Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

2023/2024 update !!! Norris Road Elk Hunt

I watched a similar bull cross I70 just before the C470 exit… guy on a bike doing ~110mph came flying up the left lane and got impaled on his rack.

Most gruesome accident I’ve seen.
I heard of the Inyo county Postmaster who went head to head with a cow elk outside of Lone Pine, CA on a motorcycle .



But in all seriousness, I think if FWP wanted to stop this BS of Road/flock shooting, they would make these public road adjacent areas Walk in by permit and set up a reservation system. Might not change the overall behavior, but at least they could write tickets before someone wounded 3 elk.

These shootfests happen in less visible places too. I recall the NE corner of Oregon all the landowners were pingponging the elk between each other all on private.

I think there is a huntin Western Wyoming near the Elk refuge known fondly as the "firing line"

It's not just a Montana thing.
 
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I've shot bigger bulls than this lady, but only about two...might take me a few days and a couple cold smokes to get over.
Seriously though, this is why (despite enjoying seeing people's trophy rooms) the relationship to the mountains, the experience, the hard work, learning about the animals, etc. is as much or more a part of a trophy as the physical thing.
When I first started hunting a decade ago I was enamored by the big antlers on folks walls... a decade in I don't even ask the stories anymore, 9 times out of 10 they're underwhelming and/or I feel like I'm gonna get roped into a DNR sting operation.

At this point, with a few exceptions, when I see any muley over 180 or bull over 320 on someone's wall I just assume it was poached, high fence, or shot on a big private ranch. Nothing wrong with the last one just not the hunt I'm interested in hearing about.
 
When I first started hunting a decade ago I was enamored by the big antlers on folks walls... a decade in I don't even ask the stories anymore, 9 times out of 10 their underwhelming and/or I feel like I'm gonna get roped into a DNR sting operation.

At this point, with a few exceptions, when I see any muley over 180 or bull over 320 on someone's wall I just assume it was poached, high fence, or shot on a big private ranch. Nothing wrong with the last one just not the hunt I'm interested in hearing about.
What's the difference between 350 and 400 inches?

About $20,000.

After hunting Utah, I really get it. EVERRRBUDDY knows where there are 400 inch bulls and they might be able to get you on that CWMU if you got the cash. Usually when locals talk about the big bull or buck they got, they are talking about guiding a client to one they found. Meanwhile they are shooting cow elk and does in the late season. Reminds me of ranchers selling their nice steer calves, and butchering the heifer that lost her calf this Fall..
 
When I first started hunting a decade ago I was enamored by the big antlers on folks walls... a decade in I don't even ask the stories anymore, 9 times out of 10 they're underwhelming and/or I feel like I'm gonna get roped into a DNR sting operation.

At this point, with a few exceptions, when I see any muley over 180 or bull over 320 on someone's wall I just assume it was poached, high fence, or shot on a big private ranch. Nothing wrong with the last one just not the hunt I'm interested in hearing about.
 
I think there is a huntin Western Wyoming near the Elk refuge known fondly as the "firing line"

It's not just a Montana thing.
I drive by it twice a day, it lasts for weeks. Sometimes it goes fine, sometimes it gets ugly. Sometimes great families get to fill their tag, sometimes terrible hunters make a big mess. I choose not to be involved either way.
It could easily be confused for the Great 3/4 ton Convention of 'Merica. Looks like a Ford sales lot parked along the river.
 
A friend of mine used to hunt Dehann's occasionally on that stretch of highway, to the south along Turners. There's never been a shortage of idiots out there after elk, but this guy was one of the more astute, less trigger happy types. I cleaned a few extra big bull Europeans for him over the years, one in particular. Gotta love Montana.
 

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