RTSPRING"S thoughts on the Yakima elk herds.

[rtspring]

When you start talking about quality of animals and not shooting spikes because of the quality of bulls in the are that's trophy hunting.  Is it not?  And to say that a hunter didn't do his job if he doesn't fill his branched bull tag is the biggest crock I've ever heard on this forum.  I guess you've never bow hunted.

No thats a Branched antler bull tag thay THEY submitted a special app for!!! No need to apply if your gonna shoot a spike! You can do that with a OTC tag!!

Jesus, some of you find anything to moan about...   Get off the trophy bandwagon!!! Yes my house is full of 400 plus bulls!!! NOT!!!!

[Jimmy33]

I will tell you that I live in the unit that I hunt...340. This year, My Dad and I both had bull tags. We have both killed elk so the bull that we were going to fill our tag with this year wouldn't have been our first. On scouting trips, I saw plenty of big bulls and had many back-up plans to back-up plans. I killed my bull the first week. I was not being picky, just got lucky and shot a small 6 point. We did not see a ton of elk and we hunted our butts off. If my Dad would have shot a spike...I would have been totally happy and proud of him. If you elk hunt, you understand how difficult the hunting can be. I have hunted entire seasons and never saw an elk...in the area that I live in. My Dad has been doing it for 40 years and he would not have thought twice about shooting a spike. To say that he would not have been doing his job if he shot a spike is ridiculous.

[rtspring]

I will tell you that I live in the unit that I hunt...340. This year, My Dad and I both had bull tags. We have both killed elk so the bull that we were going to fill our tag with this year wouldn't have been our first. On scouting trips, I saw plenty of big bulls and had many back-up plans to back-up plans. I killed my bull the first week. I was not being picky, just got lucky and shot a small 6 point. We did not see a ton of elk and we hunted our butts off. If my Dad would have shot a spike...I would have been totally happy and proud of him. If you elk hunt, you understand how difficult the hunting can be. I have hunted entire seasons and never saw an elk...in the area that I live in. My Dad has been doing it for 40 years and he would not have thought twice about shooting a spike. To say that he would not have been doing his job if he shot a spike is ridiculous.

So yet again? Why submit an app if he or anyone else is going to pull the trigger on a spike???   Why Apply?  Leave those tags for guys who will actually try to get a branched antlered bull...  Common Sense applies here

[bobcat]

I will tell you that I live in the unit that I hunt...340. This year, My Dad and I both had bull tags. We have both killed elk so the bull that we were going to fill our tag with this year wouldn't have been our first. On scouting trips, I saw plenty of big bulls and had many back-up plans to back-up plans. I killed my bull the first week. I was not being picky, just got lucky and shot a small 6 point. We did not see a ton of elk and we hunted our butts off. If my Dad would have shot a spike...I would have been totally happy and proud of him. If you elk hunt, you understand how difficult the hunting can be. I have hunted entire seasons and never saw an elk...in the area that I live in. My Dad has been doing it for 40 years and he would not have thought twice about shooting a spike. To say that he would not have been doing his job if he shot a spike is ridiculous.

So yet again? Why submit an app if he or anyone else is going to pull the trigger on a spike???   Why Apply?  Leave those tags for guys who will actually try to get a branched antlered bull...  Common Sense applies here

It's their points, their choice. It's not a "big bull" permit as many like to call it. It's an "any bull" permit. It gives you an advantage in hunting 5 days before the general season starts. If someone is happy to take a spike with the permit that they burned their points on, then that's all that matters.

[Jimmy33]

You apply for opportunity. It is pretty nice going into the woods knowing that you can shoot any bull with horns, instead of counting points. Any elk is a good eating elk and I don't care about how big they are...I just like the opportunity the tag presents.

[rtspring]

Sure it is their choice! But why not go after a branched bull? You waste an average of 10 or more points to kill a spike?  Makes no sense at all!!

[Bob33]

I will tell you that I live in the unit that I hunt...340. This year, My Dad and I both had bull tags. We have both killed elk so the bull that we were going to fill our tag with this year wouldn't have been our first. On scouting trips, I saw plenty of big bulls and had many back-up plans to back-up plans. I killed my bull the first week. I was not being picky, just got lucky and shot a small 6 point. We did not see a ton of elk and we hunted our butts off. If my Dad would have shot a spike...I would have been totally happy and proud of him. If you elk hunt, you understand how difficult the hunting can be. I have hunted entire seasons and never saw an elk...in the area that I live in. My Dad has been doing it for 40 years and he would not have thought twice about shooting a spike. To say that he would not have been doing his job if he shot a spike is ridiculous.

So yet again? Why submit an app if he or anyone else is going to pull the trigger on a spike???   Why Apply?  Leave those tags for guys who will actually try to get a branched antlered bull...  Common Sense applies here

It's their points, their choice. It's not a "big bull" permit as many like to call it. It's an "any bull" permit. It gives you and advantage in hunting 5 days before the general season starts. If someone is happy to take a spike with the permit that they burned their points on, then that's all that matters.

Good grief. We have members advocating that WDFW should restrict what hunters can and cannot shoot with their permits.

"Quality" and "trophy" should be defined by the permit holder.

[Jimmy33]

It might make no sense to you, but I dont care. It is my tag, my money, and my right to do with it what I want. As long and stay within the law while harvesting my animal...what's it to you? When you get drawn, you can go after a big bull. I shot a sub-300 class bull. Is that too small? What rules should we as hunters decide to impose on one another? We have enough rules as it is withut having to worry about upsetting other hunters because we shoot a spike with an ANY BULL tag.

[Jimmy33]

I can't believe I got pulled into this...

[hughjorgan]

Sure it is their choice! But why not go after a branched bull? You waste an average of 10 or more points to kill a spike?  Makes no sense at all!!

What's to say they aren't after a big bull? I am sure when people get there permits there hopes are high, elk hunting is hard and success rates are low, the average person I would guess just want the opportunity at notching there tag IMO. I would have no problem with fill my branched antler tag with a good eating spike.

[JPhelps]

So how big of a bull do I need to kill with my "any bull" tag?

[PlateauNDN]

All i'm gonna say on shooting a bull is if i'm along he won't be able to shoot because i'm gonna hold his bullets ! Really some of us guys get back into country that is flat hell to get and elk out of , there's no way i'm gonna go int one of those spots to pack out  a lil spike , but if it'sd a throphy animal and that's what it takes to get to him then i'm In .

That's how I roll.  If I'm going to drop into some deep nasty stuff it better be worth otherwise why doit. Meat hunts can be done with far less effort.

I get what RT is conveying and ill apply my story.  I applied for 5 years hoping to draw an OIL tag and when I finally did I knew I probably won't draw it again so am I going to waste it on some young male or am I going to hold out to the last day possible searching for "the one"? Of course I held out and tagged "the one", IMO it wouldve been a waste to shoot the first legal animal and not weigh my options.

[Mfowl]

I filled an any bull tag on a spike. I was happy to do it too! The hunting was tough! It was hot, the elk were extremely nocturnal and there was smoke blowing in and out like fog from the big Colockum fire 2 years ago. I scouted before the season and showed up 4 days prior to the opener to continue scouting. I logged alot of miles prior to filling my tag and feel like I earned it. It was the first elk tag I and my 2 buddies have ever successfully filled. It was a great experience. Of course I dreampt about trophy bulls leading up to my hunt but the reality was I was lucky to get a chance due to the conditions. The few other bull tag holders I spoke with were experiencing the same luck. I feel fortunate to have been able to notch that tag at all. I won't knock a guy for filling his tag, any elk's a good elk!

[coachcw]

I get what Rt is saying , it takes so much time normally to draw a bull tag that it's a waste to shoot a spike or raghorn, sure you can but your cutting yourself short of the oppurnity. most hunters only think about the harvest " any legal animal" and that's there proagitive. so if that's what your in fore don't go after the hard to draw tags . I'd give up the opportunity to hunt spikes gladly if it meant hunting big bulls every few years . I'd like to see a tag quota for each unit like Idaho first come first serve then be able to apply for only one unit in quality category's, I really like the thaught of only being able to pt in for a bull or a cow tag , we would separate meat from trophy hunters each getting more of what there looking for . in closing when you draw that quality tag set your goal early knowing what the unit has to offer being realistic  and stick to it if in the end you don't harvest you will never have a regret don't get hung up on success, but more so the hunt it self .

[coachcw]

I filled an any bull tag on a spike. I was happy to do it too! The hunting was tough! It was hot, the elk were extremely nocturnal and there was smoke blowing in and out like fog from the big Colockum fire 2 years ago. I scouted before the season and showed up 4 days prior to the opener to continue scouting. I logged alot of miles prior to filling my tag and feel like I earned it. It was the first elk tag I and my 2 buddies have ever successfully filled. It was a great experience. Of course I dreampt about trophy bulls leading up to my hunt but the reality was I was lucky to get a chance due to the conditions. The few other bull tag holders I spoke with were experiencing the same luck. I feel fortunate to have been able to notch that tag at all. I won't knock a guy for filling his tag, any elk's a good elk!

archery tag or rifle ? curious