Hey Tinesup, Nice to hear from you. I know you understand what I am saying about how "easy" it is to kill a 390 bull. Yes, it is a possibility but not a guarantee.
And I agree with ktc, that if you can see a bull, and within a few seconds of seeing that bull, know the difference between 380 and 390, my hat goes off to you also. I know a lot of guys who have ton of experience chasing and guiding bulls, who will tell you that they have misjudged more bulls, than they have judged correctly. Sure a guy can make an educated guess on what a 380 bull will look like, but from 200 yards, can you judge the mass, the length of all the tines, the spread, main beams, etc.? For a bull to reach 380+ he has to have everything going for him, and to reach 400 he needs to be exceptional in every area of his rack. If a guy can't be happy with a 350+ bull, then he may be very dissapointed when he walks up to the bull he shoots and starts finding things that will cause the "sought after score" to shrink.
Just go out and enjoy the experience, find a bull that you will be happy with, and create a memory. Don't set yourself up for dissapointment. Sure, have a dream, but remember to leave some reality in your dream, and then go and live your dream!
I had been watching a few 375+ class bulls on my archery hunt, but I was ecstatic when my bull hit the ground, and I never knew the score until the next day. It was a memory that I wouldn't want changed, and I would love to do again if I ever had the chance. I set my "realistic" dream for a 330 class bull, and would have been happy with that. Most of the people who come in my office and admire my bull, don't know squat about scoring an elk, and the most common comment is "that is a beautiful elk".
And it is a reminder of a wonderful, memorable hunt for me. I got what I wanted, memories!
Hope everyone that has drawn a tag this year, can come away with the same enjoyment from their hunt that I had..
