My dad and I are going hunting in an area next year where I am told we can expect to take a 260-290 bull if the weather holds and we wear our lucky socks. Two problems. First, I am having problems finding pics of a bull that size to show dad. Second, I forgot which socks are my lucky ones. I am hoping for help here at the 'fire with the first problem. If you have a pic of a bull that size, could you post it for me? For the second, I am prolly on my own, eh?

This one is 270-280ish didn't tape him.



kent

I didnt tape this one either....but he should be the low end of your scale...



Ingwe

This is on the upper end of that. 290-300 is what I always guesstimated him at, but I vowed to never put a tape to an animal after living in Texas.

Yep, you've got him pegged about right.

guessing on his spread I'd say 292

Kent

305"

This is my son's bull from a couple years ago. We put a tape to this and it is right at 300...

Ya know, those are some fantastic bulls. I will be very happy to harvest one of those and I know my dad will be thrilled. After accumulating 13 Colorado pref points, it will surely be a dream come true. Keep'em coming, I love looking at them!

Uhh, no help with the lucky socks, huh?

This guys is on the lower end of your range just breaking 260.

This is my brothers bull from 2003, grosses right at 295.

I've never scored an elk and likely never will. However, I took this while bowhunting deer several years ago. I'd put the closest one on my wall any day, score be damned.

All very nice elk!

Assumnig it is not deformed,anything with 7-8 inch 5th & 6th and bigger 4ths is going to put you there.

This taped 308

260ish...

This one would be lucky to make 260...especially because its a five point..
Tasted better than ANY elk I ever killed though...



Ingwe

Ya know, after looking at these pics, I think these bulls are bigger than I expected! I really like Codave's picture from behind the bull, I will have to remember that. It sure makes that rack look HUGE! Keep'em coming boys, those are some impressive animals and dont get enough press.

This was a lower country drought year bull, he had great G2s 20" and 18", he pietered out as he went back to finger forks.

close to 300



Kent

Here's mine from last season. Like many of the others, I didn't tape him either - and yes, he's going on the wall. Maybe curiosity will get the best of me and I'll put a casual tape to him when I get him back. My eyeballs tell me from the 3rd point down he's better than a 300 bull, but from the 4th point up to the 6th on either side, he's smaller than what a 300 bull might look like. So, I'm guessing him to be in that range you asked about.

Bull pictured is my first (public, ID), and I'm quite pleased regardless of score. Taped him for the curiosity factor.

Incidentally, killed this 136 two days after I got back (archery public, WI ), and could care less about the book.

It was a good week...

Pastor Mickey, I dont think that bull will score all that well a'tall . To me, that bull looks a lot like a whitetail, but I havent shot one in Idaho yet! The body size is almighty small for an elk, the rack curves and stays low like a deer. Hmmmm, looks like a buck, I bet it smells like a buck...does it quack like a buck? Just funnin' with ya! Thank you guys so much for the pics, I enjoy looking at these size bulls I think more than the monsters. keep'em coming!

PS, that is a dandy whitetail...that I know all about!

Both bulls in this photo are in your size range. The bull just right of center in the photo is a big 5, with very small sixth points on each side. He has long main beams and good spread, so he is in your ball park.

The bull on the left (his rump was towards me, he is to the left of the first bull) is a 6 X 6, short lowers, decent main beams and decent spread, decent uppers.









Here is a zoom photo, sorry about the quality but I was using a sub compact digital I carry in my pack.






I ended up shooting the bull on the left, here he is on the ground. Note the broken tine on his left side (4th point).







The bull on the left is smaller than your size range, the bull on the right is in there.








If you see something like this, just shoot and worry about the score later. This is my brother-in-laws bull, goes about 370.





Good luck and have fun. Post pics when you get back!

Manny

I didn't put a tape on him but he was a good one.

Manny,
Excellent before and after pics. after seeing them and then thinking about myself in that situation, I doubt I would have thought about the camera at all when I had two bulls in sight. How did you have the patience to take a picture? Incredible and very impressive. That kinda gives us something all to think about....it isnt all about the kill. Enjoying the hunt by taking a picture first is pretty cool (though some cases will dictate that is not possible).

Say, I have been noticing the calendar seems to be moving slower than normal....why is that? October seems a looooong way off.

never taped this one, but by most estimates from the outfitter and other guides I worked with, we all estimated it in the 270-280 range gross

Berretaman,

I glassed the bulls from a ways away. It took me a couple of hours to get to a ridge just short of where they were bedded. I set up my pack, laid my rifle over it, and went prone in the snow watching them. For 45 minutes.

I took several pictures before I shot when the bulls were bedded. When the far bull stood, it went to his left, to go over the ridge and out of my sight, so that is when I took my first shot.

I hit him with the first shot, (single lung) and he turned and actually came closer. I hit him again at about 350 yards and he went down.

After he went down, out came the camera again. The small 6 point stood there watching his running mate for a while...you can see their tracks in the snow.





I took a few more as the smaller 6 point left.





This was in South East Idaho, on National Forest land.

Manny

This was my first elk he scored 290. 6x8

It has been just over 2 months since I posted this and I swear, it has seemed like 2 years. Some very impressive bulls here. First bulls, bulls that got their picture taken first, great stories and great overall hunts. I hope we are so lucky.

My best to date: Oregon archery kill.

Same bull, after we pulled him down to the creek bottom.

About 270 gross.

Didn't put a tape on him but about 260.

This is My second elk. We don't know what he scores but we think he is around 315-320.

This one scored 296:


This one went 315 (greater spread):


This is my Dads, it went just shy of 290: