Elk Escapades of Etolin Island

[icb12]

In conclusion:
We were lucky with weather in October in SE. There are times would I would have murdered for a set of rhino Gps.
Cork boots, a must. My recommendation to by a pair of boots that you normally wear, break them in, then send them to hoffman to get corked. That way you have the same boots you normally wear in both corked and uncorked, already broken in.
Rain gear. Oct, in SE is no place for mamby pamby, goretex or event or whatever else, bring real rubber commercial grade raingear.

Would I do it again? Hell yes, in a heartbeat. Do I regret giving up my tag? Hell no.

I'm not very experienced with scoring animals. In fact I've NEVER scored anything I've shot. That's not what makes a trophy a trophy to me. That said, I did some googling and used the worksheet and the info on the B&C website. Ran a tape over the bad boy, and came up with a C-hair over 339. All the animals in alaska get scored as Roosevelts, and the minimum is 290. So far, from what I know, no animals from AK have been entered. Though I know of two (three now) that would and did qualify.
The biologist practically died of heart attack when D showed him the rack. Said it is def. top three biggest of all the elk he has seen taken off the island. Potentially the largest.

Ok. Im done typing. Any questions?

Edit:
Oak: no bear trouble. did not even see any sign of bear. All we saw were 3 deer, and 30 elk.

 

[cadman59501]

WOW!!! Congrats on a hell of a hunt!

 

[AKDrifter]

Beasts, all of you. Congrats.

 

[noharleyyet]

Absolutely awesome pics and story....made my knees ache.

 

[stillkickin]

Wow! This is in the top ten of any hunting story I have heard. thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[mtmiller]

Now that is a story and an amazing hunt. Thanks for sharing your adventure.

 

[Sytes]

Man, awesome chronicled event! Thanks for the time put into the story and pics!

Congrats all around. "D" has to be one hell of a happy hunter!

Great stuff - thanks again for sharing!

 

[Oak]

Sounds like a fun hunt. Heck of a bull, too.

Cork boots, a must. My recommendation to by a pair of boots that you normally wear, break them in, then send them to hoffman to get corked. That way you have the same boots you normally wear in both corked and uncorked, already broken in.
Rain gear. Oct, in SE is no place for mamby pamby, goretex or event or whatever else, bring real rubber commercial grade raingear.

That's exactly what I did for boots on my goat hunt. Bought a new pair of boots and sent my old pair to Hoffman's. Agree on the rain gear, too.

That said, I did some googling and used the worksheet and the info on the B&C website. Ran a tape over the bad boy, and came up with a C-hair over 339. All the animals in alaska get scored as Roosevelts, and the minimum is 290. So far, from what I know, no animals from AK have been entered. Though I know of two (three now) that would and did qualify.

There is only one elk from AK listed in B&C, killed on Raspberry Is. in 1958 and scoring 275 7/8. I know of a smoker that was killed on Etolin a few years ago, but don't remember the details of the score. BuzzH might remember better. The bull is currently hanging in the terminal at Ketchikan International.

 

[icb12]

There is only one elk from AK listed in B&C, killed on Raspberry Is. in 1958 and scoring 275 7/8. I know of a smoker that was killed on Etolin a few years ago, but don't remember the details of the score. BuzzH might remember better. The bull is currently hanging in the terminal at Ketchikan International.

Ed Toribio was credited with the elk in the Airport. D's is MUCH larger than Eds. I was checking his out as I was flying out yesterday The one at the Airport was killed not too far from where we got ours. Toribio was supposed to fly into the same lake we were at this year around the same time from what Pac Air told us. But he heard we were there and changed plans thankfully. I heard the group he took out this year did get an elk though.

The only other bull I know of close to this one is Kurt Kuehls. It was a monster archery bull, that never got offiicially scored. The man was my middle school wrestling coach and gym teacher, I've seen the bull several times, but not recently enough to put a score guess on it.

Thanks for all the compliments gents, I'm glad you enjoyed it all. I was hesitant about sharing any of it.

 

[TBinKodiak]

WOW I'm speachless. That is possibly the largest bull ever taken in Alaska. Definetely the biggest in recent times. Congrats to the entire group!!!

 

[indian larry]

I think i would of let it go another year, big bulls take up to much space on the wall. Just saying if i had that tag i would of took the spike. Great job guy and that truly is and UNBELIEVABLE bull.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Next time take some pics would ya

So lucky he didn't smash to pieces on that slide. Good lord that body is giant.

 

[Bambistew]

That is a whopper! Congrats to your friend.

 

[icb12]

WOW I'm speachless. That is possibly the largest bull ever taken in Alaska. Definetely the biggest in recent times. Congrats to the entire group!!!

Tough to say, I suspect there are a couple that were never photographed, but he def. has potential. I blew it big time though, and feel bad. Having never elk hunted before- I didn't realize HOW big it was. Naturally, I just prepped him for a Euro. Had I known better, I would have caped it for a full head.

Next time take some pics would ya

So lucky he didn't smash to pieces on that slide. Good lord that body is giant.

Those are only pics from the first two days. REALLY wish I had a pic of the CC with the noggin strapped to it. High up in the alpine of SE AK.. was a really surreal moment for me.

Broke three tips


Also, a someone questioned me on how to keep gear dry.
DRY BAGS. You can never have enough. Sea to Summit makes some kickass really lightweight dry bags. I use 2 large and a medium dry bags as load cells in my CC. Works GREAT.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Epic Hunt!!!

 

[dmdude]

I wish the pictures still worked on this amazing write up! Sorry to bring an old thread back, but it’s a good one!