310 vs. 340...

[MichaelJ]

Okay, with all these bulls being posted from here and over on a few other hunting sites, and my hunt still a month away I'm really starting to conflict with myself for my ID elk hunt on what my standards for pulling the trigger are going to be.  Ultimately I don't care about score, but I'm a skilled enough guy that I really want to put my time in, bust my ass and be rewarded with a big mature bull...

My goals for the hunt is 320"+ but would depending on how my 2 days of scouting goes prior to opening day be willing to pass on 310-320" bulls for a chance at something substancially bigger.  This is unit 11 in ID which is a draw only unit.  I will have anywhere from 8-14 days of hunting spread out and focused around the weekends from October 25 to November 24.  I've never shot a bull before.

I'm asking anybody if you have pictures of bulls from 300" to 340" please post 'em, I'm pretty good at guessing a gross score from a picture, but haven't had a whole lot of chances of doing it with them on the hoof and me behind a scope!

I've made 3 scouting trips up there and on each of them I've been really successful at finding elk with the biggest bull being about 320" but it was still pre rut... last weekend I had field trips for class both saturday and sunday, and am leaving tomorrow until sunday for another class trip.  The following weekend I have a wedding and the following weekend I have bull riding school and the following weekend I have another full weekend field trip.  So I'm planning maybe 2 more evening drive scouting trips and then will scout Oct 23, Oct 24, and hunt opening morning of Sunday the 25th as well as monday morning the 26th...  With following hunting dates surrounding the following weekends until I notch my tag...  Any advice you guys got would be greatly appreciated... This waiting and not being able to get in there during the rut and scout better is killing me!

Michael

[jackelope]

mike...check this thread out. it might be just what you're looking for.
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,29512.msg344803.html#msg344803

[coachcw]

Michell , my bull is a 335 gross bull to give you an Idea, if you see a monster hold out , but i sugest looking for mass if he hass good mass any any tine lenght pull the trigger , becarfull of thin bulls they look beter than they score fyi. good luck Coach , ps don't get caught up in the momet and forget about the wind .

[MichaelJ]

Thanks bud!    
Ya'll know how it is to have a very coveted tag and you want to make the most of it?  You want that feeling that when you drive out of the unit for the last time that season with a tag notched or just driving out on the last day that you gave it your all and you had an awesome hunt?  That's the feeling I'm looking for...

I really don't want to come out of there with a bull in the back of the pickup thinking to myself "man that's a good bull, but I know I could've done better...."

Guess I'm looking for more of a support group than anything hahaha

Michael

[MichaelJ]

This bull I would have a hard time deciding... I mean seriously, I see a nice 6x6 but not a monster, but a good bull... haha I'm all sorts of twitterpated huh?

[mossback91]

you rifle or bow hunting?

[MichaelJ]

Rifle Moss...

Michael

[coachcw]

young bull dont pull the trigger

[MichaelJ]

 

[MichaelJ]

This bull only grosses 320" but is a definite SHOOTER in my book any day of the hunt... love everything about this rack.  (Charlie, hope you don't mind me stealing your pics! )

[DOUBLELUNG]

This bull I would have a hard time deciding... I mean seriously, I see a nice 6x6 but not a monster, but a good bull... haha I'm all sorts of twitterpated huh?

Michael, if it helps that bull won't break 300 - and maybe not even 280.  A 320 is a big-bodied, young adult to adult bull - he'll look BIG.  

[DOUBLELUNG]

When you break into the 320 range, compared to the picture above, he will have much longer tines, exceptionally long beams or significantly more mass.  Length gets you there in a hurry, takes a lot of mass to bump up score much. 

[MichaelJ]

I'm agreeing with you there Double, that'd be a last weekend bull for me honestly...  The thing I'm excited for most is being able to pick and choose from a lot of bulls.  Talked to a bio for my area, and the bull to cow ratio is 36 bulls per 100 cows with 27 of those bulls being branched. The challenge I'm going to face is by the time my tag starts all the big herd bulls will of gone solitary and will be deep into the breaks of the snake river.  I hear there's still quite a bit of less than 310" bulls still tagging along with the big herds but the big boys will mostly be solitary by then...  Just got to find 'em!

There's typically on this hunt between 50+ tag holders only 1-5 bulls being taken that go over 330".  Hopefully one of them will be me this year!

Michael

[mossback91]

400 or bust mike!!!

[MtnMuley]

Have you ever hunted bulls when you had a branched tag?  Have you ever killed or passed up a 300" bull?  All this talk about holding out for a 320" is great, but boy let me tell you, passing that 310" will be near impossible, if 320" is your goal.  Sounds like you're planning it out right.  Hope you kill a 350"!

[Lowedog]

Thanks bud!    
Ya'll know how it is to have a very coveted tag and you want to make the most of it?  You want that feeling that when you drive out of the unit for the last time that season with a tag notched or just driving out on the last day that you gave it your all and you had an awesome hunt?  That's the feeling I'm looking for...

I really don't want to come out of there with a bull in the back of the pickup thinking to myself "man that's a good bull, but I know I could've done better...."

Guess I'm looking for more of a support group than anything hahaha

Michael

Michael, took me 10 years to draw the late buck tag that I drew last year.  I went into that hunt with a thought that if I see a buck I like I would go after him.  I tried not to think of a score.  I had 18 days to get it done and I hit it hard.  Never had a doubt in my mind I would find what I was after.  I never saw that buck I liked.  Passed on a few that most wouldn't and ended up taking about a 23" wide, tall 3 point on my last day.  I watched that buck for about 6 hours before deciding to shoot.  I had lots of time to reflect on my hunt while watching him and decided that I had had a hunt of a lifetime and he was meat in the freezer and a nice rack to look at once in awhile and remember that I had waited 10 years to kill that buck.

My advice, enjoy the hunt!

-Mark

[270Shooter]

Would you kill this one?

[bucklucky]

Thats fine MichaelJ! That would be a nice bull to kill!

[270Shooter]

I was thinking that was about a 320'' bull

[bucklucky]

Id say closer to 305??

[270Shooter]

Yea I guess, he has pretty short mains, and all of his tines are fairly short. compared to his body size.

[Crowns]

300 even.  Quickest way to compare the two are the thirds imo.  Yeah I know there are exceptions but thirds are hard to score high on, if hes a decent 6 (make sure his fifths are at least seven inches or so and not just little whale tails) and has decent thirds then hes 320.

[270Shooter]

Then whats this one??

[270Shooter]

Ooops don't know why there are 2 of them

[MichaelJ]

270Shooter,
Not on the first day.  I'd look at that bull and say "Man he's a nice bull, but I'd put him around 310 at BEST and I won't be happy with that bull the first weekend.  Entirely too many 300" bulls in the unit to shoot one opening weekend..."  (hopefully lol)

That second bull you posted I'd guess around 350" and he'd be a first light first day shooter EASY!

Now on the 2nd to last or last weekend I'd be looking REAL hard at that first bull...

And no, like I said in my original post, I've NEVER killed a bull elk, never had a branched tag  before.  Also, I'd rather take a 320 heavy 6" than a spindly 320 7 point.  If I see a bull like that one I posted on the first page that only grosses 320, he's a gonner for sure.  Thats like what Lowedog is talking about, if I see the bull that I like, score won't matter he'll have a 165 grn sierra gameking headed his way!  

Moss no worries, if I get that 400" bull down you'll be the first to hear! haha

Michael

[DOUBLELUNG]

Bucklucky will come pack it up out of Snake River canyon, right?

[elkoholic1]

idk  that bull looks deciveing, not real heavy but real good tine length i put him over 300 id guess 310-315

[coachcw]

wheres that second bull from , his genetics look famillar?

[bucklucky]

Oak creek I believe. I think he died but I could be wrong.

[jagermiester]

If I were you I would go out hunting and take the best situation who cares about the inches.  You have your whole life to kill a monster bull.  Some situations are better than others and if you find a bull you like make a stalk and do everything right for a clean kill why would you pass that up. I hope you have some good friends to share this experience with.  I would rather kill a cow elk with my dad or brother than a 340 bull by myself

[Craig]

I'm not sure if I could pass up that last bull. I like the long points and that kicker coming off the right side is nice.

[letmhunt]

If you plan on hunting the weekands and roads only, your chances of shooting a big bull are slim to none, sorry but the big bulls just dont hang out in the open. You should pray for snow, lots of it.