My Facebook algorithm has keyed in on a recent bull elk that was harvested. From reading different posts and comments, it appears that this was a local bull that was frequently spotted and photographed all around the town.

I'm trying to find more information on the details but seeing all the controversy, I figured it would bring some lively discussion to the board.

My opinion is I would absolutely shoot a record animal like that if given the chance, but I would not brag or act like I accomplished anything close to harvesting a truly wild animal.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/hunting/casey-brooks-pending-world-record-elk/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1MMD1yX5W_J2CEjj4Tp6guC7rTlZ7vsptQtDSCSFivKPV8NtmI0bh8tK8_aem_SSIdztcGZGFeIFbvuKv1hw

Interesting. You got a link to some of the controversy?

Free range, DIY, and with a bow. This guy is the real deal, having killed 12 elk over 400" and currently holds the #3 and #4 biggest elk. Congrats to this hunter!

Been popping up in my feeds for the last few days as well but this is the first I'm hearing of any controversy.

I couldn't find anything in media about people complaining.

I don't dispute that the hunter is a world class hunter! The controversy I've seen is people from around the area claiming that this bull barely left town and was frequently photographed. None of it can be easily confirmed since it's Facebook but there plenty of pictures.

The story is the hunter got permission from a private land owner in the area and potentially baited the elk to stay around until he could get onto it.

Like I said at the beginning, I'd take that bull or a monster whitetail in a heartbeat if it was legal. I just wouldn't brag to the media about it as part of my other accomplishments.

Judging by the pictures my son has showed me looks like the elk in question frequented around town or the town subdivisions. Hunter is certainly legit but may not have been much of a hunt.

Article says he had killed over 80 Elk. Picture of him looks like he is maybe in his late 50's early 60's.
One passionate elk hunter.

SanDiegoAg12 said:

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I couldn't find anything in media about people complaining.

I don't dispute that the hunter is a world class hunter! The controversy I've seen is people from around the area claiming that this bull barely left town and was frequently photographed. None of it can be easily confirmed since it's Facebook but there plenty of pictures.

The story is the hunter got permission from a private land owner in the area and potentially baited the elk to stay around until he could get onto it.

Like I said at the beginning, I'd take that bull or a monster whitetail in a heartbeat if it was legal. I just wouldn't brag to the media about it as part of my other accomplishments.

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People are idiots. It's that simple. Just go look at the outcry over bear 399 dying. Actual biologists involved with bears thought she should have been removed years ago. She is the most likely culprit in a mauling not long before her death. She only successfully raised 1 cub to maturity. The rest died often by cars because she spent so much time around people.

I've heard mountain town people cry about the "local" deer getting killed.

Interesting. Do you have a link for that information on bear 399? A couple of years ago she raised four cubs to their second year before she weaned them. Are you saying they were all (or 3 of them) killed by cars?

It's well known she bit a man about 20 years ago but that incident was ruled justified and she was allowed to live. Where did the recent incident in which she's a suspect occur?

I'm not arguing your point that people try to humanize these famous animals but I did take an interest in 399 and would like to learn more about her if you have the link.

Thanks!

If it's been hanging around town, it's a miracle an archer got it and not a Chevy Suburban

Yeah, I'd like a link to that 399 info. Quick search says of her 22 cubs, biologists have verified 10 were killed and only 2 of those by car.

Re: humanizing, recall when some African country sold the hunting rights to a black rhino male that was no longer breeding, and was killing younger males?

I have relatives who still think that was a terrible thing

There was a guy on meat eater podcast talking bears. Bear 399 came up of course. I can't recall everything but he talked about how her cubs haven't made it.

My point is more Disneyification and humanizing wildlife. People are idiots.

Assuming this guy shot this elk in a legal unit with a proper tag, furk all of the people attempting to denounce it.

SGrem said:

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Free range, DIY, and with a bow. This guy is the real deal, having killed 12 elk over 400" and currently holds the #3 and #4 biggest elk. Congrats to this hunter!

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Not saying the truth is similar, but this is a lot like how Mike Long was described before he was caught cheating to catch them.

Thisguy1 said:

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SGrem said:

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Free range, DIY, and with a bow. This guy is the real deal, having killed 12 elk over 400" and currently holds the #3 and #4 biggest elk. Congrats to this hunter!

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Not saying the truth is similar, but this is a lot like how Mike Long was described before he was caught cheating to catch them.

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I'd be real curious if he's spent over/under $1MM on elk hunts in his lifetime.

This won't be news to anyone here, but beware of granting world records based on green scores. I knew a guy from Cheyenne, this was about 15 years ago. He killed a bull bison on or near the National Elk refuge close to Jackson Wy. It was green scored and that score broke the B&C record from about 1925. He got a lot of publicity and became something of a semi-celebrity. But when the official score was done a couple of months later it ended up being no. 8 on the all time list.

If there were ever a time for having enough confidence to skip the overused perspective kill shot, this would be it. Instead this guy just had to…

Cm'on man, let's see a non-distorted image of this great beast!

There are videos of him holding the rack and turning it. This thing is an absolute beast.

But, yes I do not think he had to hunt very hard for this bull. He had this bull's sheds from last season, too.

He basically killed a neighborhood pet. I mean, it is a beautiful animal but come on, I bet he broke more of a sweat breaking it down than the actual hunt.

Hoyt Ag said:

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He basically killed a neighborhood pet. I mean, it is a beautiful animal but come on, I bet he broke more of a sweat breaking it down than the actual hunt.

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The blame goes on idiots feeding wildlife, not on the hunter.

I don't care if he wandered away from a zoo or a circus eating out of your hand onto public land. He is free game at that point. Congrats to the hunter.

You telling me if there was a high fence breeding facility next to a national forest and a hurricane tears out the fence that every hunter around wouldn't hit those woods? Yes some of those deer you can kill with a hammer.... but once they wander onto public land accessible to hunters they are free game.

Part of the definition of being a predator...and hunter....is opportunistic.

Again....congrats to that dude. Cannot deny he is a huge elk master.

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Cannot deny he is a huge elk masterextremely rich

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If that was truly a private land access deal and the landowner had half a brain, that access fee ran him $30-40k if not more.

Most of his hunts are free range DIY with a bow from what I have seen. Averages like 1.8 bulls a year for over 20yrs with twelve over 400" and already has #3 and #4.

Mike Long liked to fish by himself too.

I remember that.

McInnis said:

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Interesting. Do you have a link for that information on bear 399? A couple of years ago she raised four cubs to their second year before she weaned them. Are you saying they were all (or 3 of them) killed by cars?

It's well known she bit a man about 20 years ago but that incident was ruled justified and she was allowed to live. Where did the recent incident in which she's a suspect occur?

I'm not arguing your point that people try to humanize these famous animals but I did take an interest in 399 and would like to learn more about her if you have the link.

Thanks!

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Been wondering that myself. We were up there during the Signal Mountain attack in May, and then she was spotted around that same time a little further north of there. I think it is feasible that it was her involved.