280 class elk

[ck2128]

What does one look like? Never been elk hunting, and all I find posted on the site are 330" +. Helps to field judge this way with at least seeing pictures of this class bull.

From what I've heard, a 280" bull would be a perfect bull for my first - just still waiting on that tag. Maybe this year is the year.

Well, when I say waiting, this will only be my second year to be heavily involved in the draw and various point systems, etc.

 

[BigFin]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-25-07 AT 03:15PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Feb-25-07 AT 12:00?PM (MST)

I shot this bull in 2004. I am not an expert on scores and don't spend much time worrying about it, but a friend who knows such things (I think) told me this would be a net 280"-290" bull.

Good luck in your draws.

Happy Hunting. I hope you get the one you are looking for.

"Hunt when you can - You're gonna' run out of health before you run out of money!"

 

[hunterofelk]

A 280-300 inch bull is an average, mature elk with 6 points to each side. Plenty of elk for most hunters.



IMG]http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y94/hunterofelk/007_7-1.jpg[/IMG]

 

[ismith]

Heres a couple that should score somewhere around 280.

"Never argue with an idiot; they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ~ anonymous

 

[WYhunter]

A bull in the 280 to 300 class is a trophy in my opinion if taken in a public lands general unit in any state. I have taken a few in that size range in those type of units and I had to earn them. To brake 300 you have to be very lucky and or draw the speical limited draw units. The picures posted are good examples of nice bulls in the size range discussed.

 

[ck2128]

Hell!!!!!!!!!! - I'll take a 280 class anyday of the week. Thanks for posting the pics - now this gives me some clue. If I were to go out and kill one like that, screw the tape, it's going on the wall!

 

[mtmuley]

If you kill a bull that is 280 to 300 on public land, you have a trophy. I know bigger bulls are killed every year on public accesible land, but for the average hunter (like me, my 2006 bull goes 307) 280 to 300 is VERY respectable. Especialy since my elk tag cost about 16 bucks. Score sometimes gets in the way of taking an animal. mtmuley

 

[woodruffhunter]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-25-07 AT 07:39PM (MST)[p]Unfortunately, the bar is set too high at times. Many times the
"benchmark" is set at 350 or 400. Most times than not, this is
unrealistic and IMO, unrealistic even on the better LE units.

A "280" bull is a trophy. Of course, we want to get the biggest
bull possible. However, If you shoot a 280 bull, do a full head
mount and put it on your wall.

Here is a bull in your range:

 

[CAelknuts]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-26-07 AT 00:38AM (MST)[p]I wonder how many guys that talk about hunting only for something 350 or better even know what a 350 bull looks like, let along have ever shot one? For that matter, I wonder if most realize how big a 320 class bull is.

For the vast majority of elk hunters, a 280 bull is a great bull. The last bull I shot was a 6 pt. that was smaller than that, and I was damned glad to take him. He wasn't the biggest bull I've ever shot, but size isn't everything.

 

[ansonlynn]

This guy went 287 gross, 283 net.

 

[DonVathome]

Above is an elk that grossed 280 and netted 270 (give or take a few points). To an Easterner trust me, a 280 bull looks HUGE at 30 yards, it will be a while before I take enough nice elk to begin to pass bulls this size. Unless of course I draw a great tag somewhere.

 

[CAelknuts]

Great bulls guys, Congratulations!

 

[Muleyslyr]

Those are all good bulls.....and defintately ones to be happy with.

Although I do not agree with Wyhunter and mtmuley saying that they are only trophys if they are taken on public land. Either way, the bull scored the same and the hunter still had to earn it.

 

[PFHUNTER]

I like the others that have experienced it can tell you it's a feeling beyond belief 2000 my first bull was at 40 yards as he came walking in, had I missed him I would have sworn he would have scored 375 he was 260, in 2005 I got very lucky and got a 355; once you go, it's a fever you can't get rid of good luck

 

[NMHUNTNUTT1]

Hey Don , is that picture up there by our camp?

 

[BigPig]

Don, great picture and great bull. I would have guessed that bull closer to 300 gross. Nice one.

 

[Huffmad]

here is two bulls I got last year that are in the 290-270 range

 

[Triple_BB]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-26-07 AT 07:34PM (MST)[p]Nice bulls...

 

[CAelknuts]

Either the picture of the 2nd bull is very deceiving, you stopped tallying inches before you got done. No way does that lower pictured bull look like he score in the range we're talking.

 

[Califelkslayer]

I agreed with you elknuts till I went back and looked again. rather short fourths and not too wide but what an awesome rack with character. The mass and palmation are unique.

 

[DonVathome]

That is a pic from camp, I must give credit to guy who shared camp with us - he has his own hunting show and while back at camp taking pics I asked him to help me out, he checked lighting, adjusted camera etc and took pic, that is by far my best hunting picture ever.

I think my bull is decieving, his spread is narrow which hurts him - many guides in the area guessed him at 300-320, they were to high. I did not care I was thrilled, exactly the kind of bull I want, 6x6, symetrical, ivory tips etc. I still look at him almost every day.

 

[CAelknuts]

Don, your commment about guides misjudging him makes an excellent point. If guides who see elk regularly, alive and dead, miss a score by that much, how accurately do you think average joe hunters judge antlers. Most have never seen a true big bull, and would think a 300 inch bull is probably a 330-340 bull.

 

[Huffmad]

Actually I have not taken a tape to either of my 06 bulls but that second bull only has like 42-44 inch main beams and he is also very narrow only in the thirtys. To me it is very hard to judge a bull by a photo graph because it is so easy to make a buck or bull look bigger or smaller.

 

[CAelknuts]

I'm betting that if you did score that bull, you might surprise yourself. I'm betting he's bigger than you think. Regardless, they are both beautiful bulls and I'm sure have given you many great memories and steaks.

 

[mtmuley]

Muleyslyr, I did not say any of these bulls would be trophies if they were taken on public land only. I guess my point is, a bull of 280 or better taken on public land that is highly accessible and hunted by many people, is a special animal. Where I hunt, most of the time bulls don't live long enough to grow up. A 280 bull is a damn fine trophy. Anywhere. mtmuley

 

[WYhunter]

Muleyslyr, Ditto what mtmuley said. Don't be so defensive about non-public land hunting. You read more into our posts than we meant.

 

[oakbrush]

Huffmad,

Were those Archery Bulls? Way to go!

Thanks,
oakbrush

 

[gil_wy]

Gross 284, Net 279

 

[UGAhunter]

Here's mine at ~ 285. Just a pisscutter. If you want one of these go hunt Colorado! Utah is too good for small bulls like this.

 

[gundog]

Ooops, another 280 PC bull

 

[Huffmad]

Sorry oakbrush both of mine were rifles. one was idaho and the other one was oregon. If you look in the back ground of the fist pic you can see my long bow up against a tree.

 

[highPlains]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-08-07 AT 07:31PM (MST)[p]I think a fairly accurate way to determine a 280ish class bull is when they have decent length on the first four points, but generally have very small 4s and 5s.

This one scored 286 7/8 gross. 276 7/8 net. Public land in a highly hunted area.

 

[mtmuley]

Nice bulls guys. The pisscutter thing is still real stupid though. mtmuley