Elk dilemma!

[Jayfire83]

So i was fortunate enough to draw the archery toutle bull tag this year. After much scouting both state and Weyco lands, i have a dilemma. I was up in one of my favorite old elk Areas  bear hunting for a coupe of days that was not in the tootle. I have been on this toad of a 7x7 bull already herded up and pushing his cows around with at satellite 6x6 on the outskirts.    There has been no bugling yet but i have herd the 7 do a single chuckle here and there. So i guess my question is do i use the one week worth of time off that i have to make my attempt on the big boy for the opener, for maybe two days? Or do i save it and wait for toutle?

[Ridgeratt]

one in the hand is worth 2 in the bush!!

[JColony]

A bull's a bull, right?  If you have a big boy locked down, go for it!!!

[Huntboy]

one in the hand is worth 2 in the bush!!

[Dblstks]

I'd take the 7 or the 6 if there in an area you know well

[BUTTER]

Go for the big boy!! 

[Dan-o]

Let me think about this for a second......

Do I pass on the KNOWN 7X7 because I can hunt somewhere else......?

I'll have to get back to you on this one........     

[Fastass350]

Yeah there's bulls in the toutle and yeah there's ground that's open, but if you know where one is and you've been on him repeatedly, I'd go after him!

[Eli346]

 Go for the big bull. There's a lot of elk in the Toutle but it's a quality hunt only for the number of elk and fewer hunters you run into, not the size of the elk.

[deerhunter_98520]

How about u show me where the 7x7 is and I'll get him for you then you go fill your toutle tag....don't wanna waste that now on that little 7x7..dilemma solved   

[Holg3107]

If you have a stud pinned down go for it. The Toutle is a decent unit with a good amount of bulls but it isn't exactly known for producing mashers every year. Go for the stud for a few days and if you aren't able to locate him or his pattern changed head to the Toutle but start with the big boy. 

[pianoman9701]

You won't find many 7s in Toutle and you know where this one lives. Forget the tag and go for it.

[bobcat]

The Toutle permit runs a week later than the general season, so hunt for the big bull in the other area that first week of general season. If you don't get him, hunt Toutle the weekend after general season ends. And a couple more days if you can get it off work.

[2MANY]

Shoot a cow.
They eat better.

[westside bull]

Shoot a cow.
They eat better.

A spike with  hoof rot Go after the 7x7!!

[MattySuto]

ill go with ya and take down the 7 so you know hes not gonna be a around anymore and they you can use your tag so it dont go to waste

[Jonathan_S]

Shoot a cow.
They eat better.

This is all you talk about 2MANY   

"I ate a cow once"

"I ate a cow twice"

"Shoot a cow
They eat better."

Those are the last three posts of yours that I recall seeing.

[swwaoutdoorsman]

Go for the 7 the entire early season save your toutle tag for late season  good luck 

[billythekidrock]

So i was fortunate enough to draw the archery toutle bull tag this year. After much scouting both state and Weyco lands, i have a dilemma. I was up in one of my favorite old elk Areas  bear hunting for a coupe of days that was not in the tootle. I have been on this toad of a 7x7 bull already herded up and pushing his cows around with at satellite 6x6 on the outskirts.    There has been no bugling yet but i have herd the 7 do a single chuckle here and there. So i guess my question is do i use the one week worth of time off that i have to make my attempt on the big boy for the opener, for maybe two days? Or do i save it and wait for toutle?

I am in the same situation and it is a good situation to be in.

Quality Toutle permit, the first three weeks of Sept off and a few bulls patterned locally. Though not 7x, I would gladly take a 5x the first week and not have to spend the time and money down south.

Right now my plan is to hunt the first 5-8 days locally and then head to the Toutle a couple days after the opener.

[b0bbyg]

I would go where you know.  Last year I had the same tag. We hunted our old areas for the opener figuring we would drift into the Toutle later after it opened.  Took a nice 4X4 opening day.

 Could have waited to try for a little larger bull later in the season but could not pass up a clean shot on a bull.  And he eats just fine 

Plus I did not see any bulls in the 7x7 class while scouting in the toutle.