What is a shooter to you

Aceman

Active Member
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189
Checking out the 2016 hunting statistics for Colorado and I noticed that on 18% of the hunters killed an elk and 50% of those were cows and calves. What is a shooter to you when you come on a bull in the woods - would you pass if not a 300+ bull or just punch your tag then.
 
Elk is just meat to me, so I shoot what I see that is legal. My place is too small and ceilings too short for elk racks. They are hanging in the attic rafters. Deer, I look for a coolness factor. If I think its a great looking buck, boom! Don't do the inches thing.
 
Really depends on the hunt and how much time i had put into it. If I had put in the work scouting and new of some good bulls I would not shoot the first thing out there. It I had not done that I may go with a meat hunt and shoot the first legal elk.
 
You had better be throwing lead if you happen to come across a 300" bull in an OTC unit. There are some better bulls but you are going to have to work for them. The deeper in I go and the nastier it gets, my standards go up. I have no desire to kill myself for a raghorn.
 
To me and my kids, an elk is for meat. Nice deer are the trophies to me. My family and I prefer to eat cows and spikes tho. In 40 years out here in the West, I have killed over two dozen elk so I have a pretty good track record. Some years I didn't get one, some years I didn't even try. I have never been lucky enough to draw a trophy bull tag here in my own state! Out of state hunts are typically "antlered only", so I try for the most mature bull I can find on those.
 
Can only draw once every 7 years in NV, and thats IF you draw each of those 7. Ill shoot anything.
 
You guys saying that you hunt strictly for the meat, do you put your name on the roadkill call list? Compared to the investment of time required to hunt, and compared to the cost of license and weapons and ammunition and gear, that would seem to be a much cheaper and more efficient way to get your meat. And year 'round too.
 
When I started at 14, I shot any legal deer. By the time I was I college I wanted to hunt and I was away broke so I hunted for horns but always killed something regardless of size because I spent what money I had to hunt and I need the meat to go with the fried potatoes.

The same when I had five children and a wife to feed. We spent our money o hunting and fishing and we tried to make sure we ended up killing something on every tag we had. I horn hunted but in the end killed a lot of meat bucks. I killed a ton of elk, cows, csves, and mature bulls but mostly yearlings spikes. I dislike elk meat, intensely, but my good little wife learned to season the daylights out of it so we eat it and kept hunting.

Now that the family are all raised and gone, I haven't killed an elk in 10 years, or more. I can now buy beef, chicken, pork and sea food so I only horn hunt deer and I rarely kill one because I only want mature bucks these days. Those I kill I eat, I like deer meat but not enough to kill one unless he is a good looking mature animal.

I have been all over the map on what I shot and find no fault in others that do the same, so long as there are surplus animals to shot.

DC
 
When hunting in Colorado, a shooter for me is one with at least 4 points on one side. If I was ever lucky enough to hunt a prime unit, my standards might go up
 
LAST EDITED ON Jun-07-17 AT 11:50AM (MST)[p]Most of the elk tags I have drawn were in units where a "300" inch bull would be at or near the top of available bulls in the unit. I normally have killed the first legal bull I saw as I love elk meat and would rather tag a 4-point than go without. I am hoping one day to draw a tag in a trophy unit and holdout for a wall hanger. That is how I hunt, for those who have different goals, more power to em.
 
It depends on the hunt and situation, but most of the time "size" isn't driving my decision even though I've been lucky enough to take some good bulls. My last bull didn't score that great as a 5x5 but he was an old guy with great mass and fantastic fronts, and when I saw him on the first day of my hunt, I thought to myself that if I got a chance to release an arrow at him, I would take the shot. On day two, I got that chance and couldn't pass it up because the morning hunt was just fantastic and I knew that every time I looked at his horns on the wall I would smile and relive that moment. As I've gotten older, that's what it's really about to me... the experience. Outside of family, nothin' better than the experience of elk hunting, whether you shoot one or not.
 
Our family depends on elk meat as part of the diet so I have been drawing cow tags the past few years. I never hunt the rut so I seldom see a 300+ bull. Congratulations to those of you who have been successful and put one on the wall.
 
Been a taxidermist for 17 years. Don't get more than 6-8 elk or less a year here in the East. But most come from Colorado.
Usually not large bodied and 4x5 or smaller that scores 225 or less.
All the elk brought to me from Wyoming and Idsho probably out weighed the Colorado bulls buy at least 150 lb. and even the 4x4s scored 300.
Not exact science, but where you hunt will dictate what you can expect to see.
Regardless, sometimes the trophy picks you instead of you choosing the trophy.
 
I hunt the first rifle season in Colorado which is an either sex season. I shoot the first legal elk I see, because I don't know when I'll see another elk. If there are multiple elk present, I would select a preferred elk from those. My first elk was a 4x3 bull with three cows. I took the small bull. Now I would have shot one of the cows. I've taken two bulls and one cow. The cow is much better eating. I am not a trophy hunter, so the antler size does not matter to me. I am in it for the quality of the hunting experience. My partners and I DIY hunt out of a canvas wall tent camp at 11,500 feet elevation. We walk in about 2 miles to hunt, meaning we have to carry out meat on our backs at least 2 miles -- sometimes more like 4 miles. There is a considerable amount of effort involved. Thus, if I drive home to Texas with some good cow elk meat in my ice chests, I am a very satisfied hunter.
 
The answer to the question is, "it depends."

I've drawn 3 really quality elk tags in the last 10 years. On those diy hunts, 330" inches was the goal.

Never got there, closest was 310. And I passed that bull 4 days earlier.

My son, daughter, wife, step-son, dad and myself have killed approximately 22 elk in a 1 point unit in Colorado, 50/50 bulls/cows. On those hunts, if its legal, it dies.

So it just depends.
 
On most general permits I would take any bull.

However, when I draw a coveted tag after nearly two decades I want a once in a lifetime bull.

Nothing taste better than a cow elk though.

Dillon
www.dillonhoyt.com
 
On a general or low point hunt the first legal bull is in trouble.
Last year I drew the late Wasatch tag with 12 NR points. The first morning I passed up the widest 6x6 I have ever seen due to shortish tines and a 300+ 5x5 that had one brow tine at least 2 feet long. All together I passed up shots at 8 different bulls before killing my huge bodied 6x6 with great tops. He scored 320 with a narrow spread. When I got the binocs on him I knew he was "the one".
That's what it boils down to on any hunt. Your gut will tell you.

NRA Life Member

www.swanspointoutfitters.com
www.lazybar-t.com

The critters have to win every time. I only have to win once.
 
"You guys saying that you hunt strictly for the meat, do you put your name on the roadkill call list? Compared to the investment of time required to hunt, and compared to the cost of license and weapons and ammunition and gear, that would seem to be a much cheaper and more efficient way to get your meat. And year 'round too."


Meat AND the enjoyment of hunting. The roadkill list is long and well used and there are those on those lists who don't have the means or know how to get their own.

I have to laugh at the gross assumption of what is costs to get wild game. I know what prime beef runs.

Antelope--this is expensive meat for us, because we travel a bit to get to where we hunt and we make it a bit of a vacation as well.

Deer and ElK: everyone I've killed in the last 20 years has been within 9 miles of my house. I'm not a big spender on equipment and what I have is mostly old. Elk is about the meat for me. I.e., I don't look for some standard of size. Deer, I hunt for something special because I love hunting deer. If I see a big bull next to the calf, do I shoot the bull. Oh yeah, antlers are cool and there's a lot more eating on the bull (we've several families that eat what I kill). Calf by itself? Great meat and as much on it as a large buck.
 
I am going to agree with the guys that are replying with the comment it depends. If I draw My First Choice elk tag in New Mexico I'm going to shoot a 350 inch bull or eat my tag. If I draw a second or third choice elk tag I'm going to shoot whatever elk is dumb enough to come within range. Here is the big kicker ....... I am all for filling up the freezer for the winter..... but here is the deal I would rather shoot a cow then a small bull. Let those small bowls get old
 
The first legal elk that presents a lethal shot is in trouble. My goal is to kill ONE P&Y animal per Utah species and I've already got the elk. However, if another P&Y elk shows up in a group and I have a choice, I'll take him and that'll make two.
 
>Been a taxidermist for 17 years.
>Don't get more than 6-8
>elk or less a year
>here in the East. But
>most come from Colorado.
>Usually not large bodied and 4x5
>or smaller that scores 225
>or less.
>All the elk brought to me
>from Wyoming and Idsho probably
>out weighed the Colorado bulls
>buy at least 150 lb.
>and even the 4x4s scored
>300.
>Not exact science, but where you
>hunt will dictate what you
>can expect to see.
>Regardless, sometimes the trophy picks you
>instead of you choosing the
>trophy.
##### I'd like to see what these 4x4 elk look like that score 300"! ???
 
For me and my son, it depends on the tag we draw. That said, we generally only apply in units where we can hunt big bulls. We don't draw often but when we do, we generally have great elk hunts. On my sons last elk hunt, four years ago, he passed up a 361" bull at 38 yards on opening day. I thought he was crazy but it was his tag. He also passed up a 7x7 bull and some other good bulls that day. We hunted some more and he eventually killed the exact same 361" bull he passed opening day.

On the elk tags we're still trying to draw, on most of them we won't kill a bull unless he's pretty damn good, 340-360", depending on the state/unit. When I draw AZ in a few years (I'm sitting on 20 points), I'll probably come home with my tag unless I can kill a bull bigger than my biggest to date, so I'll be hunting for something in the 390's or bigger. Yes, I know, some guys think I'm nuckin futs. I might be.

However, there are other tags we may draw where the bar will be lower and any bull over 300" gets shot. Again, it depends on the state and tag. This year, I did something I've never done before. I applied for a cow elk tag in Nevada and drew. I did this for 3 reasons; I wanted to learn the unit for hunting big bucks, it's during the rut and I love September elk hunting and finally, I'm almost out of elk meat. Should be a fun hunt as I'll get to see some big bulls (and bucks too, hopefully) and come home with some delicious elk meat.

Like I said at the beginning, it all depends on the tag we draw.
 
It depends on the Tag I have.

If it is LE/LQ in Wyo, Az., Nv. or Utah, I am holding out for a big one, if it is OTC -anywhere- I am harvesting the first legal bull I get a clean shot at.

If it is Any Legal Elk then I could arrow a cow for sure.

No I am not on any Road kill call list--!! To funny s-s!

Robb
 
>I hunt the first rifle season
>in Colorado which is an
>either sex season. I
>shoot the first legal elk
>I see, because I don't
>know when I'll see another
>elk. If there are
>multiple elk present, I would
>select a preferred elk from
>those. My first elk
>was a 4x3 bull with
>three cows. I took
>the small bull. Now
>I would have shot one
>of the cows. I've
>taken two bulls and one
>cow. The cow is
>much better eating. I
>am not a trophy hunter,
>so the antler size does
>not matter to me.
>I am in it for
>the quality of the hunting
>experience. My partners and
>I DIY hunt out of
>a canvas wall tent camp
>at 11,500 feet elevation.
>We walk in about 2
>miles to hunt, meaning we
>have to carry out meat
>on our backs at least
>2 miles -- sometimes more
>like 4 miles. There
>is a considerable amount of
>effort involved. Thus, if
>I drive home to Texas
>with some good cow elk
>meat in my ice chests,
>I am a very satisfied
>hunter.


^^^^^^^^
This
 

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