Big antlers scrawny body - I think he made it through the winter is it the same

[woodman]

This elk showed up at one of my trail cams. He layed down in a neat spot for the camera, but does he look sick to you. Where he is laying is just above a swamp and he looks like he had been in there. Someone told me that a bull during rut will lose weight fighting for his cows. Maybe that is what is going on here. Any ideas?

I added the picture of the elk laying on it's side. This pic gives a better picture of the elk"s shoulder. I think that runamuk was first to notice. It did not occur to me that it my have been shot and not killed until reading responses here. Since this post I have heard from different people that this is not uncommon to happen. I have learned of 46 elk in the last two years according to some people from different areas that were shot and got away. Sounds like some people could work on their hunting skills.

[Swannytheswan]

  but where the pics is?

[woodman]

They should be there now, hate it when I forget to attach

[runamuk]

that elbow looks swelled up and he is bone thin not looking real healthy to me

[DOUBLELUNG]

Looks rutted out, he's big enough to be a breeder and the timeframe is right.  He's thin, but not on death's door by any means.  He definitely needs to pack on some groceries. 

[Swannytheswan]

he does look rough I don't know what could have caused though...getting chased by wolves all the time??

[50CalJim]

It looks like Romeo is plum tuckered out.

[Jeffrey]

  

[nwwanderer]

Probably been on the chase for more than a month.  A big framed bull pushing 800 pounds on September 1 maybe less than 500 today and blue as can be if you take that hide off.  Survival is a function of food and weather.  A bad storm now he is probably dead.  If he is living close to food and the weather prediction mild, he will do it again next fall.  He does look tough.  Another good reason to heed the advice 'shoot the calf'.

[runamuk]

Well I guess I will explain my position...I cant imagine that is "normal" for a rutted up bull if it was then none would survive winter ever....if that was a horse you'd be calling animal control in the standing pic the spine is raised and the hip bones look like coat hangers, I've lived in areas with bulls and dont see them look like this very often  if you look at him he looks like that elbow is swollen which may be an injury from fighting rivals  again I am not a long term hunter but I have a hell of a lot of animal experience and that animal looks done for unless he gets damn lucky and we dont have a winter and he happens on a haystack and penicillin 

[woodman]

Probably been on the chase for more than a month.  A big framed bull pushing 800 pounds on September 1 maybe less than 500 today and blue as can be if you take that hide off.  Survival is a function of food and weather.  A bad storm now he is probably dead.  If he is living close to food and the weather prediction mild, he will do it again next fall.  He does look tough.  Another good reason to heed the advice 'shoot the calf'.

That rut sounds like a helluva diet!

[WABONEHNTR]

 Elk are still going full bore where I am at.  My guess would be he has a broadhead in him somewhere.

[rosscrazyelk]

You try having sex with 20 or more people mutiple times a day for a month and see how much weight you loose..LOL
I hope he puts on some weight quick

[Wea300mag]

Yes, I think he was trying to burn the candle at both ends. Here is a bull I found while deer hunting this weekend who was happy with just four females. He was very healthy.

[cle elum bowhunter]

Beautiful animal but definitely unhealthy thin.  Hope the elk gods smile on him and he gets to see another frosty September morning.

[BLKBEARKLR]

Elk are still going full bore where I am at.  My guess would be he has a broadhead in him somewhere.

99.9% of the times, you see something that skinny and that is exactly the issue. It has been wounded by something, wether it be a broadhead, bullet or even got horned by another bull. I have seen plenty of elk after the rut and they do not look like that.  I have seen a ton of them that have been wounded and most of them look the same exact way...

Joe

[blindpig]

Just some rough living for the past month.  Partying way to much.  Hormones, gotta love em.

[bear]

Yes, I think he was trying to burn the candle at both ends. Here is a bull I found while deer hunting this weekend who was happy with just four females. He was very healthy.

Hey, I recognize that one.  Son is still holding out for now. Bear

[500 long]

You try having sex with 20 or more people mutiple times a day for a month and see how much weight you loose..LOL
I hope he puts on some weight quick

I could stand to lose a few pounds

[KFhunter]

This elk showed up at one of my trail cams. He layed down in a neat spot for the camera, but does he look sick to you. Where he is laying is just above a swamp and he looks like he had been in there. Someone told me that a bull during rut will lose weight fighting for his cows. Maybe that is what is going on here. Any ideas?

that there is a critter in major pain, see him eyeballin that shoulder and the way he laid down akward with that shoulder up
 
if I were to wager a guess, I'd say he has a muzzleloader ball in his shoulder

[huntnnw]

definitely something wrong with that leg

[jmx369]

Why can't I ever find a bull like that when I am out hunting?

[woodman]

Does this look like the same elk to you?

[threedwizard]

He does look thin compared to the bulls I've hunted. He may have gotten wounded defending his cows or challenging a bigger bull? I have a set of antlers from a small 6x6 that had a broken G4and he had a gash in his neck from fighting.

[NWBREW]

Looks like the same one to me.   

[cannon-master]

way different bull horns are not the same size at all but that one looks thin as well

[LoganOregon]

Definitely not the same bull.

[summit creek]

hes sick or hurt they dont sleep like that

[Hunter Dug]

My guess is theres salt right there and he is wallowing in it.  He appears to be wallowing in the pictures not sleepin.  Maybe elk are smart enough to now that salt helps a wound if indeed he is injuies and not just rutted out.     The second bull is just smelling were the big boy was wallowing.

[hirshey]

Definitely a little thin... looks like two different critters to me but I can't tell without seeing the 2nd bull's horns at a slightly different angle.

I shot a cow three seasons ago with an antlerless tag on the west side that looked like that and regretted the decision as far as filling the freezer was concerned... but as far as ending her suffering it was a good decision; its incredible once their outward appearance starts to deteriorate to that level how many terrible things are concurrently going on inside; my animal's heart was twice as big as it should have been with a clear gel insulating it... and all her blood came out in a large congealed mass only minutes after she was killed. It is one of those hard truths that every year after hunting seasons close there are a number of animals walking around the woods like that.