Well it wasn't this year but my son and I have both taken bull elk with traditional rifles. A 54 cal Lyman trade rifle. Patched round ball. Mine was a spike and my son had a special tag in the Bethel unit a couple years ago, he killed a 5x5 bull. Called in to 25yds put the ball in the boiler room. Traditional guns have been puttin meat on the table for..well as long as they have been made:) A friend of mine also killed a 6x5 bull this year with his 54 and a round ball.