I live here in Darby on the Westside bordering the Forest Service and look out to the Eastside (270 Area) I have my spotting scope set up on the kitchen table and glass the area daily. Lots of Elk there.
Anyway I have hunted there every opening day for the last 5 years execpt last year. Well on the second day I went up there and not 100 yards from the path I take to hunt was a big drag mark where someone had got a Elk and winched it out with an ATV.
About 2 weeks later I got my 6X6 and went to the local taxidermist and saw a monster Elk rack. Well come to find out the Elk was taken right there where I should have been opening day.
The Elk was deformed and palmated real good on one side. The pedicle was real Narrow like a roll of dimes.It was amazing the rack didn't break off.
The other large Elk I heard about here in town was a local who spends alot of time at the Bar and I think he was handicapped also.
Anyway about 10:00 am he was road hunting and passed an area where a bunch of hunters had parked to hike in. The story I was told was bedded down next to these parked trucks lay an 8x8 bull and the man shot the thing,went back to the bar to get his buddies and got the thing out whole. I guess it sat in the back of his pick-up all day while he spent time in the bar the rest of the afternoon.
Alot of other hunters were a little bummed out having spent the whole day in the woods hunting.
Those were the 2 I heard of. You can bet tomorrow opening day I will be back in the 270 district at first light.