I know this probably belongs in the '18 Western States thread- but I thought this bull deserved his own thread

Scouting this am, I only wanted to go a couple miles, sit for a bit, then come home. I hiked in the dark for a LONG time, and found some elk in the 2nd canyon I checked. Ended up following them over the ridge to another canyon. Found more elk there, and then ended up following them way up high, into another canyon. I'm sitting up there regretting how far I hiked, being much farther than I had planned on going this morning.

Decided that since I was so high already, I might as well check the top bowl. And that's where I found HIM! I spotted what looked like an enormous elk - so of course I knew I was going to be there a while longer. Carefully skirted the bowl, and was able to get above the biggest elk I've ever seen in my life. He was a 7x6 with huge whale tales. The body size was unbelievable- if anything he looks smaller than he really is. Standing next to other bulls (which were 300-320 class in their own right), he dwarfed them. I have no guess as to how big this bull is- big enough that i'm glad I didn't have a rifle with me today. I was considering trying to make a bow and knap an arrowhead real quick...

I was on him for over an hour, watched him spar with a pretty good 5x6- that looked like a baby next to big boy. You can really see the body size difference. Ended up bedding the elk, and that's where I really think I could have slipped into muzzloader and maybe even bow range. I'm sure I'll never see him when I have a tag in my pocket. I would have been THRILLED to shoot any of the other "smaller" bulls in that bowl with him. This guy was just a whole different class. Ended up hanging to leave him mid morning to come back to the real world.

Enjoy the pics. Best I could get with my phone through 10x binos

#jealous

Coordinates?!

Asking for a friend.

that sparring pic really shows what a hoss he is...hopefully you get a chance at him! I bet you can find his wallow and stick him week after next.
But if you can't, feel free to use the following excuses to save yourself some work, make yourself feel better, and/or try and convince others that you're not upset about it:

• He's so big and he was so far back there's no way you could get all the meat out without losing some
• Knowing that a bull like that is running around, you just don't have any desire to shoot anything smaller. Besides, the cows taste better anyway

Maverick06 said:

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Coordinates?!

Asking for a friend.

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The common answer around here is-
"In the woods. By that one tree with all the leaves and the rock near by."

But since you are a TexAg'er, I'm not gonna do you like that. If you want GPS coordinates, just email me at findyourownbull@sthu.com

Not familiar with the domain in that email address. Might be isis. Will not electronically mail.

cupofjoe04 said:

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Epic post!!! Truly appreciated!!!!

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I have lots of experience making excuses for not shooting elk!

Go kill him opening morning

FancyKetchup14 said:

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Those are awesome pictures. Even if you don't get a chance at him during hunting season it's worth it just being around and seeing such a cool animal.

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That's exactly how I feel. It was such an awesome experience just seeing an animal that old & big.

Watching how he interacted with other elk was fascinating. He walked around like an old dog- just lumbered about his business without a care in the world. When one of the puppies finally got on his nerves enough, he turned around and pushed him just enough to remind everyone who the big dog was. I've never seen a 300-class bull turn tail and cower, but I did today. Mannerisms and body posture totally changed after their sparring. It wasn't even a fight. Big guy just lowered his head and leaned into him, and the smaller bull just crumpled- like a Prius hitting an F-350.

When he bedded down, he chose a pretty inaccessible spot, where he could see across the hill, and smell below him. Crossed over to the other side from the rest of the bulls- almost like they would have his flank covered. Only place you could get after him was from directly above/behind. Which just happened to be where I had worked myself to. I saw a monster bull in NM last year do a similar thing 2 different times- using smaller bulls almost as cover. It was different smaller bulls, because I shot his first running buddy, ha ha!!

I certainly learned some new things as far as behavior, approach, and stalking. I was able to be a little more aggressive and get down in the bowl with them (which I was really scared to try). Maybe because it isn't hunting season yet, they aren't as wary. But I had other elk spot me from a ways and take off. Maybe I'm finally getting a 1/2 way OK at staking these suckers- I was using the rocks a lot more than I have in the past. Normally have stuck to timber and brush. This time I had to hop from shadow to shadow in the rocks. Seemed to work well.

shaynew1 said:

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My NM hunt starts the 10th. I'll just kill one the first morning then come help you carry yours out.

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DEAL! I might even spring for whiskey for you (as long as your bull isn't bigger than mine).

I'm tempted to tell work to shove it, pack up all my crap, go find him again by some miracle, and just live with him for a couple weeks till Muzzloader season starts (assuming I can resist). Then come down the mountain and emerge from the woods after everyone has forgotten I exist: filthy, smelly, scraggly beard, 1/2 starving and the other 1/2 gone crazy with isolation- but when 375" of antler on my back.

Wait- isn't someone else on this board already doing that...

Awesome photos good luck in your pursuit.

Oh, and obligatory OB reply....... not a shooter he can wait another year. Better pass on him this year.

dr_boogs said:

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Awesome photos good luck in your pursuit.

Oh, and obligatory OB reply....... not a shooter he can wait another year. Better pass on him this year.

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Ha ha ha!!! I was wondering if I had FINALLY found an animal big enough to appease the OB... guess not. I'll let him grow and hold out for the 400". Cows taste better anyway.

[url=https://imgur.com/gv6cPpe][/url]

Say What ?

Ha ha! I was sitting there wondering how close I could have to get to kill him when the pistol I was carrying.

But I'm sure it would cost me my job when the newspapers headline "local pastor arrested, weapon and vehicle seized, for killing out of season bull".

Not that big a compromise! They'd probably throw the Samson law at you for that one