ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
01-09-2005, 01:13 AM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Crescent Valley, NV
Posts: 2,271
RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
I have seen some VERY BIG elk here in Nevada. I saw one that was easily pushing the 400" mark, while my dad later saw one that was poached a year after that, and scored around 380." For me to say "WOW THAT'S BIG," takes quite an impressive bull. If a bull has ivory tipped tines, brow tines that come close to the end of the snout, and 4th points in the 18" or so range, I would count that as BIG. It takes some years just to get the ivory tips alone, so you know if its a mature bull or not. Thats not to say that I wouldn't shoot a smaller bull. If I were to draw a bull tag here in Nevada, I would surely hold out for something no smaller than around a 320" 6 pt, and trust me, that is a feasible goal. Also take into the fact that if you draw a tag, you have to wait 5 years, and if you fill it, it is a 10 year wait, I will make sure that bull is worth that 10 years. If I were hunting in a state where the draw was not so tough, I would probably not pass on a good 5 pt, but would still like a mature bull. If I want strictly meat, I will just get a cow tag.
01-09-2005, 07:47 AM
#13
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Alaska, USA
Posts: 38
RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
I was in a camp on the Olympic Peninsula whan a guy got a bull that everybody guessed was over 1000 lbs, live weight. He was over 800 in quarters.
I've shot some big Moose up here in the AK. And never, ever... have the quarters combined weighed 800lbs. Come on......
01-09-2005, 08:20 AM
#14
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: McCall Idaho USA
Posts: 753
RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
In the area we live & hunt, I consider a 315+ bull a big bull, there's just not many of them taken. Anything in the P&Y size is defenitely respectable as Archer18 mentions.
If I were hunting in a more elite area then the size would very as to what I felt was a big bull.
In a trophy type area I would consider anything in the 340ish-+ a real trophy with a bow!! I would have it mounted! To date my son or I have never had a bull mounted. So on goes the search for that elusive trophy.
Actually we're not trophy hunters, we usually take the first branch antlered bull, as there's others in our camp to consider as they also want to fill their tags! ElkNut1
If I were hunting in a more elite area then the size would very as to what I felt was a big bull.
In a trophy type area I would consider anything in the 340ish-+ a real trophy with a bow!! I would have it mounted! To date my son or I have never had a bull mounted. So on goes the search for that elusive trophy.
Actually we're not trophy hunters, we usually take the first branch antlered bull, as there's others in our camp to consider as they also want to fill their tags! ElkNut1
01-09-2005, 12:21 PM
#16
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: N.W. Wyoming
Posts: 57
RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
Anything over 350 B&C is big to me. As for wieght, I would have a hard time believing any elk weighing over 1000# unless it is pen raised. And 400 in each quarter? Nope not gonna buy it. That's bigger than a moose, or an eland.
01-09-2005, 12:54 PM
#17
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 2,052
RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
My biggest bull (and only lol) is a 368" 6x6 from the Gila/Apache area of NM I took with a muzzleloader (a primitive weapons only zone, 15B if I remember correctly). Personally any 6x6 over 340" is "big" too me. My bull netted 368 and grossed 364 so he basically is perfect. Frame wise he is more like a 340 because his lower 3 arent abnormally long and he is only 41" inside. BUT he has 24" royals, 20"ers behind those and his "whale tails" are awesome because his beams are 51" apiece.
Here is the only pic on line that I have of my bull:
http://www.nmtrophyhunts.com/elk.htm
Mine is on the second row and on the right (the real dark racked one) with yours truly. After chasing these dudes and taking mine on the last morning of a 5 day hunt, I can see why they are MUCH worse than any woman or drug addiction!!! [:'(]
I have a friend with 3 over 380 from White Mtn. Apache in AZ but I am just as tickled with my trophy as he is with his MONSTERS! I actually have a desire (or is it a sick fetish?
) to see and get a crack at a 350"+ 5x5. I like abnormally large trophies of smaller point count. But a genetic mutant like that is hard to come by.
IMHO true "MONSTER" status starts about 380 and runs above that. When you get above the 400" range (one of the three of my friends is a 411 nontyp) you are talking about truly breathtaking animals that are much rarer than even the hunters who typically can afford the hunts for such animals.
One thing about BIG BULLS the prices arent getting any cheaper. From an annual inflation standpoint their price is outpacing just about anything else in the hunting world. But then again, I honestly think that as a result of such outlandish fees the incentive for producing such extreme bulls is greater than ever before. Perhaps we truly are in the "golden age" of trophy bull hunting?
RA
Here is the only pic on line that I have of my bull:
http://www.nmtrophyhunts.com/elk.htm
Mine is on the second row and on the right (the real dark racked one) with yours truly. After chasing these dudes and taking mine on the last morning of a 5 day hunt, I can see why they are MUCH worse than any woman or drug addiction!!! [:'(]
I have a friend with 3 over 380 from White Mtn. Apache in AZ but I am just as tickled with my trophy as he is with his MONSTERS! I actually have a desire (or is it a sick fetish?
) to see and get a crack at a 350"+ 5x5. I like abnormally large trophies of smaller point count. But a genetic mutant like that is hard to come by.IMHO true "MONSTER" status starts about 380 and runs above that. When you get above the 400" range (one of the three of my friends is a 411 nontyp) you are talking about truly breathtaking animals that are much rarer than even the hunters who typically can afford the hunts for such animals.
One thing about BIG BULLS the prices arent getting any cheaper. From an annual inflation standpoint their price is outpacing just about anything else in the hunting world. But then again, I honestly think that as a result of such outlandish fees the incentive for producing such extreme bulls is greater than ever before. Perhaps we truly are in the "golden age" of trophy bull hunting?
RA
01-09-2005, 01:35 PM
#18
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Idaho
Posts: 584
RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
A Big Bull to my standards is a 5,6, or 7pt. with long brow tines, sword like royal points(4thpt.)-- and for width-- a bulls chest measures approximately 22"- 24" wide looking head on at a bull, if his rack is at least twice as wide as his chest, then you're more than likely looking at a record class bull.
Big=265+
Exceptional=330+
Monster350+
Big=265+
Exceptional=330+
Monster350+
01-09-2005, 04:15 PM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Back in good ole mormonville...
Posts: 2,431
RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
Where I deer hunt it is a limited entry elk unit. I think it a bad day when I don't see atleast a 380" bull and a good-average day with a +400". Granted, I will not draw out on this elk tag until I am dead, but those are BIG bulls.