Well, I have been waiting for this since I was a teen. Taken with my .30-06 that I bought new when I was about 19 years old. Bought it for deer and a future Elk hunt. It finally happened. Taken on the evening of day 4 of a 5 day hunt.

I had the best damn Elk guide that a hunter could have. PERIOD! He made it happen for me by knowing my strengths and weaknesses. He wouldn't let me settle for anything less! I will keep him anonymous and let him be known if he wants to comment.

I need to shave this beard before kids come up to me asking for Christmas presents.

Bull scored 339.25 green
Dressed weight was 618
Barnes 168 TTSX handloads. 2850 fps MV

Damn fine bull - congrats! What state?

Thank you! New Mexico.

Very nice bull, love the dark antlers and 3’rds.

Congrats.

Seems I've seen that 'thumbs up' before.....grin






great bull. Congrats!

A huge congratulations. What a great experience.

BAHAHAHA! Thanks!

Congrat! Great Bull!

Congrats. Nice bull.

NICE

Oh, one more thing about my guide. Don't let him catch you eating a Snickers bar during prime time!! Nuff said!!

Old Guys Rule! 👍👍
Beautiful bull. I am jealous.

What a great experience! Congratulations and thanks for sharing.

Yes, Congrats on a Nice Bull. Good for you.

A really great guide would have got you 3/4” more to make it an even 340”! Just kidding!!! Great bull!! He’s got good thirds and is beautiful. Congratulations to you and the guide! Glad you finally fulfilled your dream!

Congrat's, that's awesome!

Very nice bull. That’s a great way to start off your elk hunting!

Awesome! Great job young man!!!!!

That big boy will make a very handsome mount for your wall and trigger good memories in the future. Ought to fill your freezer with tasty meat, too.

Good job.

L.W.

That's a beauty of a bull. Nicely done

Congratulations , really nice bull

I’d say that the wait was worth it! 👍

Great bull but I fear that you’re now going to be spoiled. 😁

If a guy must wait years for his first, that's a fine elk to wait for.

Congratulations on the hunt, and one beautiful bull!

I "guided" my brother to his first bull a couple of weeks back and his rig is very similar - an old Remington BDL he picked up when he was maybe 17 (he'll be 71 soon) chambered in 30/06. When I needed a scope when I was 14 he handed down his old Weaver K4-E and put a Leupold on the BDL. Then added a newer Leupold (and gave me the older one) several years back. Same load too - my handloads featuring the 168gr TSX.

Well done!

congrats on your first one . the rest should be easy know 😃 👍

Nice Bull! Congrats!

Very nice bull sir! Congratulations!

Ron

I'm super happy for you!

Thank you all. It was something that I will remember for the rest of my days.

Beautiful habitat and nice bull. Congrats.

Nice bull, congratulations.

That is incredibly cool!

So proud for you John! I knew you could pull it off. Your guide was one of the best of the best. Time to start planning on the next hunt! No sense in wasting time.

Don't let him see you eat a Snickers bar during prime movement. BAHAHAHA

Very nice! I really like the dark colors on those antlers...

Great bull. You’re spoiled now. 😊

Well,... This is very cool. I mean very cool!

Todd

That's a helluva first bull, big congrats.

Congratulations on taking a fine bull, and fullfilling a long time dream. Very happy for you!

Regards,
Manny

Congrats!
We have a SIL in Albuquerque. He's been trying for a number of years to get an elk in NM. He's only drawn 1 time and had a good chance ruined by some guy on an ATV. He was moving in on a herd when the guy came zooming through running cross country. He never saw the elk he spooked.

Wow. congratulations! Beauty.

Congrats on a damn nice bull !

Thank you all again. I keep looking at those antlers! The skull is coming along nicely.

Congrats!

Fantastic. Happy for you Sakoluvr.

Congratulations on a beautiful bull. If that was your first at age 25 it would be too early gratification. With that beard it’s well deserved gratification.

I Bought my elk rifle at 17 it didn’t get to shoot an elk until 42 it’s a nice promise to keep to your elk rifle in waiting.

Beautiful bull. Congratulations.

👍

Damn fine bull. Congrats and thanks for sharing.

Congratulations!

That's a great looking bull!

Awesome story and a great Bull, Congratulations!


Frog--OUT!

Congratulations on a Great dark bull!
Don't wait so long for the next one!!!

Congratulations.....one of these days.

Looks like flat land

And a TOAD!

Congratulations!

Beautiful bull with a dark rack are cool!

Congrats.

🦫

Very nice👊🏻

Holy cow!

Congratulations!!

Was that bull living or spending time in an old wildfire burn area?

That rack is spectacular.

Schtick stop by for a visit? Hope you boys had a good day shooting Ground Grizzlies as he loves to call'em....

Congrats and very nice Bull Sakoluver!

Thanks again everyone. Thus would not have happened without my guide though. He wanted to make sure that if I shot a bull it would be something that I would be proud of. I had the crosshair on a few sub 320" bulls. He could size them up on the hoof fast!

My guide made the same comment that some of you made about the dark antlers. There was no burn in the area we were hunting. I didn't realize that his antlers were that dark until I started to compare them and look at pictures online.

Congrats on yours first elk hunting success.

Congrats on a beautiful bull, and sounds like a great trip!

That's a very nice bull. I'd be proud to have that one! What part of NM were you hunting?

Awesome bull congrats

Thanks again fir all of the positive replies. It was really special to use that rifle! I had a few weak moments and my eyes wandered to other rifles and chamberings. My guide assured me, as did others on the campfire that the .30-06 was more than capable.

My son told me it had to be done with the first centerfire rifle I bought and held onto for almost 50 years. I free floated the barrel with lots of clearance and bedded the receiver and lug with Acraglas. It turned out fine and shot great. Hoping for another Elk trip with my son this time when he finishes medical school, season after next. Of course he will be using the same rifle for his first Elk.



Raton

Man, that's awesome! Congrats!

What a great bull! Congrats to you!!!

Awesome bull!

Congrats on the great bull and lifetime of memories. Elk hunting is an amazing experience.
Any big plans for the meat? It’s fantastic.

So happy for you. You can feel the joy by the smile. Congratulations!

Congrats, man - beautiful bull!

Most excellent Sakoluvr! The first one always stands out in our memory and that one is a very nice bull. Makes me want to go again but, I'm afraid my old 75 y/o lungs/legs couldn't climb the mountains anymore.

Congrats, that's beauty!

I'll join the guys who love the dark antlers.

Good job on a great bull.

Wow! Great bull!

After 12 days of maceration. The aquarium heaters have speeded the process. Able to keep the temperature around 86 - 87°

It Iis sitting in my wheelbarrow after doing a little more trimming

Congratulations. That will feed you for a while.

Wow! Hammer of a great bull. Glad you got to use your elk rifle!

Great Bull - going to be tough to ever beat that bull.