salty

Nice Elk! what do you guys do with the rest of the animal? that's alot of wasted meat isn't it?

REG

Salty, the elk was quartered up, it took five longtrips to get him out. That's a hind quarter and the rack on my back. I have never got an elk out whole, it's hard to pick up 500+ pounds!

salty

Oh, I did not realize you go back for the rest.. I always thought whatever you can back pack out is all you usually take... What happens if you return to find a large bear chomping on your kill?

that is one fine elk BTW... you must need cathedral ceilings to mount that thing!

Scott Gags

Reg my admiration has evolved into raw jeolousy.
Seriously, how many bulls are you passing on to come with elk the size you have taken. I just think based on my limited knowledge of big Elk, are like 1 out of 20 bulls that size?

PS: What would those animals score if measured?

REG

Salty, yes bears are always a concern, a few years ago a guy in Montanawas killed in by a grizzly while gutting out his elk, they found him the next day half eaten. I shot this years elk about a half an hour before dark andabout a mile and a half from a road. By the time I was gutting him out it was dark, I was alone and all I kept thinking about was Grizzlies, and why I do this so often! There is a lot of them in the area.I quartered up the elk and laid the meat over logs to cool. I came back the next morning to pack it out. I always have my 44 drawn when I return to the meat.

Scott, i only passed a few, this year I hadn't passed any until I shot him. There where five bulls and about 15 cows in a open park, I picked the best one and shot. Ya I'm lucky, but I also was in a place most people wont hike too, especially in the evening. They all score over 300.

mr-pirk

Big Bulls " There is a place in Colorado I hunt that holds a good number of 'book' bulls if one is willing to hunt them".

A word to the wise, next muzzle-loading or first general rifle season go to Rowdy Lake.
Stand facing the parking area next to the rail fence surrounding the small lake and look directly to your left.
Look about 3/4ths way up the mountian to the left and spot a medow. The medow is much taller than it is wide. The camp site to your far left has a log at it's entrance, set up your spotting scope and see what you can see.
Be aware that there is an outfitter that hunts that medow and that by the 2nd rifle season he will have chased what you are after out of the medow.
Thanks
Mr-Pirk

salty

wow, that sounds like an exciting hunt Reg..
congrats on your elk, be safe.