First elk! Have y’all ever seen one like this?

[Bc1992]

Got to Colorado and set up camp Friday. Listened to a bull bugle all night until about 5:30 when a truck drove by. Headed to a meadow making soft cow calls along the way. Say down at 7:10 made a couple of cow calls and at 7:15 3 cows came trotting down the hill we had just walked down with a bull not far behind. Dropped him with the 30-06 at about 100 yards. After high fives me and my buddy walked up on the bull and discovered this huge tumor or abscess. Anybody know what it is? I helped a friend skin a buck last year and he cut into a small abscess and it ended up with him taking a shower in puss so I was careful to not cut it while skinning him.

 

[MTLabrador]

Congrats! That is pretty gnarly. I’ve seen some abscesses before, but nothing like that.

 

[ida homer]

Congrats! Great first bull.

That bulge is actually where their reproductive organs are. I would hike back up there and cut it open to make sure it’s a bull.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

That's one heck of a hernia!

 

[Bc1992]

Congrats! Great first bull.

That bulge is actually where their reproductive organs are. I would hike back up there and cut it open to make sure it’s a bull.

Lol I have another picture of it but can’t get it to download. The bulge would definitely keep him from doing any reproducing and you could see the frustration in his eyes as he trailed the cows.

 

[rtraverdavis]

First, congratulations on the bull. Second, you were able to cleanly skin around it? You never poked once you had him broken down, just for curiosity’s sake? I wouldn’t have been able to not do a little investigating—that thing is just too crazy!

 

[Red Fox]

I think that once all the meat was bagged up I would of had to see what it was

 

[Bc1992]

First, congratulations on the bull. Second, you were able to cleanly skin around it? You never poked once you had him broken down, just for curiosity’s sake? I wouldn’t have been able to not do a little investigating—that thing is just too crazy!

I really wanted to but after the puss shower and the smell from the one my buddy cut last year I couldn’t bring myself to do it without a place to take a shower.

 

[Hunting Wife]

Looks more like a hernia than an abscess, but you would have needed to open it to know for sure. I’ve seen lots of bison with huge hernias like that, but have not personally seen one in an elk.

 

[ida homer]

I did a little more research. It’s actually the sack that holds the baby batter during the rut. Then they shed it post rut, similar to their antlers. Don’t shoot the messenger.

 

[rtraverdavis]

I really wanted to but after the puss shower and the smell from the one my buddy cut last year I couldn’t bring myself to do it without a place to take a shower.

I had that experience on the cow I killed last year. It’s really something.

Pus Pockets and the Like

I killed a cow elk this past season, and when I was skinning her (gutless method) something happened. When I got to the inner part of one of the hind quarters, a jet of fowl smelling, chunky, beige liquid shot out from where I'd just cut, and blew all over my legs and feet. She wasn't gut shot...

www.hunttalk.com

 

[bonniecutthroat]

Wow! Never would have guessed that.

 

[Blackcats06]

I have. A cow in Az. Was alive for at least 5 years then never saw her again.

 

[Nambaster]

If you wanted to full body mount that thing your taxidermist would need to go out and buy a volleyball!!!!

 

[Nambaster]

Too bad that is not his testicle. That bull would have had the last laugh if you had to pack out a 40 lb Rocky Mountain oyster attached to a hind quarter for evidence of sex!!!!

 

[TheJason]

I’m guessing a hernia as well.

 

[EYJONAS!]

We killed a bull opening morning on rifle a few years back it had a abscess as well and with further examination there was actually a chunk of arrow shaft and a broadhead in it. The smell was nothing short of horrific.

That being said I would've went full on doctor pimple popper on that sum bitch to see what your working with. Nice bull!

 

[sambo3006]

Congratulations on your first bull!
You should have backed off 100 yards and shot that sack with video rolling. You might have gotten an explosion that would put tannerite to shame.

 

[shb]

I love aspens. This is one the best elk hunting photos I've seen this year.


Good job, congrats.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

If I got showered with pus from a dead animal I think I'd probably quit hunting entirely.