BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

BareBack Jack · Joined: 06 Jun 2003 Posts: 31 Location: Centeral Montana

I'm a true blue elk hunter,no I dont have a 300 class bull on the wall(but I want one).I love to hunt elk all season.I put in weeks of scouting and preperation,come Febuary I start going through my pack over my maps sharpen and resharpen knivesand this gose on fot months till the wife is crazy,and by now it's July and I have 2 MONTHS to go. But my ? is how many out there are REAL throphy hunters or How many are meat hunters,me I will shoot any elk thats leagle(11 total 2 bulls and 9 cows in 15 years) maybe that is why I have no 300 class bull.Mabey when I draw that limted tag I will get him and what a joyus day that will be. Let me hear your opions.BBJ

bitmasher · Joined: 27 Feb 2002 Posts: 2652 Location: Colorado

I have no trophy on my wall, although my freezer is full of elk and have eaten elk 3 out of the last 4 days. So I guess I must be a "meat" hunter.

One of these days when Thunder-BullTM walks inside of 400 yards of my sights, I just might be a trophy-meat-hunter. :wink:

donmillion · Joined: 27 Feb 2003 Posts: 394 Location: Colorado

I'm probably like you and like most hunters. I would love to have a 300-class bull hanging on my wall, but I'm not going to pass up the chance to fill the freezer waiting for The Big One.

I live in Colorado where Unit 61 is a limited draw unit that produces some monster bulls. So, each year I put in Unit 61 as my first choice and a statewide cow license as my second choice (I'm a muzzleloader hunter, by the way). Each year I get the cow license and another preference point (for not getting my first choice).

My preference points are building up and one of these years I figure I'll draw Unit 61. Maybe that year I'll become a "trophy hunter." In the meantime I'm happy to fill the freezer with tender cow meat.

therookie · Joined: 24 Mar 2003 Posts: 59 Location: centennial, co

Well, being that this is my first year hunting the big boys...or girls...I'd like to think that I'm just a hunter. I'm just going to go out and do my thing and if I'm fortunate to come across a trophy, then so be it. I'm not going to limit myself to being so selective to only shoot a "trophy." I guess with that being said, I'm a meat hunter first and a trophy hunter if I'm lucky.

Kupe

[ This Message was edited by: therookie on 2003-06-26 09:40 ]

cowgal · Joined: 10 Mar 2002 Posts: 994 Location: Colorado

In our family its always been, fill the freezer first! Most years its been cow elk (very good eating BTW!) and maybe one year a trophy will come along. Like you Don everyone puts in for draw areas & is accumulating points, so hopefully one day we will have the monster muley or elk hanging on our wall. But until that time, we're happy with full freezer. We do have a very nice 'lope hanging on the wall. He's very pretty :smile:!

rather_be_huntin · Joined: 24 Feb 2003 Posts: 369 Location: Utah

I think whatever your priority is, is how you classify yourself. That would make me a meat hunter. If a spike and a 350 class bull walk in front of me then I'd take the big boy. But filling the freezer is the priority.

bowhunter1 · Joined: 06 Jun 2003 Posts: 13 Location: Grand Ledge, MI

As a sidenote, how would the 350+ bull (which I'm assuming is 7-8 years old) be as tablefare? Is a bull that age decent to eat?

donmillion · Joined: 27 Feb 2003 Posts: 394 Location: Colorado

I've eaten some pretty old bull meat (not that I took myself, but my uncle has about a 330 bull on his wall and I had some of that). It was "decent to eat," but it sure wasn't as good or as tender as a young cow.

PS350XLT · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 25 Location: Oregon

I would have to say that a young spike or cow would be my choice for filling the freezer. But I've gotten a few of theose over the years. I'm putting in and getting points for the areas that the big boy's are in because I want a 300+ wall hanger also. I guess I feel that by the time I get him I will have plenty of chances to fill my freezer with elk and deer so I won't go hungry that year I draw in and just go for a trophy.

On a side note, if it was the last day and in the afternoon and I still don't have that trophy, I will just fill the freezer! I would still want to come home with something if I could. :smile:

[ This Message was edited by: PS350XLT on 2003-06-27 09:37 ]

cowgal · Joined: 10 Mar 2002 Posts: 994 Location: Colorado

Bowhunter - we've eaten older bulls and they're definitely a lot tougher, but still very good meat. It ends up in the crockpot a lot or makes great jerky!

swollen tongue · Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2003 11:07 am Post subject:

since you all are talking about a "trophy", what, in your opinion, is actually a "TROPHY" bull elk????????

bowhunter1 · Joined: 06 Jun 2003 Posts: 13 Location: Grand Ledge, MI

Being from Michigan, I'm in no way qualified to determine what a western elk "trophy" looks like. However, from most of my reading on the various boards, anything over 300 points (B&C) would be something most hunters would be happy with. The problem becomes, what does a "300 point" bull look like in the field? I know that mass, spread, # of points all contribute. I keep looking at pictures and asking myself, "would I shoot that one"?

PS350XLT · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 25 Location: Oregon

I think that just about any branch bull you get is really a "trophy". If you've put in the time and effort to scout and bag any bull then that's a "trophy".

With that said "swollen tounge" asked "what, in your opinion, is actually a "TROPHY" bull". Well here is my take on it.

The area and habitat in witch you hunt plays the biggest role in how big your "trophy" bull can get. It's not going to be the same in OR as it is in MT,ID,WY, NM or any state. Each state has it's own regulations on the area's that you can hunt. So for most of the time your in a hunter saturated area that doesn't produce(on average)as big of bulls as those hunt's that require 6-8 points to get drawn in. Meaning the bulls are harvested before they are 5-8 years old. When you do get drawn in (In my opinion) you should try and go for that one "trophy 300+" bull that you can have taxidermied and put on your brag wall in your den or family room.

As for "bowhunter1", you'll know when you see it!

bitmasher · Joined: 27 Feb 2002 Posts: 2652 Location: Colorado

I agree with PS350XLT, there is an absolute trophy judgement of a bull which one only needs to pull up the B&C or P&Y site to find how big a world record bull is.

However depending on which state you hunt in and what unit you hunt in within that state, a 280 class bull may be bigger than 99.5% of the other bulls in the unit. In this case bringing a 260 bull home may be as much effort as bring a 350 bull in a "quality managed unit".

Good luck on your hunt, Bowhunter1. I don't think you'll have a problem identifying a bull around 300 in the field. After you have seen a lot of rag horns, the big bulls will stand out, just don't drop the gun/bow when you see him. :wink:

Guest · Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2003 7:08 pm Post subject:

Bareback-Jack, for years I was a meat hunter you might say.....filling the freezer was the main item on the list bare none!
Over the years I must admit I have been wanting a real wall hanger for personal reasons and the biological clock is getting my attention these days, get my drift.

Season before last, I passed on 4 nice looking 4x5 and 5x5 bulls. I was looking for that 360 or better on Gov't ground....Yeah I know, but miracles do happen and I am a big believer in such things. I have a couple of smaller racks on the barn, this ones for my retirement you might say.

The last two days of the hunt last season, I got my wish and there across a wide open canyon stood a 6 x 7 with his heirum. It was a magnificint bull, his color and rack was grand to view. Indeed an outstanding speciman to say the least.

We glassed him for over an hour. However he was just to far for a shot with my rifle (657 yards) and no way of getting closer. A 5 hour ride through the snow by horseback, to get to the other side and the sun was already losing it's shine. I am going to be heading out this season in search of my wall hanger just the same, but won't pass up any smaller bulls on the last day again.

[ This Message was edited by: Quick-Sand on 2003-07-04 19:22 ]