Estes Park/RMNP Celebrity Bull Split 5 Legally Hunted- Facebook Anti Hunters Lose It

[intunegp]

News that celebrity big bull "Split 5" or "Atlas" was legally harvested in October is spreading on Facebook, and all the anti-hunters, tourists, and photographers that pimp him and other wildlife on social media for likes and views are filling comment sections with anti-hunting, trophy hunting rhetoric. These people are talking like a family member was murdered and everyone who hunts is to blame. I've tried to enter a few intelligent conversations about how much hunters do for conversation and it has all been met with the usual nonsense replies...little ones taste better, the only reason to kill a big bull is if you're a trophy hunter, no one needs to kill to feed their family, he deserved better, etc. People asking why he was "allowed" to be killed after being "protected" all this time...he was a big bull that lived most of his life in people's yards or RMNP, and last fall he wandered into a huntable area. Simple as that. A quick search for "Split 5" will turn up endless posts honoring and remembering him with comments sections full of anti-hunters.

I don't really have a ton else to say because to me, someone killed a big bull and I'd like to congratulate them. There was lots of talk during the rut about how much damage he took and how busted up his rack was so I'd be curious to see the grip and grin and whether or not the taxidermist is going to repair the rack or leave it as is. For me it has mostly been a bit of a jolting reminder/temperature check of just how many people would like to strip your rights away so that they can look at pretty pictures of their favorite animal on Facebook.

The bull in question (2023 photo):

 

[wind gypsy]

Got any pics of how broken up he was? I have seen a pile of reels of that bull show up in YouTube or gram feeds.

 

[intunegp]

Got any pics of how broken up he was? I have seen a pile of reels of that bull show up in YouTube or gram feeds.

Can't find a good picture or figure out how to embed a Facebook video but:

9.9K views · 2.7K reactions | Here’s a look at Split 5 after those aforementioned fights that got his antlers busted up. #elk #bullelk | Good Bull Outdoors

Here’s a look at Split 5 after those aforementioned fights that got his antlers busted up. #elk #bullelk

www.facebook.com

edit: Found this

 

[Maverick1]

Looks tasty.

 

[intunegp]

Looks tasty.

I gotta say, while I know it isn't the best response to paint hunters favorably, the comments replying to "RIP" saying "he's resting in someone's freezer/belly" have been cracking me up.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

Same people that voted for wolves for ecosystem "health" are upset an animal was killed in an overpopulated ungulate area?

 

[taskswap]

"You can't reason somebody out of a position they didn't reason themselves into." - Applies universally to all people, no matter the topic.

"Never wrestle with a pig. All that happens is, you get dirty, and the pig likes it." - Same.

 

[dr.mooseknuckles]

What Unit? Lol, 18?

 

[Wrench]

I gotta say, while I know it isn't the best response to paint hunters favorably, the comments replying to "RIP" saying "he's resting in someone's freezer/belly" have been cracking me up.

Rest in Pepperoni

 

[intunegp]

What Unit? Lol, 18?

I have to assume 20. He was known to hang out in Moraine Park which is on the Estes side of RMNP.

 

[spike camp]

Bet that bull had CWD

 

[intunegp]

Bet that bull had CWD

There was no mandatory elk testing for the 2025 season so we will probably never know unless the shooter paid the $25 and had it tested for their own knowledge.

 

[Maverick1]

 

[spike camp]

There was no mandatory elk testing for the 2025 season so we will probably never know unless the shooter paid the $25 and had it tested for their own knowledge.

Yeah, I know.
That bull shagged every cow he could on the golf course for years.
Estes herd has one of the highest prevalence of CWD in the state.
Just doing the math.
Regardless, anyone know his score?

 

[Eagle]

Yeah, I know.
That bull shagged every cow he could on the golf course for years.
Estes herd has one of the highest prevalence of CWD in the state.
Just doing the math.
Regardless, anyone know his score?

Jay Scott had estimated him in the 410-420 range in 2024. Don’t think I saw any guesses this year before the bull got broken up.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

edit: Found this

Old fella looking a wee tired.

 

[intunegp]

Old fella looking a wee tired.

He was estimated 12-14, hard to say with the golf course bulls but he had to be nearing a decline. He had a good run being the king of Estes Park and I'm glad he was harvested legally by a hunter rather than being poached or dying of starvation, disease, or predation by something that would have made him suffer.

 

[bayoublaster7527]

The social media response reflects what we are up against in Colorado. The nationally funded anti-hunting organizations have taken notice and set up shop in Colorado along with plenty of state level orgs also. They see it as the new battleground state in the fight to eliminate hunting, fishing and trapping. If you think those comments are bad, just attend or watch on YouTube a CPW Commission meeting. They are no longer hiding behind social media accounts, they show up in person, led by the anti-hunting orgs’ paid full-time activists. A few weeks back they were making death threats against the CPW officers who euthanized the mountain lions involved in the fatal attack up there. They claim that CPW is lying and that it is “misinformation” that a mountain lion was involved. We need every hunter, angler, trapper, etc to get involved if we are going to save our outdoor heritage in this state.

Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management is on the front lines fighting for us if folks are interested.

Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management

We focus on the public’s interests for maintaining a century-old track record of our natural resources, including wildlife, habitat, and farms and ranches.

savethehuntcolorado.com

 

[deltadukman]

Just know those anti-hunting people are so deranged, there is no telling what they will do if you try and interject into their fantasy world. A majority of them are truly mentally unstable and it's unfortunate that trying to talk logically to them falls on deaf ears and can land you with having to deal with their crazy. The juice isn't worth the squeeze these days and that's how they are going to silence us. We don't have the time or energy to deal with their BS and they are truly unhinged enough to actually cause harm to someone who believes differently than them.

 

[Coveyleader]

Can't find a good picture or figure out how to embed a Facebook video but:

9.9K views · 2.7K reactions | Here’s a look at Split 5 after those aforementioned fights that got his antlers busted up. #elk #bullelk | Good Bull Outdoors

Here’s a look at Split 5 after those aforementioned fights that got his antlers busted up. #elk #bullelk

www.facebook.com

edit: Found this

I have to say, if that was the status of the bull when the hunter killed him, without a doubt it wasn't worth the hassle. I mean, shoot a raghorn, nobody would say a thing. To kill the giant of the park without his crown just seems stupid and that's coming from a guy who kills raghorns by the dozens.