What makes a big bull

[Rainier10]

52 1/8&53 5/8 main beams on this guy.

[johnbmyersii]

Main beam length and tine length more than mass to me. Character is a big plus and this bull checks the boxes for me

How long are the main beams on that bull?

Wouldn't have a clue. If I can someday draw a bull tag I'll let you know haha

[Farmer72]

Mass can make things look smaller.

The mains on this one are 56-3/8 and 55-4/8.

[yogru]

In the colockum thirds are short typically. It has to be a genetic thing but it could be a good thing as well. Maybe when thirds are coming in they are transitioning to different food at a different elevation.  I just know small thirds are a thing in 328.

I will say after looking at lots of bulls over the years I can get close on the net score most of the time but every time I see a freaking big bull that’s exactly what it is, freaking big.

 

I'm paranoid about thirds.  Killed athe bull in my profile pic in the Wasatch over in Utah and the thing was a pig.....but those short stubby thirds just make me cringe a little when I look at it.  Now, after the first "overall" look on any set of horns, I'm zeroing in on those damned thirds first thing.

[Ricochet]

If you want big thirds, this guy is going to be a pig when he grows up.

[yogru]

If you want big thirds, this guy is going to be a pig when he grows up.

Um yes, I'll take one of those please! 

[jackelope]

Big bulls are the leaders of the pack

[Buck Rub Jr]

Big bulls are the leaders of the pack

Wowza 

[time2hunt]

This is what great genetic and no hunting will produce in Washington. These are colockum genetic bulls that found sanctuary from predator at Hanford.


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[huntnnw]

age

[2MANY]

Thirds should be up to a straight line between tip of eye gaurds and swords.

[Buckjunkie]

In my opinion, sometimes a score doesn’t do a bull justice and other times, a score is better than one deserves…but it means something. We like mass. If a pencil horned buck or bull with lots of extras scores a bunch, most give it a weak nod. If a buck or bull has crazy mass like 40+” for a Muley or 60+” for an elk, we don’t much care about score.

A great bull has mass, beam and time length. If it has all three, it will score well. Rocky Mtn. Bulls start looking good at 320, and even better when they score 340-350. By the time you hit 370, they become giants. You don’t need to know how to score to recognize a big bull, but if a bull is truly big, it will score a bunch.

[Buck Rub Jr]

Mass can make things look smaller.

The mains on this one are 56-3/8 and 55-4/8.

What’s the verdict? Him a couple years before you got him?

[huntnnw]

These are big bulls where I hunt in Idaho for otc units. I believe these bulls are about as good as they will get in the area. I’ve yet to capture anything bigger on cam or in person. These bulls are probably in the prime of their life. I’ve talked to some old timers who hunted from the 80’s to present in the area and said they had seen very few exceed what they thought was 350” over that time. Do they exist? Yes, but I think for that area 350” is a giant and far a few between.

[boneaddict]

The coolest bull and biggest I have encountered  had more mass than I ever imagined an animal having, so I guess that’s what I’d say.