At what point do you mount it?
 

Wondering what size in this case an elk has to be for you to mount it.

It would have to be an above average 6x6 or an exceptional 5x5 before it would get shoulder mounted. I would euro mount smaller ones of course.

If I'm shooting something with horns on its head its because it is something I'm proud of and wouldn't shoot it if I wasn't planning on mounting it. Goes for every antlered animal I shoot. Helps that I am a taxidermist and can afford it. WCL

I have harvested a few bulls in my lifetime. None have been shoulder mounted. Just plaques. My first mount will be 300-320. Then the next would have to be 330-340. Just a matter of time and I am hoping it will happen. Not looking forward to paying for it but the wife knows already what the first one will be ahead of time.

Same with deer. I have a mount and will not mount another until it is bigger than the one I already have.

when it stops moving and I can sneak up behind it..............

For a shoulder mount above 300. I usually give the antlers to my friends dad to make things out of. Although my first elk bull with the bow will probably get a plaque or euro mount.

Another situation would be a deformed interesting looking animal.

Agreed. If I don't have enough respect for the animal to have it mounted then I don't shoot it. This is why god made does and cows.

That's kinda how I think, why shoot a bull or a buck if I'm not going to mount it? at least when I can take a doe/cow in it's place. Everyone around me wants me to take more animals, especially these decent/good sized animals I pass on. I am getting a lil tired of getting skunked on hunts though. I'm doing what I can though, least I think so, I'm only putting in for/hunting quality areas alledgedly. Maybe I should just relax a bit more and see what happens.

I've been on a few "quality" hunts lately, where all my research suggests its a great season/area, then you get there and people are saying, or the unit next to this is great..... or ya this season is the rut, but I like the 1st season....

I guess with time, more experience, and continuing to hunt quality units, I should be able to take a trophy at some point.

I believe you hunt CO....curious where you think quality/trophy areas are. As a lifelong "local" I probably have different ideas than you.

skb:

I apply/build pts on CO, hunted back in college for elk 2 years, but have not since, considering an archery mule deer hunt in 2010 though.

Otherwise I'm just building pts, mule deer is really all I look to CO for currently, I would like to pursue sheep, moose, and goat there, but have yet to apply/build pts for any, as they require paper applications and the money up front.

When I hunted elk, it was rifle, OTC, once near Vail, the other time near Gunnison.

I believe the mule deer areas I'm looking towards are on the western slope, but I really haven't dove into the research aside from building pts for deer.

sak - PM me....apparently I don't have the credentials to send a PM. I have suggestions.

True but I also belive if a hunter wants a small buck for meat that is just fine too. Some areas are not highly populated and the does need to be left alone and the bucks need to take the brunt of the meat hunters take. All depends on the situation of the land being hunted. I'm lucky enough I hunt places where I can go after big bucks and fill the freezer with slick heads but not everyone can. Shooting an antlered animal and always hangin it on the wall is my personal standards and is what makes me a satisified hunter but don't beleive everyones has to be that way. As long as you are a happy hunter and take pride in what you shoot, even slick heads, then you have respect for that animal, then you are a true sportsman and don't have to show it by hanging it on the wall. Just wanted to state that. WCL

I mounted a a bull elk that has been scored by three amatures (other than myself)from 290 to 315..I scored it at 303.
Reguardless of the score, this is a big bull for the area and region.The area I hunt, elk must have at least 6 points on one side..
If this scores as low 275 I'd still be happy with the mount.
Although I'd make sure the next one mounted was substancially bigger.
The third most important thing though, always have money set aside for mounting before you start the hunt.
The second most important thing, prepare your self in ever way possible for proper field dressing and caping.
The most important thing, DON'T MISS.

I also hunt CO and think the trophy bull areas are fairly slim as well except for alot of private lands. We don't shoot any huge bulls nor do we see them hunting the public land we hunt but we see alot of elk and typically have a 50-100% success rate with archery every year for our group. The biggest bull I've probably seen was maybe 300 but we see alot of those small bulls 225-260. I've shot two bulls and the biggest one is just under 250 as a 6x6. I know these aren't monster bulls as they don't even make p&y but they are a trophy to me after a tough hunt. We just enjoy the hunt every year as drawing big bull units take a bit longer but pts are in the making right now. Can't wait to get into some bulls in the 300s one of these years. WCL

If I kill a Bull 380 +, I will have it mounted. Good luck.

My first thought was...after a nice dinner and a bottle of wine...

There was another thread talking about what the definition of what a "rag horn" bull was. I don't want to get into that discussion here but to me the term seems a little demeaning for such magnificant animals. I mounted my 4x4 from 2 years ago and don't regret it for one moment. I have no idea what it scores because it just didn't matter. Everytime I walk into my living room and I look at it hanging there the great memories come streaming back. It never even occured to me not to mount it. My son-in-laws 5x5 we got last month doesn't have that much bigger of a rack than mine but he is getting his mounted also. They are just such beautiful animals it seems a waist not to preserve them the best way we can. I suppose those that live around these animals all the time may get used to seeing them and a young bull doesn't mean much but for me only having seen a small number during 2 trips in the last 2 years I wanted to preserve as much of the memories as I could. I gues to each his own and one man's rag horn is another man's trophy.

never have shot a bull elk but did get a cow in 99, being from maine i may never get to shoot another elk, i had the cow mounted it is a lifelong memory and hangs in my familys camp along with many other trophys, it has a good story that goes with it and everybody asks to hear it. dont regret having it done for a second, mabe if i lived somewher i could shot an elk every year it would be diferent. makes it hard to answer this poll for anyone like me. Every animal taken is a trophy to a true hunter

i would mount my 1st 1 and then after that if it were a record breaker.. gl