2025 Best Elk Hunt Photo, sponsored by Kifaru

[BuckSmasher]

Idaho Wilderness

 

[HunterGatherer]

The Blood Moon Bull-
This was a solo, public land, hunt of a lifetime for me. I returned to the mountains where I first learned to bow hunt at age 12, 34 years later. I hunted for 22 days, passing smaller bulls and biding my time. I hunted this specific bull for several days before I was finally able to trick him into presenting a shot.

I began the hunt in the light of the Blood Moon on September 7/8, about 3:45 AM. Using a few well timed location bugles, I was able to shadow the bull in the dark as he cruised across 3 drainages looking for cows and intimidating smaller bulls. I knew catching him alone was my big chance. As shooting light dawned, I closed the distance with a few pleading cow calls and he gave me the “come on in” chuckle . As I entered the red zone, I gave one last mew, almost a whisper- just to misdirect the bull to that location. Then, I quickly contoured underneath the bull and wrapped around behind him as he dropped down to look for the cow. He was literally walking my boot tracks from just a minute before when he walked into a small shooting lane at 37yds and I let go a perfect arrow. That final encounter was absolutely heart-pounding and took all the experience and every skill I have honed over all these years of hunting to pull it off.

After the shot, I found my arrow covered in good blood but I struggled to find any blood trail associated with the bull’s tracks. There were so many tracks in the area it made it nearly impossible to isolate the correct track. I began to panic a bit as all “what-ifs” came flooding into my head. But after 15 minutes of grid searching, I found the bull resting peacefully just 102yds from the shot. This pic is taken at the moment I found him…

 

[I90west]

North Idaho- Last Load

 

[HighUintas]

Utah Manti muzzleloader bull hunt. First elk with my 58 caliber flintlock shooting patched ball and real black powder. Solo pictures are hard. The stoke level is high here. The shorts are stalking perfection and should make me win this comp despite the poor photographic skills haha. Shot at 50 yards offhand. Frontal shot slightly high dropped him with a neck and spine impact.

 

[Pwb199]

I got married this summer and invited my father in law on an elk hunt - couldn’t have been a better experience. 10/1/25.

 

[BunnyThumper]

my dad has been trying to get me a mature bull, and it finally happened in Idaho!

 

[PLhunter]

2025 Idaho Elk

 

[Rackhunter78]

First elk. Archery in Wyoming.

 

[filthyskills]

9/21/25 New Mexico

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[Blacktailaddiction]

Dad's first bull.

 

[Jaden Bales]

Entering. Early Oct. Bull. He chose a spicy spot to land.

 

[Luke Acquistapace]

Old school

 

[CO_MTN_GUY]

Colorado Unicorn Elk

 

[HighUintas]

Colorado Unicorn Elk
View attachment 953130

That's wild. For some reason it makes me wonder if he's got a migraine constantly

 

[CO_MTN_GUY]

That's wild. For some reason it makes me wonder if he's got a migraine constantly

Right?! Just got him out yesterday and haven't skinned the head out yet but interested to see what it looks like under there. Gonna be a cool euro for sure though

 

[wannakillabigbull]

Hard to beat these first rifle views.

 

[Huntndog]

Almost time.

 

[GIS]

Last load and one of my favorite hunts to date mostly because of the stunning views.

 

[JBHunt_3]

Wyoming Wide Load. 49” inside


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