SCORING ELK

N

nbjbhunterman

Guest
I am suprised at how many people on this website cannot score elk correctly. I know you are all going to bash on me but it is just suprising on some post how people act like experts but are off 30-50 inches on the score!

mule.gif


NBJB
 
Like I said I am not trying to be rude it is just amazing to me how many said to be pros think they know how to score. Thanks for the brief comment.

mule.gif


NBJB
 
Not to be rude, but, who here said they were pros?? Granted some people are way off in the guessing the score when someone asks.....but, like I said, it's off a picture. I'm sure you know, as well as I do, that it's a helluva lot different in person.
 
If it is a bad picture I agree. But when it is a great high quality pic and you can see it clearly people are so far off. I guess maybe I come across as being arrogant but when your in the field and have to judge wihtin 5 seconds I would hope to know what I was shooting. Maybe you dont care?

mule.gif


NBJB
 
Do you mean scoring OR guessing a score...two completely different animals and the last one doesn't matter.....who cares if they can't guess a score??? I guess I don't understand what the big deal is?
 
Oh, I get it now!! I missed the MT elk thread. So you are arguing about the score of an OFFICIALLY panel scored elk? You don't believe the Pope and Young scorers? What and who is the argument about/with? I don't get it? Are you disagreeing witht he scorer? With how it was scored?
 
Yes. Maybe I should of posted nothing about this but I felt it was my duty I really don't know. I am just shocked at what so many people on the website consider a 25inch buck or a 400 plus bull or a 180 mule deer. I Guess this isn't a big deal so sorry if I hurt anyones feelings.

mule.gif


NBJB
 
Well let's see if we can actually get something positive out of this thread. I drew my Utah Limited Entry Archery elk tag this year and would like to hold out for the first two weeks for something in the 350+ area.

So, tell me what you look for to get to a 320/330 bull and what takes that bull to the 350 or better range?

Now don't screw up here or I will be really mad if I shoot one and am off by a couple of inches ( smile ! )

Talk about length of tines, mass, width, etc.

By the way, I drew Mt Dutton. If you would like to PM me any good info on this unit, it would be greatly appreciated.
 
mtmiller,
I am going to shut up because I know who you are and have read your articles in magazines. I know the score of this Elk because I read your article and live by what you said in it with this Elk. I am sorry if I have offended you and I will shut up. Sorry if I pissed you off!



mule.gif


NBJB
 
elkslayer.
best carry a tape.
if you run into some of the ones that are like the fainting goats. scare them, have them fall over run up to them and measure them real fast.
and if its the one you want, wait a couple seconds until it stands up and shoot it.
another good way is to take about 3 or 4 hundred of those cloth tapes that galls use for sewing
string them up all over the timber.
wait a couple days, the elk will move back into the area,
they will literly go up to these and pose.
Showing off their leingth to their girl you now.
you can then go up to them take ther picture and run back and antilise it.
It may help, or it may not, you be the judge.
I use the you who, method.
you yell out, YOU WHO, whats your leingth.
they just stand there, you can almost read their minds,
thinking god is this guy some kind of wacko or what.
it gives you thet frontal shot at glassing their rack.
I personaly don't care for all that extra trash hanging off a good solid 2 point rack.
but if it has to have a brow tine then so be it.
 
i know but every one is so bent on being god, and shooting the biggest elk,
who realy gives a rats a&&,
they're some good indicators when you observing elk in the wild.
if he'quarting away and you can see that his body will fit inside his rack when he turns his head such that the rack is perpendicular to your site.
shoot the next oppertunity, he huge.
if he tips his head bact to holler and this tips touch his rump/tail, shoot he huge.
if there are 5 or 6 satalight bulls runing around the perimiter of his girls, and they are all chicken,
shoot he's huge.
if you get all choked up when yu see him,
shoot hes huge.
when you can clearly count all the points, including all browtines with the naked eye at 600 yards,
sneek up closer, but be ready he's giong to be huge.
just remember to save me the little spikes, their tender.
 
nbjb,
I dont understand your angle; are you talking about the Monatna P&Y bull that was OFFICIALLY scored on the other thread? Please tell me your talking about some other pic elsewhere.
 
After reading NBJ's posts as of late, I believe he has been taking some big hits on the ol' bong. :)
069729.gif
 
ELKSLAYER, I bet your pumped about this falls hunt, sounds like a good draw. Remember when feild judging animals there are EXCEPTIONS to all of the "general" rules.
Its always easier to visually see the top part of a bulls rack than the lower (or at least in most cases) so that is a good place to start. As far as "score" goes, generally length of tines/mains adds up alot quicker than mass or inside width. Look for a good "whale" on top. I always feel that is the MOST IMPORTANT "general reference" when feild judging. If you see a bull that the main seems to carry on forever and the whale looks like somone doing the "Y" in the "YMCA" dance, hopefully the length is good on the lower part of the rack and you are looking at a hog. 16" fifth is good. 20" - 22" sword is common on a 350+. (23" - 25" is super)Even on a 380 bull.
The thirds can be really important, some geographical areas because of genetics, even mature bulls can have little 8" thirds. Sometimes the thirds are hard to see depending on which angle the animal is. I have seen 350" bulls with only 10" thirds but pencil out the difference when the thirds are a sweeping 18"-25" or more!
Look for those lower end brows to dart out AND sweep up, as opposed to just ending. A "sweep" or "curl" in the brows I king of think is similar to a main, you can get several extra inches with a nice "little" upward curl in the brows. With 16" brows, you have to have a fair amount of growth up high to be sure of thatr 350", 18" to 22" brows will really help you pass that 350 mark easily.
Look for a main over 50", not sure how to describe in writing how to be sure a main beam is pushing 50". Seems like bulls with long mains ussually have a couple pretty good turns in their beam on the way to the end, and bulls with a real good "wowwie' on the home stretch beyond the fifth can really make that 50" a 55" main. (sorry, not sure of the proper termonology, but thats the word I use, wowwie)
By the way, I am refering to a basic six, just for ease of reference. So if you see a 9x12 non typ, this may not pertain and you will have to "ground check him" yourself. Try to judge some mounts as opposed to pics, they can be decieving. Mabey mounts in a large sporting good stoe you can look at from a distance?
By the way, so I dont get bashed by MBJB guy, the following is a diclaimer.
Bittersweetmuleymeat, poster of above said statement, herby declares he is NOT a self proclaimed proffesional elk scorer and therefore cannot be held responsible should ELKSLAYER shoot a 349 7/8" bull based on the information in his post.
Good luck, hope this helps!
 
I want to commend Bittersweet for giving a good informative response to a fellow hunter. I can say that his description of field judging is better than the effort given in Mike Eastman's elk hunting book. at least in my opinion
 
This post is proof that the "score" isn't everything. Just look how it's making people act.
 
Maybe NBJ was the guy in the back of the garage with the pipe...

AntlerQuest Hunt Consulting
 
Bittersweet,

Thankyou very much for the great information. That is exactly what I was looking for.

Yea, this is a once in a lifetime tag for me at 43 years old. Score is not everything as I feel that any bull over 300 with a bow is a trophy in my book. Heck, the 5 point bull I took with my bow in the Uinta's on horseback 10 miles in is a huge trophy to me. It was a very hard hunt and I was able to experience the hunt with one of my best friends.

On this hunt, it would be great to shoot a monster...but if not then I will still have fun experience.

Best of luck to all of you on the 2005 hunts!

Alan
 

Click-a-Pic ... Details & Bigger Photos
Back
Top Bottom