I've never had a picture of elk on my Black Hills place until now. Deer, lions, coyotes, foxes, whistle pigs---plenty. The guy living in my guest house put some cameras farther up the back hill than I typically go. Last night he texted me these two pics. I have an archery tag and the season is open but, not being Shrapnel, I'm waiting until the end of the month to go out and get after them. I don't think this/these elk will be there any longer but maybe so.

Think this is the same elk or two different? Well fed in both cases.

2 bulls. Look at the left antler on the 2d pic. Is it broken off?
Look at the right antler. On the 2d pic, the beam is straight behind the last 2 points. On the 1st pic, it curves down.
Also on the right, the 1st pic has a brow tine and the next one is a ways back. On the 2d pic, the brow and 1st point are close together.

Definitely not the same

I am not so sure that isn’t the same bull that just got one antler snapped off. I am not seeing the differences that Rock Chuck describes.

I do however see some similarity in what is left of the broken left browtine and the full left browtine. I won’t say one way or the other without better pics.

Different bulls. The right side main beam on the top bull is “wavey” the other one is not.

The right main beam in the bottom pic looks to be in line with the 'waiveness' as well as the drop that Rock Chuck mentions, so you may not be able to see those characteristics. The angle of the pic is deceiving. I am not convinced it is a different bull.

No.

Different bulls. One has 4 legs, the other has 2.

different! #1 is a downhill bull, #2 is an uphill one

same bull…photo #2 left antler photoshopped out?

can’t tell…my cheater reader specs need two better pics for comparison.

good luck and get out there and get one! 😎

Doc_Holidude

I'm unconvinced either way. Certainly possible to break off his antler in the week between photos. The angle of the camera isn't helping either. The local ranchers would call either of them "sleek"

I think 2 different bulls. Get your out here were having cool wet rainy weather and bring out that 32 m64 your gonna sell me..mb

nope different bulls

To me, the bottom pic looks like a bigger bodied, older animal. Certainly could just be the angle of each pic though.

I have to take #1 to her apartment in DC next week. Despite being a town kid who went to college, she's hard working and ambitious with a fantastic career ahead of her. I'll be out for the last ten days of season.

I kinda think two bulls also but it does give me pause. I've never seen an elk on my place and to have two show up? That upper draw to the SW would be a hell of a good place for a bull or two to spend the summer...

I think it’s two different bulls.

The color of the antlers is a little different but that could be the lighting.

On the upper bull there’s a bit of a “dip” of the main beam in front of the 5th point that I don’t see in the lower bull.

The profile of the right brown tine of the lower bull seems to be somewhat of a vertical blade with wear on the top where the brow tine looks more rounded on that of the upper bull.

I don’t see any gouge marks in the coats of either bull so I would think it’s a little early for a broken antler from fighting. If they are going at it hard enough in your area to break an antler I would think there’d be some evidence on their coats, especially on a bull with a broken side. Maybe genetics or broken in velvet?

Different bulls.

Different bulls

Not uncommon. Bulls hang together both before and after the rut. The dates on the photos are around Labor Day. The rut is just starting and things will quickly get lively from here on out. If there are some cows around, the boys will be looking for them.