RE: I shot my First elk
 

Great first elk! You must have been pumped!

RE: I shot my First elk
 

way to go stinkbelly. looks like some good eating. I really hope all the negative coments dont steer you away from this discussion board cause for the most part it is a good one. I would have been proud to have been standing in your boots on that day.
Dan

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Good grief. Do you cry when you see a lion eat a baby water buffalo? Nature is not like the Disney movies. If it is eaten, enjoy. If it was not meant to be eaten, then shame on you. How many here have arrowed a young deer, that simply looks older, but still a yearling or year old. Im more offended by trophy hunters. The guys who hunt just to brag, but have no intention on eating their game. God gave us all beast and herbs for food. The Bible never said, "eat only adults." One more question; any of you eat veil?


Have a nice tender elk steak for me. Id set at your table.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Congrats Stinkbelly!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some people are clueless and you need not to explain! Sounds like a great hunt! I have Elk on my property in Northern Michigan that I can't hunt because I'm not a resident! One day I wish to chase some elk with my Bow in Hand!

Once again, CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Congrats on a fine animal,stinkbelly!The problem within our hunting ranks is there's too many wannabe Waddells,Jordans and Drurys out there who think they know what it's all about.I'm sure your experience was great and the memories will last you a lifetime!Thanks for sharing-ya done good---Jim

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Are you kidding? I have shot lots of young deer. As long as they don't have spots they are fair game where I hunt.I can't think of a better meal than young tender backstraps, mashed potatoes & gravy, biscuits, and a little bit ofpeach cobblerfor dessert (it's um.. um.. good!!). I think Stinkbelly had stated somewhere else that this was on his last day to hunt and he was on a trip out of state. Under those circumstances and the way his hunt had been going up to thatpoint Iimagine that he was quitethankful for the oppurtunity at any legal elk. There sure are a lot more tender hearts up here than I realized, I huntfor lots of reasons but bottom line I kill deer, and I'm certainly not getting skunked for the sake of showing mercy to a yearling deer or acalf elk. The weaK get culled.What if thecow that the calf belonged to offered a shot, certainly it would have beenkilled, then what? I'll tell you what, the calf probably dies anyway. At least this way the calf is used for meat and the cow will go breed again. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love deer, but it's not a Bambi kind of love it's more like the way I love steak and potatoes. I respect my prey, I love my dog. Like I said I hunt for many reasons i.e the love of the outdoors, the challenge, the tradition, the comradery, but truth be told that feeling I get when I got one in close and everything comes together and I do get lucky enough to kill one (any one) that's one of the main feelings that drives me and keeps me coming back. CONGRATULATIONS STINKBELLY!!!!! On a job well done!!

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Congrats on a fine elk. I too can NOT believe some of the comments from some people on here. I know guys in WI that will ONLY shoot small deer as they are after meat only and it is better. Either way YOUR tag YOUR shot. You have every right to be proud. Congrats again.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Congrats on your elk!

I've been to Colorado twice on, as you said, "do it yourself, public land" and I have brought both my tags home with me! Trust me, I would have shot a calf in a heartbeat if I'd gotten the chance.

These guys have said it enough, to heck with everyone that condems you for your trophy, I'm glad you're as happy as I'd be with that kill.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

I say congrats!!! I hope you enjoyed every minute of the hunt, and that you enjoy every bite on the table! Don't let anyone rain on your parade!!!

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Congrates Stinkbelly a elks a elk,and you have one more elk with bow than I do.

To all you naysayers,I have hunted elk my whole life and I can tell you this,you hunt just as hard for the leagle ones as you do the big ones.
BBJ

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Congrats!!! To me you did nothing wrong and should be proud of yourself.

Please ignore some of the rude people on here...they think they are better than everyone else.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Id like to add one more comment.


Those of you here who hog hunt, will agree with me on this. If you come up on a lot of hogs, do you take the biggest???? Not if you want to eat it. The 300+ ones are not as good as the young. I find the one that is about 60lbs. Ill take a young 60lber over a big boar any day. Now with that said, I still like to take those monsters with big cutters, just not as tasty.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Congrats! Should be some good eating!

RE: I shot my First elk
 

and you will never ever hear that from me....

RE: I shot my First elk
 

thanks 4 your opinion[&:]

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Squirrelly, you are what 14 or 15 by now? And your already in the trophy stage of hunting? Man kids these days are learning faster than I thought and I'm only 20.[:-]

RE: I shot my First elk
 

squirrelkilla23

I can understand your stance. It is all a personal choice, that is why I do not bash a person on their harvest. It is perfectly understandable for a human to feel compashion for the young. It is a normal instinct that we humans have. Nature is different. You do what feels right to you, and others will do the same. No need to feel uncomfortable about your harvest.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Man...what has this board come to? You have Boy Named Sue ridiculing stinkbelly for missing a shot and shooting again. I don't know about everyone elst on this board, but I have missed plenty of deer for various reasons. Some for equipment reasons, but most have been for the pure adrenaline that is running through my body when I see any size deer or wild game animal. If I ever lose this feeling, I will sell my equipment and never step foot in the woods again. Hell, I shot in front of a doe last year by about a yard because she snuck up on me and offered me a perfect shot @ 30 yards and I freaked. I am man enough to say it. I settled myself down, took another shot, and hit her right in the "goody" box. For those of you that have humanely killed an animal on every shot you have taken and have never missed, you're either lying or your time will come. It sounds to me like stinkbelly knows his limitations and can shoot his bow based on a softball grouping @ 50 yards. Shame on those of you to pass judgement without being in his shoes at the time of the shot.

I hunt with a group of 10 guys every year that congratulate everyone regardless the size of the deer. Its not about "my buck is bigger than yours". Its about the friendships, sharing stories of each hunt regardless of size, enjoying the outdoors, getting away from the daily grind of our careers, and doing the right thing from a conservation perspective. All the negative posters would probably not be welcome in our camp. You have obviously forgot what hunting is about. Please let the rest of us know when you get your own show on The Outdoor Channel.

Great hunt stinkbelly...I wish I was there to personally hear the story and experience the excitement with you.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Got something against good tasting meat?:eek:

All I can say squirrelly is that experience is a great teacher. Might want to keep an open mind....

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Through time we gain experience and through experience we gain wisdom.

I'm never one to play the age card in any circumstance, but Squirell is young and he will learn. We all did, some of us quicker than others.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Oh Mr. squirrelkilla23, my young lad, I hope you don't eat crow, good luck on that endeavor.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

stinkbelly I've done a lot of backpack, solo hunting in Colorado wilderness areas. I tagged bulls the fist 4 years I went, and have taken elk home 8 of the 11 years I've been, only being skunked one year ( 2 years I chose not to shoot looking for something bigger)

I read thetwo posted stories and I just don't believe them. I think you're stretching how accurate you can shoot your broadheads, I think this calf elk is80-100 pounds at the best, I thinkwith the wound you desribed in the big game forumthis calfwasn't very frisky when you shot it .......... it just doesn't ring true to me man.

I'm sorry , it doesn't. Yes, you taggeed it, you killed it legally, yet you didn't salvage any of the meat because of the infection. Your choice in all the above, but something just doesn't ring true for me here.

Again, sorry I'm a doubter, I'm just calling it like I read it.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Blah, blah, blah, blah,.....

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Tender hearts, trophy hunters, and doubters abound here on Hunting.Net.
Oh what it must be like to stand above the rest. "I won't shoot young animals." "I 've done that too and I'm better at it.""Your story doesn't ring true." "You can't shoot your bow that good, only I can." "You should have moved on and waited for a mature animal." Not exact quotes but pretty close. I just don't get it Stinkbelly used his tag, on his hunt, and took a legal animal. Whatever happened to "Nice job" or"Good luck next year on abigger one."or "Congatulations"
I see that most are saying those thingsbut for the others, ona thread like this particular one: If you don't have something nice to sayhave the courtesy to say nothing. Why would you try to cast guilt or shame on this hunter to the point that one "poster" is almost calling him a liar?

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Congrats on your Elk!!

RE: I shot my First elk
 

I would have shot it on the first day! Congrats!

Tom

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Congrats. Sounds like this one was a long time coming. Good for you for persevering.

As to those negative posts that didn't have the guts to apologize (kudos for those who admitted their mistakes): Some of us don't have to make up for feelings of inadequacies by being the best of the best. Some of us feel comfortable enjoying our hunting experience and only trying to best our own expectations, not compete against the whole hunting community. Get over yourself and rejoice in other's successes. Keep the negative comments to yourself. He didn't do anything illegal or unethical, so save your condemnation for those that do.

As far as a 40 yard shot: I have to admit I'm getting sick of the conventional wisdom that only a 20 yard shot, or less, is an ethical shot. Most of our bowhunting "heroes" of old shot well beyond 70 yards, and effectively, with much slower, primitive bows. Anyone with sights and a modern bow that can't shoot well at 40 yards is just limiting themselves. If that's what you chose to do, fine, but don't critisize those that want to push their proficiency to their limit.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

First off congrats on the elk stinker. Looks like you had a great time and ended on a high note. I am a die hard elk hunter myself and know the challenges one must face and what the game is all about. She ain't always peaches and cream like on the vid's. Here we are allowed to arrow cows, calves of bulls in the archery season. I will not arrow a calf because i often have 2 weeks to hunt so i hold of for at least a juicy cow but my hunting partners who only come up for a few days take a calf if nothing else is around byt he final days. There is no shame in the size of the animal and from the sounds of the story in the big game forum is that you did the thing a favor cause he wasn't going to make it much longer. As for the razzing your takin well everybodies situation is different, not everyone is blessed with great elk habitat or numbers or good bulls. Some folks on here seem to forget that, we all can't live in the moutnain and kill 300 plus bulls on a consistent basis. But believe me i would if i could.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Nice job

Your tag, your choice!!

A lot of service man and woman help protect those choices, and died so we could. Please keep this in the back of our minds.

RE: I shot my First elk
 

Dont sweat it. Boy named sue, aka stealthy, aka datamax, aka everthing he can come up with,,,, simply ridicules everyone. He must be god, because he knows all the answers.

Too bad the Mods cant figure that out, because its sadthat theykeep banning god.:eek::eek:

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.