Winners of Best Elk Hunting Photo, sponsored by Kifaru

[robby denning]

12/28/17 Update: The winners have been chosen (see post #23 in full-site mode), no more voting. Thanks all for participating.

Hey Roksliders
It's time to vote for winner of the Best Elk Photo contest. 1st place-3rd place winners take home...
1) Kifaru Super Tarp
2) Kifaru Woobie
3) Rokslide Kill Kit

If you missed the entry thread, it's here Best Bull Elk Photo Contest 2017, sponsored by Kifaru

The Rokslide staff just voted on the top six finalists based on the entry rules. Now it's the Rokslide members' turns to pick the three winners.

Here are the rules we judged the finalists by:

1) WOW Factor. Is it a great photo that grabs the viewer? This takes in lighting, color, uniqueness, etc.
2) Composition- by that I mean the way in which the different parts that make up your photo are arranged- is there too much background, not enough animal? or visa versa? Are the horn tips out of the frame or the hunters head cut off? Or is it a good balance between the animal, the hunter, the terrain? (the hunter is not required to appear in the photo.)
3) Size of animal. This doesn't mean biggest animal wins, but if #1 and #2 are equal, we'll chose the bigger animal.
4) Must be a photo of an elk harvested in 2017

Please vote on the photos in the poll at the top of the thread (Tapatalk users can't see the poll, so use full-site if you want to vote.) I'll only be using the official poll to award the winners- comment votes won't count (write Tapatalk a letter- they're the one's making it hard.)

I'll leave the poll open until approximately December 26th. Any member can vote once, and if you're in the contest, go ahead and vote on your own if you want to (we can't stop you anyway!)

Here are the finalists in no particular order. Cast your vote in the poll using the member's name listed at top of each photo:

Jjamesdean

SFRICK88

HUNT JR

Jared Lampton

MandRroofing

topo_trekker

 

[dreamingbig]

You might want to edit number 4. I don’t see any sheep!


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[Rs3003]

Jared lampton

 

[dotman]

You might want to edit number 4. I don’t see any sheep!


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Hey we never correct the LEGEND!

 

[robby denning]

You might want to edit number 4. I don’t see any sheep!


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Whoops! Fixed. Thanks!


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[camping1601]

Looks like I'm in the minority, but it was the firth pic for me.

 

[Gumbo]

Topo_trekker's picture is fricking awesome. Not a huge bull, but who cares. The lighting, composition, and colors are absolutely beautiful. The other shots are great as well, but the uniqueness of Topo's shot is just spectacular.

 

[mfllood3800]

I think each pic represents a full story of elk hunting in its own unique way. From the joy of pic 1, to the grueling pack out and exhaustion of the next ones, to notching the tag to the beautiful scenery of where we are blessed to hunts these magnificent animals. Great selections by the RS staff. I love pics from huntjr and topo's equally. This is gonna be hard.
I also love the exhaustion of Jareds.
Cant we vote for 2 ?
lol

 

[Cant hit em]

Put me down for Lampton , i use tapatalk and wont let me hit the polls


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[mfllood3800]

Mine was one of those dead elk on the ground. I don't usually take pics. I just hunt, kill and pack out. But this year I got out my trusty old phone and took a whopping 3 pics. lol
Then I saw this thread and thought what the heck. So I doctored up my pick best I could to give it some sort of clout, but I knew it wouldn't fit the bill.

So when I saw these finalists, they all jumped out to me. I remember walking up and seeing where he laid (worst possible location), then the reality of a solo pack out miles each way as darkness was setting in.
That's why they jumped out at me. The exhaustion, pain, joy, struggle all came back to my mind. In the end topotrekkers pic just had the coolest effects and most effort to make a final thought of elk hunting the back country.


I guess I just see these pics differently. I see myself in each one of them.

 

[robby denning]

Mfllood, was yours the one with the bull on his back jammed against the log?


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[mfllood3800]

I think that was a different one. Mine was a black and white pic and he was nestled on a vertical edge under a tree with his hind leg stuck under him- It wasn't best chance for a cool photo opportunity
lol

I just cropped his front as the entered pic, as he lay in his environment for the last time. Eyes still open as though he was telling me I was about to suffer and gonna earn every ounce of him thru out the night.
lol

 

[cnelk]

Geez. Typcial replies. Everyone's a critic.
Is it jealously or what?

Congrats to the 6 finalists!
I wish I could vote for them all

 

[wannakillabigbull]

^^^ agreed. These pictures are outstanding. Some of these criticisms are ridiculous and honestly made me laugh. Apparently having photos that very obviously have elk/elk antlers in them aren't elky enough? Congrats to all the finalists.

 

[robby denning]

^^^ agreed. These pictures are outstanding. Some of these criticisms are ridiculous and honestly made me laugh. Apparently having photos that very obviously have elk/elk antlers in them aren't elky enough? Congrats to all the finalists.

Got up this morning and saw this and cnelk's comments. They are right! Agree with our contest or not, we only asked you to vote, not offer your Eeyore opinions on everything wrong with hunting, picture choice, selfies, etc. This is the kind of crap that drove Aron away from forums.

I'm usually open to debate but this thread isn't for that--it's to celebrate hunters and elk. Like it or not, this is hunting in the modern age, especially on Rokslide. If you think hunting has gone to hell in a handbasket due to social medie, delete your Rokslide account, as we are the largest Western hunting social media site out there and no one likes a hypocrite.

So, if you want to start your own threads on photography ethics, what makes up a great photo, and safety tips for taking photos, start your own threads...this one is reserved for staff and members who like the Rokslide vision of hunting hard, hunting smart, and celebrating what the elk hunt is all about. By the looks of this thread, seems people really like the packout photos.

And btw, I took your insights into consideration and will probably include them in next year's contest- lean more towards naming it "best elk hunting photo" contest or something of the sort. I'm sorry if the title for this year's mislead anyone into thinking it was only about the elk.

 

[5MilesBack]

Got up this morning and saw this and cnelk's comments. They are right! Agree with our contest or not, we only asked you to vote, not offer your Eeyore opinions on everything

Hmmmm....I was thinking the same thing when the Sheep vote came out. All the opinions can or could influence the votes instead of just having a thread open to votes and no discussion. Seemed like a free-for-all and open to all comments. Yet some Eeyore comments remain. Some people here are wound so tight, they're going to pop some day. Relax folks, you'll live longer.

 

[danarnold]

I'm in shock mines not a finalist!!

oh yeah, I arrowed a cow this year

I"m keeping my vote to myself... GREAT job to all

 

[robby denning]

Hmmmm....I was thinking the same thing when the Sheep vote came out. All the opinions can or could influence the votes instead of just having a thread open to votes and no discussion. Seemed like a free-for-all and open to all comments. Yet some Eeyore comments remain. Some people here are wound so tight, they're going to pop some day. Relax folks, you'll live longer.

Ya, maybe I shouldn't have opened it to comments. I somehow hold out the hope that people will figure out that if they can't say something nice, they won't say anything at all. The anonymity of the web seems to make people braver (to be a prick) than they really are.

I deleted your comments on the safety factor of carrying antlers, not because you weren't right, but it didn't fit with the thread.

Maybe next year I'll only have a vote up, no comments.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Man super hard choices, I really want SFRICK88 because that lady is working hard & I want to promote lady hunting, Jared Lampton because hunched over ready to puke is most realistic for me.
But topo_trekker spent the money on a real camera, learned how to use it, and packed it into the woods, and set the shot up well.

 

[mfllood3800]

Ya, maybe I shouldn't have opened it to comments. I somehow hold out the hope that people will figure out that if they can't say something nice, they won't say anything at all. The anonymity of the web seems to make people braver (to be a prick) than they really are.

I deleted your comments on the safety factor of carrying antlers, not because you weren't right, but it didn't fit with the thread.

Maybe next year I'll only have a vote up, no comments.

whew.
I was thinking there wouldn't be a next year
glad to see that isn't the case