ONE FOR THE SPIKE HUNTERS

MulePacker · Jan 21, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Jan-21-08 AT 10:54AM (MST)[p]IF HE IS LEGAL DO YOU SHOOT?

Utahelk1 · Jan 21, 2008

IMO not on a LE Hunt but open bull unit he would be awesome to show off in town.......great picture

WARBIRDUM · Jan 21, 2008

Maybe in a over the counter tag for Colorado.Wonder what happened to him?

MulePacker · Jan 21, 2008

By Utah's definition of a spike I beleive this is a legal bull for a spike only area. What are your thoughts?

DallanC · Jan 21, 2008

*BANG*

-DallanC

proutdoors · Jan 21, 2008

I see it as being like the 'management' tag, it is legal, but NOT what is intended. I don't hunt spikes, so I can't say I would/woouldn't kill this bull if I had a spike tag. I can say it does NOT fit the intent of the spike hunt, which is to harvest YEARLING bulls.

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.

ktc · Jan 21, 2008

MulePacker,

Thanks for the fun posts.

I will not shoot on a spike hunt because I do not know if he is legal. On an LE, no way! Some people like this kind of thing, I really do not unless the rest of him is huge on BOTH sides.

Daxter · Jan 21, 2008

If I understand the rules correctly he is legal on the spike hunt, so I would shoot. I know he isn't a yearling bull, but there are lots of yearling bulls that are 2 points that don't fit the spike definitions either. Great bull for a spike hunter to take because most LE hunters wouldn't take him.

Dax

bragabit · Jan 21, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Jan-21-08 AT 02:07PM (MST)[p]I would have to agree with Pro, legal to kill with a spike tag. But not what is meant to be killed during the spike hunt. He may not be what the LE hunters want this year but, he is probably only 3 years old give him four or five more he may be something. EDIT: sorry looking at the picture probably only 2 years old right now.

BBB · Jan 21, 2008

I could find the Utah regulations on-line but I'm way too lazy..Why would he be considered a spike? I thought the rule was sometink like, no more than one-point on one of the two antlers...or something like that. Please emlighten me on Utah spike regs. Thanks in advance.

Great Posts MulePacker

Daxter · Jan 21, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Jan-21-08 AT 08:24PM (MST)[p]Here you go, straight from the regs with a reference to the rule

"'Spike bull' means a bull elk which has at least one antler having no branching above the ears. Branched means a projection on an antler longer than one inch, measured from its base to its tip (R657-5-2(2)(s))."

Dax

BBB · Jan 21, 2008

BANG!!!! Thanks Dax

Silentstalker · Jan 21, 2008

He is legal and I would probably shoot him! Actually I know I would!

huntntrail · Jan 22, 2008

He's at least three and may be four, I can't remember ....but I've seen this bull at least the last three years in a row....

MulePacker · Jan 22, 2008

Huntntrail, have you seen him this year? I try document each year of antler growth with pictures, I have yet to see this bull this winter. This was his second set of antlers, this winter would be his third if I remember right.

proutdoors · Jan 22, 2008

Travis, does that 'spike' have a broken ped? It looks like the antler grows sideways before going up.

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.

Roy · Jan 22, 2008

I would only shoot the bull if I knew how the local warden interpreted the rule stated above. Even then, it is still a tricky call. Yes, I think he technically gets by, but I also think he meets the criteria for a management bull, because in addition to thinning out yearling bulls, the purpose is to also thin the gene pool of lower quality bulls. Maybe he is anamoly but I would rather have his genes out of circulation.

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

proutdoors · Jan 22, 2008

Roy, he looks like he injured his ped, likely a skull fracture. I doubt genetics has much to do with this bulls antler growing like that. I have read studies that say that as high as 85% of the 'deformed' antlers we see are due to injury, NOT genetics.

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.

MulePacker · Jan 22, 2008

Pro,

My assumption is a damaged pedicle, it does appear to come off his headd between his eye and ear.

huntntrail · Jan 22, 2008

Mulepacker.....I haven't seen this bull this year...I haven't been watching nearly as closely as I did in the past though. Are you involved with the feeding program there? Those are some great pictures. I have some pictures of those bulls after they moved into areas where I could access.

Roy · Jan 22, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Jan-22-08 AT 04:30PM (MST)[p]I agree that he probably injured his pedicle however that doesn't account for the dinky spindly other side. Even if he is healthy, he looks to be a dink raghorn. Also, even if there is only a 15% chance it is genetic that is good enough for me to make a split second decision. Also, he looks to be really healthy and filled out though undersized - would probably be some mighty fine eatin'! Easy decision, I'm a winner either way! ;-)

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)

proutdoors · Jan 22, 2008

Those "spindly" antlers are due to him being a young bull. Just think what a unique bull he will be in about 4 years.

PRO

Define, develop, and sustain BOTH trophy and opportunity hunts throughout the state of Utah.

BIG · Jan 22, 2008

That looks like an I-400 bull.

MulePacker · Jan 24, 2008

Do you think this could be the same bull? Photo taken 1 year later 1-23-08.

huntntrail · Jan 24, 2008

Yes.. that's him

Roy · Jan 25, 2008

Well he's legal for sure now!

He does look to be a little bigger on his right side, though his left side looks like it broke off or regressed. Hard to tell from the pic. He would make a cool Euro mount.

UTROY
Proverbs 21:19 (why I hunt!)