Pony Soldier
WKR
When I was first starting hunting there were a lot of big old bulls (10-12 years old) in the woods because nobody wanted to eat them. At least once a week there was set of elk horns in the back of a kid's pickup that stuck up a considerable distance above back of the box while laying flat. Once that was taken care of then everyone went back to focussing on cows.
This was in the sixties. The horns of my first big bull made it to the barn until I went to college. Then my dad threw them out.
My hunting partner's dad killed a really big old bull elk the fall of 1968. They didn't have refridgeration so his mother canned it. The purpose of elk hunting was to get your winters meat. My partner was taught that you never wasted meat. Consequently he fleshed out every hide to augment the hamburger stockpile. Anyway after a few meals, it was obvious that the bull was tasty but it was going take some significant effort to chew his way through it.
Given his options, he chose to join the marines and volunteer for Vietnam. He figured that after four years, that bull would be gone. At the end of four years he went home and that bull was waiting for him. He had satisfied his curiosity about Nam and chose the next option. He got married and moved out.
As my kids grew up I told them that an old bull would feed a family of four for two years while a 2 year old cow would feed the same family for six months.
While I haven't passed up any big bulls, I focused the search on young and tender because the purpose of hunting has always been dinner.
I don't expect any comments on this but thought you would find it interesting.
This was in the sixties. The horns of my first big bull made it to the barn until I went to college. Then my dad threw them out.
My hunting partner's dad killed a really big old bull elk the fall of 1968. They didn't have refridgeration so his mother canned it. The purpose of elk hunting was to get your winters meat. My partner was taught that you never wasted meat. Consequently he fleshed out every hide to augment the hamburger stockpile. Anyway after a few meals, it was obvious that the bull was tasty but it was going take some significant effort to chew his way through it.
Given his options, he chose to join the marines and volunteer for Vietnam. He figured that after four years, that bull would be gone. At the end of four years he went home and that bull was waiting for him. He had satisfied his curiosity about Nam and chose the next option. He got married and moved out.
As my kids grew up I told them that an old bull would feed a family of four for two years while a 2 year old cow would feed the same family for six months.
While I haven't passed up any big bulls, I focused the search on young and tender because the purpose of hunting has always been dinner.
I don't expect any comments on this but thought you would find it interesting.
Last edited:
