A 300 bull is a pretty good bull.

My experience is when someone claims they shot a "350" bull it is often closer to "320-ish" and a "330" bull is often close to "300".

In the last seven years, I've shot one 7 pt, five six points and one five point.

The three biggest measured an honest 318, 315 and 308.

Were they monsters, no but pretty nice bulls in the area they were shot.

So to answer the question: Yes, I think a 300 bull is a good bull anywhere, maybe not a "trophy" bull in some "trophy bull" areas.

When I was a teenager I shot a spike elk. I then decided since I had an elk that the next elk I shot would be a 6x6. I did not shoot another elk for 20 seasons until I got lucky and shot one that went 414 3/4. Was I hunting for the monster?? no that was luck and I would have shot any decent bull. Given my experience I would say a 300 bull is a trophy because real elk hunting is not like what you see on tv. It is damn hard and the elk are elusive

Max,
I like what you said.
I have only bow hunted for Elk and in those circles we have a saying that skill will get you to 70 yards and then its pure luck after that.

My only bull I shot was at 4 yards...pretty lucky that day for sure.

If you are not into numbers I would also agree that a 300 bull is a trophy in most areas. However, in the premium areas- not so much so. Let's face it, the vast majority of premium areas, if not all, are draw areas and appeal to those who are after 360+ bulls. Those people are not likely to settle for a 300 bull.

I think the point Ide was making/questioning had more to do with whether outfitters should be advertising to paying potential clients that a 300 class bull is considered trophy class. I
could be wrong- and I make no judgement here on the issue.

As for me, if I see a legal bull on public land
on a DIY hunt, that is not a premium unit- I shoot. Locating bulls period is just too tough in most areas.

If I was on a guided hunt in a good area I would not be so quick to pull the trigger. A quality outfitter/guide will also give you guidance & that will help your decision whether to shoot or not.

Finally, as has been said, it all depends on your standards; a trophy is all in the eyes of the beholder.

I Agree with olguy that is depends on your standard but also on you financial status. If a guy saved for years and could only go one time in his life he may elect to take a smaller bull near the end of the hunt compared to someone who was able to hunt for elk many times. I have not hunted elk since shooting my dream elk since it would be very unlikely to see a better bull in my life time and have now commited money to other hunts. If I still lived in Idaho and had little cost associated with hunting elk I would do so but now I have to choose what I will pursue.

A 6pt 300-ish bull, earned the hard way on public ground, is a trophy. And so is a lesser bull.

I know guys that kill 330-360 bulls every year on their ranch... they pick out the bull and whack it. Is that a trophy?

It's about HOW a bull is taken that makes it a trophy to me... the hunt.

I have several bulls between 300 - 315 that were earned on my own two feet, solo, on public ground that mean more to me than something shot off an alfalfa field that scores 380.

For me it was! I spent 4 days in the land that time forgot that made this 306 bull grow 84 inches by the time I got him home. I am not a trophy hunter only because I believe the trophy is in the experience, however my perspective may be due to that fact I can't draw and darn tag in NM or I can't control my "buck fever".

I have hunted all my life and consider my first Doe the best Trophy I ever killed. I have killed over two dozen Elk, all hunts on my own on public land, some by way of a trespass fee. Any Elk is a Trophy. If you pay for a hunt you are shooting the other man's animal, whatever you are hunting. I have done this in areas where it was the only legal way to hunt, as in Brown Bear in Alaska, and Buffalo in Africa, and I am not deriding it. When you are the guide-hunter-outfitter-packer then the game is all of Trophy Class. Good shooting.

I finally got my first bull last fall after three outfitted and guided hunts. It was far less than a 300 but the first shot I have taken in all those hunts.

I'd take a 300 class elk in a heartbeat right now!

One must look back the 80's. In Utah, at the time, there were very, very few public land areas that you could shoot a small 5 point.

As we all know, that changed in the 90's and present. Too much publicity on elk hunting, has made one to believe that 350" bulls are around every tree and that a 400" is definitly a strong posibility. This couldn't be further from the truth.

So yes, a 300" bull is a trophy. Look at Idaho and Colorado. Great states, with a lot of elk. How many of those elk taken in these states break 300"?

Between me, my wife, and father, we have had several LE tags in Utah over the past few years. We have taken 3 bulls in the 300-320 range. All are considered trophies...

[QUOTE]Originally posted by llamapacker:
In most western states on public land, 300 bulls are great trophies. You are talking well under 5% of the harvest in states like ID, MT, CO, WA, OR, etc.

Now in those special, limited entry areas of AZ, UT, NV, NM or CO it would be on the low end. Here, a 350 bull is pretty much the starting point for trophy bulls. But we are talking the real cream of the crop of hunting units, not the norm across elk country. Set your sights accordingly.

Bill[/QUOTE

In AZ I think the following would be more accurate.

Rifle rut hunts, I'd agree a 300 bull would be a starting point.

Late season or archery hunts: Most AZ hunters would be tickled to take a 300" bull home. A nice typical 300" bull is an impressive animal.

I will simply say a trophy is in the eyes of the beholder! Now what is a trophy to some will never be a trophy to others. However, in my eyes it is the hunter who shot the animal that says weather or not he has a trophy.

I figure any bull elk shot on public land over a 4 x 4 is certainly an "elk trophy". There is just something special for those who hunt on there own from before sunup till sundown looking for a bull elk with out a guide or Outfitter etc. Even the years I got skunked were special just to be able to be in those Rocky Mountains on foot regardless if I was successful bringing home the elk steaks.

Never had this 6x6, 51" spread bull officially scored. When I score him, I get about 330, but I really don't know what I'm doing with the tape. His antlers are above me know as I type, and bring back memories of an outstanding high country Wyoming hunt with a good friend. I'm thinking that any mature bull elk is one heck of a trophy.



Regards, Guy

300 is my number

My son worked on an elk ranch for a couple of years. Even when being kept in a pasture with lots of supplemental feed, many bulls would top out at not much more than 300. There is a misconception that if they get old enough, many or most elk will end up as high scoring trophies. That isn't true. There are mature bulls who will die of old age and never be bigger than a 5x5 that won't score 300.

Last year my son and some friends rode into the Thorofare on horses. They'd never been there before and had never done a horseback hunt. They survived snow and grizzlies. My son killed a 5x5 with good mass but stubby points. No one has measured it bu I bet it won't go 275. To me and to him it is a beautiful trophy.

Are you kidding me?? If you haven't been close to a 300" bull, you're talking an 800+ lb animal with a rack that's likely about 40" x 40" depending on the animal. The battle tines are well over a foot long and 1-1/2" in diameter at the base.

It will dominate any room you put it in.

quote:

Originally posted by Max Trauma:
When I was a teenager I shot a spike elk. I then decided since I had an elk that the next elk I shot would be a 6x6. I did not shoot another elk for 20 seasons until I got lucky and shot one that went 414 3/4. Was I hunting for the monster?? no that was luck and I would have shot any decent bull. Given my experience I would say a 300 bull is a trophy because real elk hunting is not like what you see on tv. It is damn hard and the elk are elusive

Well, you just made a very important point. If you are paying for a high fence hunt or a large ranch hunt where you have a couple people glassing for you and you pay by the inch, then 300 will not get you bragging rights at the country club.

But to go out yourself and connect with one that size on public land or even private unfenced timberland is quite a different matter. I'd bet not one in a hundred elk hunters has ever done it. Not criticizing, just saying these are very difficult animals to find and kill under free range hunting conditions. And don't forget, after you shoot it the real work starts if you're on your own.

Only 5-6 months to go!

quote:

If you haven't been close to a 300" bull, you're talking an 800+ lb animal with a rack that's likely about 40" x 40" depending on the animal. The battle tines are well over a foot long and 1-1/2" in diameter at the base.

No kidding - I'm a mule deer hunter, not an elk hunter. When I walked up on this 6x6 I'd shot, I was a little taken aback. Bull elk are big, really big. We were a mile from camp and about ten miles from the nearest road. I didn't know the best way to cope with such a big animal. Fortunately my hunting partner had horses and was one heck of an elk hunter. His help was essential to my success.

Regards, Guy

That's a beautiful bull! Congrats! Did you have it scored? Were you in eastern Washington? You were pretty far in! I've never done a horse trip, gotta do that!

I've had pretty good luck so far not being too far from a road. I hunted a late cow tag last year on x-country skis, chased 'em for 5 days before I connected. I got it out on a toboggan. It took two trips, two quarters and another smaller bag on each load. It was a great hunt, like a Scandanavian reindeer hunt!

On public land a heavy beamed, short tined, old bull say 45"-50" long is a trophy for sure.
A young bull with a long, thin beamed rack in a special draw or private NM ranch probably not.
Depends how old and where, if you want some guidelines to work from.

quote:

Originally posted by WV2WY:
Any 300 class bull taken fair chase, outside a game fence is a trophy to me.

+1........

Yes I would call a public land bull six by six a trophy period.

quote:

Originally posted by Antelope Sniper:
Every elk taken on public land is a trophy. Even a Cow.

+1