Thanks everyone. All of your advice definitely helped. I had to got to the B&C site to get a refresher on the G1-G7 nomenclature.

I had never heard the aspect of relating the brow tine (and bestine? another new one for me) to the nose. This really helps. I am also clearer on the "dagger point" and it's relation to the beam.

I try and pull either sex tags in CO for a couple areas I am familiar with every year. I spend the first couple days looking for something memorable, after that I try and shoot out. It has worked decent for me. I have shot 3 bulls and 4 cows. Last year was the best, an OK 5x5, but almost every tip was busted.

I have only seen two elk that I truly believe were trophies. One was at a 1/4 mile moving through a thin aspen meadow (pushed out by some guys on horses). He stopped once and through his head back. With a naked eye I could see the rack almost hit him in the middle of his ass. Tried to stalk him, lost his trail in the timber. That night he was bugling, he was so hoarse it almost sounded like a steer. The strangest bugle I have ever heard.

Two years ago a heavy 6x6 came down to a river at dusk. My hunting buddy who was with me has never shot an elk, so I moved back a bit and cow called. I could have shot it 20 times. He never fired, stating he wasn't comfortable with the shot. The family heirloom 30.06 and 200 yds was too much for him, I was in shock. He said he just couldn't pick it up through the scope. They next day I looked through it... like looking through the bottom of a Miller high life bottle. I wanted to beat him on the head with it.

I sincerely appreciate everyone's advice, it has definitely helped.