Not shure what to think

[buckmaster21]

I have the same hunt also this is my first bull tag! I'll be up ther the week befor scouting If I don't see many Bulls im shooting the first one I see if I have seen a lot of bull I would like to hold out for a nice one enjoy the hunt

[308Nut]

If you have your heart set on a 300+ bull, by all means hold out for one. If you're happy with a meat bull then you better take one if you have a good clean opportunity. There is no shame in either choice.

 

I had my first elk tag at age 19. Back then I had very few animals under my belt and was hungry for success. I pursued every bull I saw. Even spikes. I had encounters with spikes all the way to 390 bulls and everything in between. In the end I had tag soup. It was an archery hunt and I just couldn't get it done.

 

Would I have been happy with a spike? Absolutely!! Would I have been happier with a 390 bull? Absolutely!! Who wouldn't be.

 

The moral of the story is that one can be in pursuit of a meat bull and success while also having opportunities for something great.

 

Let us know what you decide and how the hunt turns out regardless of the outcome.

 

I know how impossible it is for an 18 year old to grasp how he has the rest of his life to get a big bull but the best hunting years of your life are yet to come. Be patient and keep applying for elk tags, put your time in and good bulls will come.

 

Ever since that first hunt I've desired a 350+ bull in the worst way. On every elk hunt I've been on (5) I've been on 350-390 bulls. I turned 39 this year and I just got a bull a little over a week ago that hit the 352 and change mark. Am I happy? You bet. Would I have rather got him when I was 19? Absolutely, but wine gets better with time. I was so happy and emotional that I cried. Twice. I doubt I would have had such tears of joy at 19. Tears never felt so good.

 

M

[shedcrazy45]

thanks again for the input, its good to hear different opinions about it and I will definitely do a trend of how the hunt ends up!

 

 

[BeardownAZ]

Fill your tag with a bull that won't disappoint you. Be it a spike, or a 350 incher. I believe there is no greater disrespect of a big game animal than putting one on the ground, and being disappointed when it doesn't "measure up" once you walk up on it.

 

When and if you get to a point that the time in the woods means more than putting something..."anything" down, and you won't be disappointed going home with an unfilled tag and freezer, THEN it is time to perhaps concentrate on getting a big one.

 

I have some regrets...minor regrets...on a few animals I've passed on. But it's not much more than a passing thought. I enjoyed the hunts, and generally really liked being able to "extend" my hunt by passing on smaller animals, and had no real regrets with the resulting unfilled tags on some of the hunts.

 

Having said that...I was just up in U10 for the deer hunt that ended a couple weeks ago. Will be back up there next Friday for my son's U10 rifle bull hunt as well (getting there a week early to scout). We were seeing some nice bulls almost every day we were in areas I liked for elk. Some nice solo bulls, some still pushing cows. Some raghorns. I think IF this weather holds, and a heavy snow like last year does not push them lower....and if they don't get really harassed with a ton of pressure (people pushing them out of bedding areas the week before the hunt), I'm liking the way things are looking for the opener. A lot of "IFs", but things seem a little more favorable so far this year. But, I won't be completely shocked if the bulls up and disappear like a fart in a windstorm come opening morning either. A lot can change over the course of days or weeks.

I agree with this completely. Alot of good advice though pretty much from everyone. Shoot what makes you happy. The question you need to ask yourself is if tagging out is the most important thing or not? Im too the point with deer that I no longer want to shoot the first spike or 2 point next to a road or 100 yards from camp. But it has nothing to do with what others think. I am really starting to appreciate the challenge the bigger bucks(not necessarily trophys) offer and am ok not tagging out. But whatever you do, do not........do not, do what others tell you to do. Ive done that before and it is alway a big mistake.Just be happy with whatever choice you make.

[jgraffaz]

Dude I'm in the same boat, I'm 16 and got into hunting on my own, I drew my first elk tag (luckily) and it has consumed me both mentally and economically with a fast food job I got to support my addiction of hunting haha my goal is a mature 6x6 but I'm willing to negotiate depending on what I glass up, just work hard! Good luck!

[willhunt4coues]

I have harvested 7 bulls since I was 10 and not a single one has been 300" YET. Elk are VERY delicious and would rather have meat then antlers. I have harvested 6x6s and 5x5s and have thought each one was a trophy in its own way. Its hard not to shoot when the opportunity arises and it is a good bull.

[jgraffaz]

I have harvested 7 bulls since I was 10 and not a single one has been 300" YET. Elk are VERY delicious and would rather have meat then antlers. I have harvested 6x6s and 5x5s and have thought each one was a trophy in its own way. Its hard not to shoot when the opportunity arises and it is a good bull.

holly crap 7bulls under 300?!? Well I guess some one needs to take the bad genetics out of the heards(; haha

[willhunt4coues]

5 were from when I was young (under 23). The last 2 were archery and those were my biggest at 292" and 280"

[jgraffaz]

5 were from when I was young (under 23). The last 2 were archery and those were my biggest at 292" and 280"

I was just giving you a hard time, not trying to be rude...was it the late archery tags?!?

[shedcrazy45]

any archery kill is a success and jgraffaz I was also 16 when I had my first elk tag and it was a great experience but my inexperienced costed me a bull but I took so much from that hunt that I feel better about this one, what unit do you have?

[naturebob]

My first Bull was a 330 6x6. I was 40 years old tho. Take a good shot. at any bull when it apears.....BOB!

[Legendary]

It's always up to the individual but that being said when I started hunting for trophy animals and not just trying to kill something, a freind of mine told me "you can't kill the big ones if you keep shootin the little ones." Also I see you've got your second bull tag I'm sure you know they don't come often. It took me 10 years to get my first elk tag (this year) I passed on alot of smaller bulls around the 300 to 325 range at the beginning of the hunt and the later into the hunt it got I was wondering if I made a mistake not taking some of those shots. But day 12 an opportunity presented itself and I took a 378 bull. And in the words of my freind I wouldn't have got if I had shot one of the smaller bulls. Just something to keep in mind I guess. Goodluck

[willhunt4coues]

 

5 were from when I was young (under 23). The last 2 were archery and those were my biggest at 292" and 280"

I was just giving you a hard time, not trying to be rude...was it the late archery tags?!?

 

 

Early bull archery

[BigGameHunter]

You don't eat the horns - choose wisely young padawan

[trphyhntr]

@gjraffaz your posts are worse than mine