RE: I shot my First elk
 

"congrats i guess, thats awful its smaller than a whitetail. thats a waste of a tag"



Its not a waste of a tag if he enjoyed himself and had fun. Get away from the TV where they have to be giants to have a great hunt. My first deer with a bow was a yearling and that was great eating and hunt. I'm going to Colorado this year for my first ever cow elk hunt and the first cow I see is down. Great job man. Don't listen to em'.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Ummmmmm, it will be very tender Congrats!!!

RE: I shot my First elk
 

I've avoided posting anything but I can't hold back any longer so here goes.......

Desperate times call for desperate measures. You've been hunting elk for 7 years and not taken any home? I would have shot that calf too. Whoever is leading your hunting crew needs to step down. You are definately doing something wrong. Out here in Oregonwe only havepublic land or timber land to hunt so we are all sharing the land. If you find food, water, and shelter you will find elk. Elk leave tons of sign! I bet you passed several heavily used game trails on your 8 mile pack in to your spot. Stop and follow those to the herd. Elk hunting isvery different than whitetail hunting. Do some more research, changeyour approachand take the lead in your group. Next year you won't have to shoot a calf.

Good luck

RE: I shot my First elk
 

we have all been raised in differnent ways and with differnet hunting traditions. In California it is illegal to shoot a fawn and the buck as to be atleast a (eastern) three pointer. This is how I was raised and my judgment was based on this. I have never shot an elk and one day hope that i am able to. I would not however (personally) shot a calf...that is how i was raised.....It is no different then when the guy posted a dead cub he killed... it is our moral judgement that we used for those of uswho said they would not have shot the elk...Any kill deserves a congradulations..no matter what it is just because they were able to kill iteven with a bow...i am just saying i would not have killed it...

Berwindale Boy.......i have not shot an elk....I have only killed four deer in my life time (all on public land)...three forkeys and one 135 class blacktail deer....if i had the oppurtunity to shoot a one year old buck that is a spike fork i would....
---i think you should listen to your own words, MICHAEL!!!! I normally respect my elders but in this case you have made the exception!!! .. I don't feel that i was insulting him...i wanted to know why he killed it??I do know how hard it isto kill an animal with a bow...how muchharder an elk is then from adeer, pig or quail i am not sure...but i have hunted all of these with a bow andsay it is perty hard....
---I hope when you posted yourresponse last time you were notinfluenced by anything(such as what your pictures shows) and really thought about what you were saying...I DID... i wanted to know why he killed it?

again...my judgement was based onhow i was raised and the type of hunting i do here.... yes maybe if i moved to where ever he is from and find that calf shooting is legal and it takes me 7 years to finally seeone,,i may just shoot it myself...but i will say congradulations on a bow kill...as no matter what you hunt with a bow all kills are not easy!

RE: I shot my First elk
 

That will be some good eatin'. Congrats. I don't care who shoots what... Just be legal and make a good ethical clean shot.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

i'm 13, i choose not to shoot immature bucks by choice. i will take does for 10 years if that means i pass up every 100-120's buck that comes along. i'm shooting for 130's and higher, even if that means a few long years of not even harvesting a buck. i have 3 other people in my family that hunt. i will let them worry about bringing in the meat.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Amen.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Lets all take a






Congrats man. Should be great eats

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Congrats on the Elk Stinkbelly.




Squirrely,
You can obviously do whatever you want, but i suggest you may take a diiferent approach at your green age. It would probably help you become a better hunter to attempt to take an"average buck" on occasion even if they don't quite meet your criteria. It will just help in you overall ability--there's nothing like experience to build ability. When I was your age, I was a "scrub killin machine" and that experience has given me lots of confidence now. Besides you have the rest of your life to kill big deer. For now, just enjoy every encounter for its own particular memories and experience.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

You should shoot some deer for the experience, does included. Hillbilly is right. However, if you want to hunt for a mature buck, go for it. As the season progresses, reconsider your standards according to what you are seeing. You may want to try for a good buck for your area. That may be 90 inches or 140 inches. If you wait on a 130 + buck, and none live there, you'll never shoot a buck. Sometimes I don't see a 130 buck during the season. It happens. Its not easy to consistantly shoot bucks of this class. It usually takes more work and time than people are willing or able to give. If it were easy, everybody would get one. Although, luck can be good, I think your goal is a little steep at this time. See what kind of bucks are out there, then make your decision. You'll feel better about it in the long run. Good luck.