifle, with a bullet he loaded, 150 yards from where he rests eternally?

It was a good day. One of the best.

Hell ya, damn cool story and hunt. Buddy of mine and I used to swing by and bs him , great man. Musta been near Crocker swamp?

About a half mile from the Crocker ranch.

Copy that, used to spend alotta time out there, always ran into Gordon brown and Tommy’s son in law in there. Chased around a good 6 point in the swamp one year archery hunting, never could get him killed. Thanks for conjuring up old memories wade, been a spell. 👍

I can’t hold a candle to some of y’all, but any bull is a damn good bull in my book. Some are just better than others.

The success rate in the Oregon Cascades is 9% to 11% so you tend to shoot the first bull you see.

Idaho, OTC, one of two times I hunted there.




Oregon OTC Cascades bull, the only elk I saw in 5 days.




Oregon Cascades again, got him on the second day.




Oregon Cascades opening day double with my brother.





There’s a few more but I can’t find the pics. With the exception of Idaho, the rest have been Wilderness area bulls, Mt. Washington, Diamond Peak, and Sky Lakes.




P

That’s a pretty damn cool hunt!

👍🏼🦫

Thanks Beaver. I get a little choked up whenever I think about that hunt.

My hunting partner was my friend's dad. He coached me in little league when I was in 4th grade. My friend moved out of state, but his dad and I continued hunting together. He was a good man.

Utah OTC ? All spike...or any bull units

They have a few 'any bull units'

Not in the loop any more...but these are prob still hunted hard

LE Units.....good ones 8-10 yr wait...non Res ? prob more

Quit applying after my '11 late bull LE hunt.....enough mounts on the wall......

I believe I had 8 points...+ the 5 year wait (time out) 13 years

This one...named him the 'Body Guard' was the smaller of the two we tracked for 8 hrs

Today...8 hrs at 9K' would prob kick my butt........

308 Win @ 90 yds.......Swift 180's......2 hits

An oldie… stalked him for a couple hours and shot him at 50 yards laying in his bed. Again, not a very big bull, but one of those hunts I’ll I remember til the day I die.

Liking what I'm seeing on this one, great ones everybody. Especially like the Brad bulls! Some more general MT elk, all public land hunts.
here's 2 my son took. The archery bull was the first day he could legally bowhunt, 5 miles into the national forest on an overnight backpack trip, 2 yard shot to the heart. I called it right past him. It edged into the P&Y records book and they featured a picture of it on the cover of the newsletter. Next bull was his first rifle kill. Article about that hunt was printed in RMEF Bugle, written by a friend of mine.



The bugle article about the rifle hunt: http://bugle.rmef.org/articles/second-generation?m=21003&i=268126&p=76&ver=html5

Last 2 bulls I shot in MT:

I kind of don't want to even post my middling, satellite bull pics now...

Go ahead T. I'd give my left nut just to kill a raghorn. I live too far from elk country.

You should try being a Roosevelt hunter Ted!! 😂😂

My last 2 MT archery elk , 2nd choice draw so they were 100% draw for all that picked 1st choice.
The heavy one is the favorite of mine.

Kurt, I never get tired of seeing the bulls you’ve taken, and your son is an apple under the tree… but a better guitar player

Hell ya, great thread thanks for posting up pics guys. 👍

And agree this is a the right kind of thread to celebrate all our collective passion. So many great stories, and elk here…

Another one from a decade or more back… he was the oldest of a group of 5 different 6pt bulls feeding in the same meadow at 8,000.’ I got to within 40 yards of him before I shot. He’s 11+ years old and was in the downslope in terms of antler growth.

Younger bull. There was a big, raspy sounding herd bull somewhere in the timber below me that I never saw, but probably should have waited on. This younger bull stepped out into the open as the herd was going to bed for the day and I just couldn't help myself. Bird in the hand and all.

One more from a few years earlier. Same general area as the rag above.

That is a great story/memory.

Some really nice bulls all.

I’ve killed three over the counter, two in Oregon, and one in Colo, all with archery. But it’s been years and I suspect that it’s more difficult these days.

Glad to see some of these entries from some of you elk guys. I liked the story of the 45-70 bull especially well. My OTC total would be Mid-upper 30's on bulls and probably about 80% of my total elk. Id have to dredge out my log to be certain, a mix of rifle muzzy (technically a draw but you can draw every year) and archery. As it is heavily hunted most are extremely unimpressive in the antler department, just rags for the most part, even a few spikes from way back when I started and they were still legal. As a rookie they were HUGE!! Now I smile when I think back to tracking down a spike and being so damn excited when I was able to score on one.

Getting to the point now where I don't mind having an unpunched tag as long as I passed on a bunch of small ones that were close enough. Last year was the first that I didn't tag out and never had one in range (muzzy) though I did see a couple rags that I did not try to stalk that were a couple hundred yards away. The people and pressure is such that as my legs get thinner and my belly gets bigger this trend may get more pronounced. I had 8 orange blobs around me in a basin I used to have completely to myself last September. But I had one helluva 30 year run at 'em before it plunged off a cliff.

No pics here from me, one day I may spend the time to figure out how to do it. Only a few would break 320, most are 100" less!

Another old bull - a 7x7. Not especially big B&C-wise, but the oldest, most mature bull on the mountain that day. I felt immensely privileged to take him.

No doubt! I can’t imagine what it would be like to hunt bulls(or bucks) over the counter. I sure do appreciate when I do get a tag though.

Awesome bulls fellas. Just a great thread.

Love that story!

I've killed 7 bulls OTC, five of them 5 point or more, none really big. Have hunted elk 12 seasons, wish I'd hunted them more. My son and cousins have a lot better records, but their bulls are theirs to claim.

Getting a late start in life on elk hunting. 1 for 2 on OTC bull tags, solo and DIY. Should have been 2 for 2, but I screwed the pooch my first year. Not a picture worthy bull, but mighty fine eating.

here's one my SIL from AZ took in '14 here near Podunk

Sure pizzed off the locals........September rifle--did European mount

This guy was watching out for 'TinCock'

Deer, many.

Elk .. I will tell you up front I am not the worlds greatest or most enthusiastic elk hunter. Also not very successful. Lot of years I don't even buy a tag anymore. The hunting is crappy, 5-6% success rate and most of those are raghorns. The weather is often too crappy (sometimes too horrible, sometimes too nice) to be out without a better chance of success than I think I have.

There is only one unit open to OTC elk and yep, I put my tag on one there. I think it was 18 years ago. Raghorn 4x4. My ex brother in law introduced me to the area a decade or more earlier. That hunt was the year he and my sister were divorcing. (Yeah, she approved, and their son, 4 at the time, was with us .. without him there would have been no elk.) I've hunted the area a few times since, once or twice with him, mostly alone. There are fewer and fewer elk every year. Last time I was there, there weren't even very many camps at the traditional spots along the road.

The other areas I've hunted were all draw .. not "quality" elk hunting, just a way to keep everyone from converging on the 3 remaining elk in the unit and exterminating them.

So I'll say I have a consistent track record .. of failing to kill elk. Not 100%, but pretty fair success not killing elk.

Tom

I've taken Bulls with OTC tags and also in Draw hunts,

And after seeing Kurts pics, I'm gonna go sit in the back of the bus.......

Greenhorn and Son are stone cold Killers, Damn.

Pissing off the locals in our state? Ha! Never...

There are OTC tags in AZ?

Many

I've killed an elk every year for 28 years in a row with over the counter tags. We have a two week rifle season in Saskatchewan the last two weeks of September. Many years it was "bulls only", more recently it is either sex. Hunting elk during the calling season with over the counter either-sex tags may seem like cheating to our neighbours to the south, but it's normal in Saskatchewan. Just remembered, I missed my elk hunt one year because I hunted caribou instead. So my "score" is not quite one every year. Some years I passed up bulls because I like eating cows or calves better. Two years ago for instance I passed up a 6x6 and shot a calf instead. Not sure what the original poster was getting at by suggesting one must hunt bulls to be a successful elk hunter?

I’ve been on one Elk hunt in my life and took a 5x5 on the last morning of the hunt . That was in 1993. I figure I have a perfect record. Not sure if I’ll ever go again. Maybe if I keep looking @ all these awesome bull pics I’ll get the urge.

Not only OTC but a freaking leftover tag

Been hunting elk semi seriously for @ 20 yrs. I seem to get 1 about every 3rd. 2 bulls otc multiple cows.

I’ve killed some otc public land bulls in Idaho and Wyoming. One was archery the rest rifle. I’ve also guided to a few on public land in Wyoming and a couple in Colorado. Not sure if the Wyoming ones count for this post the areas were otc for me but usually took a a few points for the non resident clients.

Shot lots of OTC bulls in Montana and Wyoming.

Jud,

Most of the bulls I've killed have been with a OTC tag, archery and rifle. Haven't had the chance to hunt Washington, but I did kill a RM bull on the dry side of Oregon 35 years ago........

That counts as OTC by gum!

Hell ya. I suck at drawing tags, only drawn 1 bull tag outta 5-6 states applied for annually. I don’t just apply to get a bull tag, I always apply for damn good tags as we get to hunt a fairly long general season here. I gotta feeling I’m gonna draw a sheep or goat tag this year!! 😂😂🤦‍♂️

That the spirit!

I've got enough Colorado sheep points that I'm probably starting to get in the running for a rifle sheep tag. Here's the sad part--30+ years ago I drew a archery sheep tag with 2 PP's. Didn't kill one. Two years later I drew the same tag with 1 PP. Didn't kill one. I was after a nice ram and passed on several lesser rams both seasons.
Today I regret not taking the shot on one of those "lesser" rams

Damn it. The big 3 , sheep, moose and goat are oil tags here.hopefully you can draw out while you can still enjoy the hunt! 👊🏻

Lots

I’ve killed 4 or 5 elk in Colorado using a bow with otc tags. And 4 elk with a muzzle loader and otc tag. and 2 in Montana with bow and a draw tag.

My best bull to date. An archery bull from central Oregon.
I have nine other otc bulls and a big bunch of cow elk…

If one has the want to" I'm sure one can get it done.

I have done it.

Living in Montana has allowed me to shoot an elk every year and 2 a year for decades and all were OTC. Total is in the 70's, and not all were bulls.

I have never shot an elk with a lottery tag...

[

Really nice! Thanks for posting.

👍👍👍👍
You have also killed a lot of OTC deer in montana

OTC tagged, Colorado