First bull

[traviswdalton]

You’ll know when you see it.


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[IdahoElk]

I had a friend come out from back east to do a week of archery Elk,passed close shots on a rag horn,5pt and finally a small 6pt , I asked him what was going on after passing on the 6pt and he said the Elk in a Primos video were bigger and that's what he wanted, I laughed and never hunted with him again,calls me every year to come out.
If you're a newbie coming out west doing a DIY hunt,ANY legal Elk is a trophy.

 

[Billy Goat]

Pass it up.







It will give you something to regret for a year.

 

[SoDaky]

It's the country and the experience.Meat meat meat-sorry not for me.Meat is only a part of it at best.Maybe not 'PC' nowadays but truth often isn't.
My first bull was a spike.Great-but wish I'd waited.

This quote says it IMO:"I say, kill what makes you happy, and enjoy "

 

[SheddingLightTravis]

Depends on where I’m at and what I’m seeing. I’ve only been on one elk hunt and didnt see much. I would’ve shot the first legal bull by the end of it. Going into things this year with a bow, I’m hoping to shoot something with horns.


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[Tsutton1]

It's all about the experience in my opinion. That being said, I've only been elk hunting once and went home empty handed. I will taking the first legal elk that gives me a shot.

 

[ckleeves]

I’ll offer my point of view to counter the often repeated “ Don’t pass up on the first day what you would kill on the last day” saying
“You can’t kill the big bull if your tag is hanging on the little bull”

I’m completely satisfied with a hunt if I passed up some critters looking for the one I wanted even if it means eating a tag as long as I feel I gave 100%. I have shot animals that I wasn’t excited about and had a completely empty feeling afterwords and now I try and avoid that feeling at all cost.

Size isn’t all that comes into play either. The situation plays a big part of it. A raghorn bull that comes into a wallow midday and doesn’t have a clue I’m there is probably safe. I would rather just sit back and watch. Now take that same bull and have him come in screaming like he is the baddest bull in the woods to -10 yards and I’m probably shooting!




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[juan trueno]

I shoot First legal bull I get a legitimate shot opportunity on. Every time. And get on wirh it. If you think shootin a spike will taint the memory of your hunt though- I’d say hold off. you might only go elk hunting a few times in your life it’s sounds like and it might be “better” for you to hold off for a nice little 6 or a bigger 5x raghorn. When I’ve shot a decent bull I’ve wished it was smaller while packing. When I’ve shot a spike I’ve wished it was bigger in May. Like this time. About to be out.

 

[mtnwrunner]

1st, second, third, fourth and so on.
Hell yes!

Randy

 

[Jardo]

Any public land elk is a trophy in my book.


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[BrentLaBere]

yup, shoot away

 

[MountainLife]

Most people will never see an elk in the wild, let alone harvest one during a hunt. All a matter of what you're after and what it means to you.

 

[grossklw]

I got lucky and killed a 275" 6 point on my first hunt, but saying that, if it would've been a spike he would've been in deep sh*t. He just happened to be the first bull I had a chance at. I did pass on a cow my very first afternoon. I don't necessarily agree with don't pass up on the first day what you'd kill on the last. I would've killed that cow on the last day, but I didn't want my hunt to be over already on day 1 of a 13 day adventure, and I wouldn't have been disappointed if I would've came back empty handed after passing on a cow. I was just excited the following year when I killed a raghorn 4X3 as I was when I killed my P&Y bull, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[deerhunt1988]

To spicen it up a little...What if your first elk hunt was a highly coveted and possible once-in-a-lifetime draw?

That is the situation I've found myself in this year with a NM Unit 34 second season archery tag! After conversing with multiple folks familiar with the area, right now the plans are to pass on any spike up until about Day 6 of the 10-day season..

 

[FlyGuy]

I heard some advice somewhere (maybe Snyder?) that basically said “the only thing that makes you good at killing elk, is killing elk.”

I think there is a lot of truth to that. Shooting a spike or cow means finding success. It gives you confidence to build on the next season. Gives you first hand experience with packing and processing and all those skills that you don’t get to test if you only eat tags while holding out.

My gut says that you will feel differently, meaning your standards will change dramatically, after 4-5 unsuccessful days of chasing elk. You just don’t know yet how effing hard it is to kill an elk - an animal you’ve never hunted before - with a bow, in a place you’ve never been.

It’s ok though. How could you? I think we all start out like that. Thinking it’s going to be different for us b/c we are going to work harder, or we are just luckier than the average joe. Maybe it will go that way for you, but probably it won’t. By day 4 you are most likely going to be thinking “that looks like a trophy cow! That hide rug is going to look so good on my wall!”

So then you’ll shoot that spike if he gives you a chance and you’ll be so proud to post your grip-and-grin here in the elk contest thread. Which is the way it should be, b/c that’s a damn fine accomplishment, and by then you’ll understand that too.






You can’t cheat the mountain

 

[FlyGuy]

To spicen it up a little...What if your first elk hunt was a highly coveted and possible once-in-a-lifetime draw?

That is the situation I've found myself in this year with a NM Unit 34 second season archery tag! After conversing with multiple folks familiar with the area, right now the plans are to pass on any spike up until about Day 6 of the 10-day season..

Yeah, that changes things of course. I drew 16B this year. I don’t have a real “plan”. I’d like a 350+, but I’m just going to do what feels right at the time. It’s a sliding scale of course. That 265 bull doesn’t feel right on opening morning, but on day 11 your heart is beating through your chest trying to get drawn on him!

I honestly don’t think there is anything more stressful than having a really good tag in your pocket. Can’t help but put pressure on yourself and if the hunting is slow it just builds and builds everyday. So much relief when you punch the tag, like a huge weight lifted. At least it was for me.




You can’t cheat the mountain

 

[Newtosavage]

On public land especially my first elk don’t pass what you would gladly shoot on the last day.

Exactly.

Besides, how many shoulder mounts can you afford and how much room do you have to display them all?

And remember, nobody else cares about your trophy mounts but you.

 

[Pwells10]

I like to let the spikes pass. I don't judge or take offense to anyone that decides to take them because it's a ton of great meat that'll last you quite awhile. My thinking is to let them get a little bigger. There's a ton of other predators hurting the elk numbers right now, that's why I'll let spikes pass to somewhat help them out.

 

[Pwells10]

Sorry, I forgot to add that if this is your first bull, it wont matter the size. As long as it's legal and you have no regrets that's all that matters.

 

[Elk97]

This is a good question to be asking before you're at full draw. Make your decision before you get out of the truck so there's no hesitation or confusion to interfere with your concentration and aim at the critical moment.
For myself, if it's legal I'm shooting.