ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

Here I am dreaming about elk again, go figure. Anyway I want to know how big does a elk have to be for you to say WOW thats a big bull. I know of some people who honesly don't care and they will shoot any elk, be it cow or bull. I have no problem with that because I too also agree any elk is a trophy. But I myself during most years have a goal that a bull must be certin size, to be a shooter. Most years that goal is any branch antlered bull. But I have also told myself that I will not drop the string on anything but a nice 6x6 bull. I have eaten tag soup and eating elk meet from a 6x6 when I set those goals. Both IMHO are not as good eating as a young spike bull or yearling cow. But the antlers are a nice plus. If someone asks me what I think is truly big, I will tell them nothing less than a 350 class bull, and a huge bull is 380 to 390 on up. My biggest bull so far is just shy of 300 but to me he is my trophy, hard earned with a bow and never to be taken away. Sure I want to kill a bigger elk with my bow but then on the other hand I just love to elk hunt period, and I have some great memories from elk that didn't have a 6x6 rack on their head.

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

I had a great permit here last year and it was my first time elk hunting as well--I passed up some spikes and four pts (which would have been chip shots)--I was going to hold out for at least a nice 5x5 or 6x6. I did not get a shot, but thanks to the generosity of some of my partners (i.e. barebackjack) I got a little meat instead of tag soup. I have a feeling that still as a novice elk hunter I'll try to take something decent--5x or 6x or better next year with my bow and then if I do not connect-I'll try to keep the same standards thru early rifle season--then as the end gets closer--I'm sure my standards will deteriorate. I'm really going to try to devote a lot of time next year (NEXT YEAR IS THEEEEEE YEAR) and hope that at the end I'll have an elk of some sort.
hb

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

I've never been on an elk hunt yet but am looking forward to it this year. I have watched hunting videos, read books, and gone online to research every aspect of elk hunting. If I draw a rifle permit and am allowed to go this year I will need to set some standards of the size of bull I am willing to shoot. Naturally the first and second day of hunting the standard will be much higher than the following days. As of right now, the first and second day of hunting I will be looking for a 6x6 in the 320 class and above. After that the standards will start coming down. I view a "big" bull as being 350 and above. My standards are high for someone who has never been on an elk hunt but after researching the area I'm hunting and the outfitter I have booked I don't think this is unattainable.

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

i have had the chance to see many good sized bulls, depending on the length of the royal point (4th point) looking like daggers, with sweeping eye guards you have yourself a sturdy bull. ON points after seeing the great big 6X6 that my uncle took (gross 348) with 54 inch mainbeams, its hard to compare an average 6X6 to that bull, i am after the big one boys.

gross of 265 is minimum requirement for P&Y

most hunters would say that any bull over 300 is a good sized trophy.

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

300-330 = big ; 330-350 = real big; 350+ = oohh[:o],oohh:D,oohh[:o]

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

Here is a 270 elk I killed with my bow.

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

Ok here is a elk just over 300. rifle kill 4 years ago.

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

Here is a nice elk that is around 330. I found the head this year when I was bow hunting he died in a fence. I passed on elk this big with my bow this year to kill a 350 in the same spot.

I beleave any elk killed with a bow is very good [even a cow].I beleave each hunt should be looked at in dif ways . I would pass on a 300 elk on a guide hunt in good spot. But would kill a 270 elk on any public land hunt I will go on.

My 1st elk with a bow was a spike. It was a very memorable hunt,ate good allso.In my opinion if you are going elk hunting for your 1st time [unguided] I beleave any elk you kill would be well earnd.If you are picky you will eat tag soop 1st few years.

Most of the elk i have killed are 200 class elk WAY better than my buds no elk years.

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

Since I live in Elk country and see them most everyday I would have to say for me anyway a big Elk would be 350 and above. As far as what I would shoot like Hillbilly say's the longer the season goes by the less my standard. Opening morning I passed a 40 yard broadside shot(Rifle) at a nice 5X5 which would have been nice by most peoples standard. This practice of passing in hopes a bigger bull almost had me eating tag soup and if not for a little unlucky calf the last day my freezer would be empty.
For the folks that live in Elk country I think the standard is a bit higher than those that don't. I also enjoy the hunt and chase aspect so it's quite easy early in the season to pass on the smaller Elk and be able to hunt the entire season in hopes of a big one. With Elk like the one pictured running around behind the house on a regular basis, it's easy to pass on the smaller one's. I would have passed on this 6 X5 1/2 (broken tine) but it was the last 7 day's of the season and 300 yards downhill from my front door.

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. Those Rooseveldts don't have much in the way of antlers. There was one killed in PA this year that green scored 410, and that's very, very big. :eek:

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

380+ is a big bull it's also a BC bull. Good luck.

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.

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

Not buyin' it..... The weight part of it anyway...

I've shot some big Moose up here in the AK. And never, ever... have the quarters combined weighed 800lbs. Come on......

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

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

This is a big Elk for me... First bow kill..First Elk.. Hey ElkCrazy8, your welcome to hunt my Elk spot, as long as ya don't tell no one where it is..:D

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.

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? :D ) 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

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+

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

A big one to me is when I still have meat in the freezer when it is time to go hunting again-just kidding!

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.

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

They're all big; especially when I have to pack 'em by myself!

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

I personally call anthing over 300 big, that's a pretty hefty standard on most public land here in MT. My record is a 262 archery-killed 6 by 6. I typically hold out for 300+ bulls until about the middle of bow season, then switch over to meat hunting. Gotta have that good elk meat in the freezer!

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

You're from Utah I'm guessing and while you are on the right track my guess is if you put these bulls that you're talking about on the ground and laid tape to em you'll probably find they aren't quite as big as you think they are. I am a very frequent visitor to the "best" limited entry units in Utah and I haven't had quite that much success seeing bulls that big as often as you describe. There are certainly 380 to 400 class bulls in these units but they aren't quite an everyday site. I would say take off about 20-30 inches off of your estimates and that's probably what you're seeing. But then again maybe you've got a honey hole that yields better than normal results. Estimates are always tricky when the animal is on the hoof. If I were you I'd try and get video of them and have an expert look at it just to see how your estimating skills are. Who knows maybe you're right on. I've been off on my estimates too and it's an art to accurately judge an animals size on the hoof.

To answer the question I don't really get major jaw droppage until about 380. I've seen smaller but nice bulls quite often. Notice I said seen, never had the chance to kill one that big as drawing a tag is a very tough thing to do around here.

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

How big is big,it's like beauty is in the eye's of the beholder.
Now that been said anyone who shoots a 340-350 bull should be happy as heck.I have seen some big bulls hear in Montana down on the river during archery season,but as luck has it the y never get closer than 80 yds.I've also watched them down at SLippery Ann on the Missouri,now that a sight I think all elk hunters should see 2-400 head of elk in the rut not 100 yds off the road(Fun for the whole family).

Now this year I saw the biggest bull I have ever seen,with a rifle in my hands.I was hunting with HillBillyhunter and we had split up,I was looking for deer and he was looking for elk.I bumped into a 7x7.He was not 50 yds laying down,when he stood up,I new right then and there I was looking at a 380-385+ animal.He was by far the biggest elk I have ever laid eyes on in the wild.
He was big enough to make me run and find Chad who had the tag[:o].I wish we could have found him again,but they don't get that big for noth'in.
Now to answer the question I think a 340+ bull should make about anyone happy.Now if you think that is under you to shoot one that scores 300+ then maybe you should stop hunting elk cause some ppl never see a bull that big.My biggest is a 5x5 bull that maybe scores 220-230,that don't mean I don't try for bigger or lesser.I shot a spike this year,5x5 year befor and cows the 2 years prior.
So shoot what makes you happy.;)
BBJ

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

I don't remember you runnin'. MY recollection was that I found you sleeping next to a tree with your pants down around your knees (grin)----next year buddy--no, now its THIS YEAR...yeah.
hb

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

No problems with your statement, but I would like to let you know that in all my field judging which resulted in an animal on the ground I am usually 5" short of the real score. Also I have been within 1" of every competition where you score the mount. I can see where you would say that, but my track record is much better than that. What units do you watch? I spend a huge amount of time on the manti-laSalles and the Anthro Range creek, way back in the boonies.

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

Judyboi, If your judging skills are as good as they say you are then you are in elk heaven. Any spot where you can see a 400 inch bull everyday and 380 is run of the mill is one hell of an elkin spot. I'd protect the whereabouts of your areas with your life. The only time I've seen this happen is on private property where the elk go as a sanctuary. This happens up on some mining property up by Diamond mountain but I've never seen that happen on public ground even in the limited entry units.

Every year I spend lots of time up on the Diamond Mountain unit. I usually make at leat one trip on the Book Cliffs a year, the unit up above Boulder at least once a year. The Piaute trail takes me up on Monroe, saw some beautiful bulls this past summer up there. Piaute also takes me up above Beaver but not a lot of big bulls that way, lots of elk though. Got in a stare down with a Blackie this past summer up there. The trail also takes me up above Fillmore and there are some awesome bulls up there. I did some archery deer hunting down in the Manti's up above Fairview this year and about got ran over by a herd of 40 elk or so while sneaking through the aspen. I saw a 370-380 class bull while there but that was the only real big boy I saw down there. I went down to the Paunsaugunt for the first time late last fall and again got into some nice bulls down there. I've got family in Price so I spend some time looking around Range Creek and 9 mile, when I was a kid we'd hunt up Indian Canyon all the time but it's just not what it used to be. But where I really spend a lot of time is on Diamond Mountain and my favorite elk spot is....drum roll...... on San Juan Elk Ridge. I've seen elk in those hills that scare the hell out of ya and you see them everywhere. The San Juan unit is closest I've ever seen to the elk utopia that you describe. Where are you from?

RE: ELK, How Big is BIG to you?
 

Any Elk I'm fortunate to get is big!

I condider myself a big game hunter so i try not to shoot anything to small so they will grow to be a big bull for someone else. I consider a 5 or 6 point bull big enough to shoot. But a big bull would be a six point (most of the ones that are symmetrical and have a decent spread will make you crap your pants to see in your crosshairs) and they usually score 290"-310". Mass(or antler thickness), length of points, and spread will effect the score by making it bigger, but its hard to field judge them unless you sit and study pictures for a while and get out and see them all the time. ANY 6-POINT BULL IS A GREAT FEAT TO HARVEST, and almost every hunter will look up to someone who shoots a bull with the age and health to grow that 6th point...especially if it makes it over the 300" mark. The biggest bull i have ever seen in the wild was bow hunting last year, i would have guessed it to score about 360-380 and i have never seen another bull like it...too bad my bow wouldnt shoot 100 yards!

http://www.bugsnbullets.com/

I think a trophy begins at 300"

350" is probably the start of a monster...

Anybody else NOT seeing elk pics?

If so.............here's a pic of my 410 bull?

My good friend shot a 7x8 bull in GMU 10 in CO. It is the benchmark of "big" for me. I have no clue what it scores but in 50 years of big game hunting it is the biggest I have seen in person.

better pics to follow

Comparatively all elk I have killed are mid-sized.

They are all big to me because I am mainly a deer hunter. I have shot 4 elk in the last 5 years and believe me they all look big to me.:arms:

Yep, when they're dead on the ground, its 10 degrees outside, you're by yourself, fading light, elk only come in one size....big.

In my Region a legal bull is min 6 points on one side.
My biggest nets just over 300 inches.I'm not fussy, if it's 6x6 and I got a good clean shot, I'm pulling the trigger.I will now, only mount another elk, if I ever killed one over 380 inches. They just take up too much room. I regrett mounting the 300, my wife hates it,it's a really nice piece of art, but when a person is walking down my stairs the nose is 6 inches away from your face. Yeah, I will never mount another unless it's huge I mean huge, cause I be giving this one away, to make room for another.No I'm not gonna sell it to some rich European, my brother my dad and a good friend of ours, got it together so it will be going to one of them funny thing is nobe of them want it either unless it's necessary. Should have thought this one through.1300 bucks was not well spent on this impulse buy that's for sure.Well it wasn't even impulse (wife might disagree) I new before hand if I got a 300 plus Bull I would want to have it mounted
I just didn't inform her of my idea, cause I never really thought I'd ever kill a 300 plus elk.

Here is one my dad got back when I was a senior in high school. I dont recall what it scored, I will have to ask him, all I know it was big!



I have never got anything close to that, although I have seen some like it, I figure my time is comming. I hope!

Most men in the field would call a 300 class bull 330-350, most 300 class bulls look that nice on the hoof. A 350 class bull would easily be called 375-400 class bull. It's the grander factor some call it ground skrinkage. I hear guys say I estimate a bull within a few inches that's pretty good considering a 1/2" of mass at each of the G measurements would give you a solid 5 inches. Then add 1/2" on each point that's another 5 inches. So now your + or - 10 inches. I know we all do it every year guessing the size of elk in the field it's really not so easy to do in the heat of the moment. Now if you just observing elk then sure you can take the time to really take a look at him.

Only 35 400 class bulls have been officially recorded in the books since 2005. So even if you doubled or tripled that number. How many people in the last 5 years have gotten 400 class bulls? How many total bull elk hunters vs. those that killed 400 class bulls? The odds don't look so good.

I'll take the multiple homes and shops full of elk racks and 300 class bulls vs. just one monster. I'd rather elk hunt than sit at home for decades waiting on my chance of a lifetime that could go bad.

I would say any elk that scores 340"+ is probably going to make most people say "Wow that's a big bull".

When you really get down to it, most people will not shoot a 340"+ bull in their lifetime.

My biggest is 310" gross 300" net and he was big enough for me to decide to have a shoulder mount done on him.

I think elknut hit it right on an elk from New Mexico or the other states or units that are designed to grow such trophy big = something diffrent then in an over the counter tag from Co.

With that said an 320+" bull from one of these trophy managed areas is probably on the small end but 320" from an over the counter is a big bull.
I have shot my best bull this year with bow in a over the counter unit in Co. I haven't put a tape to him yet( just to drive my hunting partners crazy) but he is a true trophy to me and yes he is big in my book for where I was hunting.

You can guess his score .
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4533539_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._4214686_n.jpg

I'll stick my neck out first and guess 280"...

As others have noted, a big bull in one area may not seem so big, in comparison, to a bull out of a hard to draw trophy area. When I got my first 6x6 many years ago with my rifle, I had it mounted because any 6x6 out of that OTC unit was a sight to behold and he only scores about 265". Then this year, as luck would have it I killed my best bull elk to date with my bow out of an OTC unit and he scores right at 330" and is fine bull for that area. But if I were to draw a tag in a premier unit in AZ., for instance, I may be looking for something in the 360" class because the odds are there that it can be done.
As also has been noted, 400" class elk are usually found on private property or in very hard to draw units and very few of them are killed, compared to the number of guys that would love to kill one. Heck, very few of us every even get a chance to lay eyes on such a beast, let alone have a chance to kill one.