Elk .... Let's see them!!!

[Mountain Mule]

After harvesting my first ever bull early in rifle season in Montana, I was able to get out and help some friends! This is a first for one of them, and the other it was their first rifle bull. 2021 has proven to be the year of the elk for us!

 

[wannakillabigbull]

Northern Arizona late season bull. Had the tag four seasons ago and went home empty handed. Learned from my mistakes and was able to get it done this year on opening morning on a really cool bull.

 

[Grizzlyman]

Northern Arizona late season bull. Had the tag four seasons ago and went home empty handed. Learned from my mistakes and was able to get it done this year on opening morning on a really cool bull.

Awesome bull! Looks like incredible terrain.

I’ve got to know how that skinning/gutting/butchering whatever job went? Had to be brutal on those rocks.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

Awesome bull! Looks like incredible terrain.

I’ve got to know how that skinning/gutting/butchering whatever job went? Had to be brutal on those rocks.

It was not that bad considering on late season hunts I'm always wearing Sitka Timberline pants with built in kneepads. Even coming off of knee surgery last year I didn't have any problems with that setup.

The terrain truly is incredible up there. Getting up to that bull from the truck was about a mile and half of loose volcanic rock . Not the most fun hiking but pretty spectacular views of the surrounding cinder cones and small mountains.

 

[earl84]

Our season ended with 5/6 tags filled.

After I packed out my spike I threw on a pack frame and followed my dad up to his time proven spot - a high saddle, hard to access. He has a particular stump he stands at, at the edge of the timbered section, about 60 yds lower than the bare saddle. He watches the saddle and the animals that cross back and forth just below a rocky knob. It’s a convenient place for elk to filter between drainages.

I went with him for a few reasons. He has bad hearing and has had life long tinnitus. I figured I could discern the forest noises for him and alert him to incoming large animals. He has a hernia and cannot lift much weight, so I would need to pack out anything he shot. He has also been hunting this very particular place for 40+ years and I wanted, at least, just to be there and sit around a small fire with him.

I filtered out some noises for him. An hour after sunrise some big thuds were actually large pine cones being dropped by nearby pine squirrels - not slow footsteps of a large animal. I scanned below a bit and turned to him. His eyes were intent and he grabbed his rifle quicker than I thought possible and aimed it up with intention. A cow passed through the opening. Followed by another, and another. Then nothing. He lowered his gun.

We start chatting, quietly, but his eyes never quite leave the openings just up from us. 10 minutes later I turn to him and see the same intent look, the same rifle grab. His muscles are more tense. Without looking away from the scope, or at me, he raises a hand while still clinging to the gun, to signify antlers. I watch and find a small opening where a large bull elk is passing through, same direction as the cows. A 6 pt. With one clean shot the bull is down. We celebrated our victory and the life of a beautiful animal, his third largest bull.

The humbling part was he didn’t need my help to compensate for his hearing deficiency. He has spent years relying more on his eye sight than his hearing and has more than compensated for his hearing with excellent elk vision and by setting himself up in situations where his knowledge and vision have the upper hand.

Wish my dad had been a hunter growing up. Would have been able to share some good experiences. Nice bull, nice story.

 

[MarvB]

This years euro done

 

[HuntDon]

Idaho 2021 Bull

 

[MTANTELOPEHUNTER]

Here's the deal. Since the "Let's see them" pronghorn thread is one of the most viewed on this site, and most viewed by lurkers, I am thinking we should do the same with elk and show how many elk guys on this site take.

This thread will be a "sticky thread" and be at the top of the Elk Forum, from here on out. It doesn't matter when you shot it, how you shot it, or if you were just the person helping, this is the thread to post elk pictures. No need to post a long story, just a pic and a few notes about the hunt.

Be as specific or vague as you want, as far as location.

Here goes.

2005 - Missouri River Breaks rifle tag. My son's first elk. Most fun I ever had on an elk hunt. We were joined by my brother, Logdawg.

View attachment 32075


Thanks for doing this. I hope this thread becomes as popular as the pronghorn thread. I know you guys have shot a lot of elk, so post 'em up right here, even if they have previsouly been posted on another thread.

I like the white tips.

 

[MTANTELOPEHUNTER]

My then 12 year old nephew with my then 4.5 year old son with my nephews first elk. A bittersweet hunt that took place just two days after my mom passed away. I've been in on some giant bulls hitting the ground, this might have been the best one of all though.

Love to see the kids having fun.

 

[shoots-straight]

This years cow.

 

[Powers]

Awesome Elk!

 

[jtm307]

2021 Cow

 

[TomTeriffic]

Here's the deal. Since the "Let's see them" pronghorn thread is one of the most viewed on this site, and most viewed by lurkers, I am thinking we should do the same with elk and show how many elk guys on this site take.

This thread will be a "sticky thread" and be at the top of the Elk Forum, from here on out. It doesn't matter when you shot it, how you shot it, or if you were just the person helping, this is the thread to post elk pictures. No need to post a long story, just a pic and a few notes about the hunt.

Be as specific or vague as you want, as far as location.

Here goes.

2005 - Missouri River Breaks rifle tag. My son's first elk. Most fun I ever had on an elk hunt. We were joined by my brother, Logdawg.

View attachment 32075


Thanks for doing this. I hope this thread becomes as popular as the pronghorn thread. I know you guys have shot a lot of elk, so post 'em up right here, even if they have previsouly been posted on another thread.

GunBlue490 has a late yoo-toob video series on elk hunting. He refers to Mr. Bull Elk as His Majesty. Is the bull elk really as majestic as the bull moose? One has to have a pretty penny and/or be fit like an Olympic gold-medal athlete to hunt elk.

 

[TomTeriffic]

2021 CowView attachment 206201

A cow probably tastes better than a bull. I sure favor does over bucks for meat deer.

 

[338 win mag]

First elk on my first ever elk tag. Public land archery in Wyoming

 

[jtm307]

A cow probably tastes better than a bull. I sure favor does over bucks for meat deer.

I can’t taste a difference, but a young cow is a heck of a lot easier to quarter and pack out solo.

 

[ccc23454]

First elk on my first ever elk tag. Public land archery in Wyoming View attachment 206752View attachment 206753

Congrats, that first bull is special and with a bow even more so! Hope it was a fun and eventful hunt, looks like you had some good helpers.

 

[Nick711]

First elk. Wyoming 2021.

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

New world record Pope and Young 449. Alberta 2020

Now that's how to post!

 

[Biggsmehuntressandfishing]

October 2021 6 Point Bull. Was an amazing and fun hunt. Best hunt ever!