Last year I got challenged and the challenger said he was a pro elk hunter, kept track of things raved on his knowledge and on and on, and said there were no 400 bulls in Idaho.

Elk season opened last week, South Idaho behind my house produced a 401 and a 440 bull so far and a friend of mine killed a 354..Those big bulls have done well in the South Hills and it may very well be the best big bull hunt in the USA..It is a draw hunt and hard to draw..Ive seen a couple of big boys and they are still out there, if I can only draw a tag I will get one of them, but have not drawn in 6 years running. I saw a bull last year on a cow hunt that I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't an all time B&C record, and for sure he is a state record..He was with 12 other bulls and all twelve were very shootable, one was at least 380 and I can't even imagine how big the big boy was...Wish I was a bit younger, Id have my camera out there ever chance I got..but that's not in the cards...If you want a big bull get in the draw, you don't need a guide just have to hunt, its a big area..Unit 54, 55 and 46 are producing monster elk..

if your out of state you better hurry.
the locals are putting a LOT of pressure on the F&G dept. to double or triple license and tag fee's, and cut the number of tags available for out of state hunters.

Ray:

How many points would a 400 bull have?

A meat hunter like me has no clue what a
300, 400 or 500 bull would be like.
Count the tines!
Even more, many of us don't give a S
either.
George

Well if you don't give a s--t why ask??

but since you did ask a 400 bull is a world class bull, points 6x6 6x7 7x7 as a rule but length of points, mass of the horns spread etc make up the numbers by which elk or trophy animals are jusdged by..BTW Im mostly a subsistence hunter and although Ive shot a bunch of big bulls and horns that decorate my shop barn and house, I have not shot a bull in probably the last 5 or more years. Cows eat better..by th same token I respect the trophy hunter who takes out the big bulls so they don't inbreed, grow old and die a horriblel death by mother nature, Trophy hunters are to be honored for that service IMO as opposed to turning ones nose up at them..

And if you are from east, it’s a fourteen pointer...

And if you're from Maine, we don't care how many points its got; we care what they weigh.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Well if you don't give a s--t why ask??

but since you did ask a 400 bull is a world class bull, points 6x6 6x7 7x7 as a rule but length of points, mass of the horns spread etc make up the numbers by which elk or trophy animals are jusdged by..BTW Im mostly a subsistence hunter and although Ive shot a bunch of big bulls and horns that decorate my shop barn and house, I have not shot a bull in probably the last 5 or more years. Cows eat better..by th same token I respect the trophy hunter who takes out the big bulls so they don't inbreed, grow old and die a horriblel death by mother nature, Trophy hunters are to be honored for that service IMO as opposed to turning ones nose up at them..

Glad to hear there are some big ones left. I have been concerned the wolves were getting way too many elk.

quote:

Originally posted by bluefish:
And if you're from Maine, we don't care how many points its got; we care what they weigh.

And how are you planning on doing that?

They are getting a log skidder to retrieve the moose whole. I'm originally from Maine and was back there maybe 25 years ago. A friend had shot a moose and had a photo of it in the bed of his pickup. I asked how he did that and he explained about the skidder. When I asked him why he didn't break it up and pack it out he looked at me like I was nuts. It just had not crossed his mind. I think now with more interest trophies people are getting further off the road and are packing out their moose. My ex BIL guides in Maine and he routinely breaks down his moose and packs them out as we would do in the West or AK.

Mark