Holy smokes...

[loadsandlattes]

Didn't mean to stir the pot by posting a picture. I honestly don't see what the big deal is - my buddy got a great bull on a low fence guided hunt.

I'm sure 75% of us would love for this to have been taken on public land. I'm sure that 99% of us would have pulled the trigger, all things being equal. I guarantee 100% that when he looks at this monster on his wall and makes some elk burger for his family, he's going to remember how special of a moment it was for him... and that he could give a damn if anyone else thinks differently

I'm just proud of my buddy. I hope that this hunt inspires him to continue chasing elk and hopefully a DIY hunt with me in 2021.

 

[AaronMColeman]

A monster like that, if behind a high fence, is not a tough bull to get. Just have to have the cash... So no, not under any circumstances.

If this wasn't a high fence hunt, we will hear more about it through various sources. Free range bulls like that aren't taken too often and are news worthy to many publications.

Not trying to fight, I agree that high fence is not the challenge...and all it takes is $$$. But at the same time we don't see bulls like this very often anywhere, so there is "some" challenge to getting a monster just due to the fact that there aren't that many.

To me the story is cooler than the trophy. I have some great stories about some dinky elk. I wouldn't trade those for a "well I gave them $20k and they showed me where the monster was" sort of story resulting in a monster.

 

[AaronMColeman]

Didn't mean to stir the pot by posting a picture. I honestly don't see what the big deal is - my buddy got a great bull on a low fence guided hunt.

I'm sure 75% of us would love for this to have been taken on public land. I'm sure that 99% of us would have pulled the trigger, all things being equal. I guarantee 100% that when he looks at this monster on his wall and makes some elk burger for his family, he's going to remember how special of a moment it was for him... and that he could give a damn if anyone else thinks differently

I'm just proud of my buddy. I hope that this hunt inspires him to continue chasing elk and hopefully a DIY hunt with me in 2021.

Agreed! Get him on a DIY elk hunt...nothing is more fun than that

 

[Laramie]

Not trying to fight, I agree that high fence is not the challenge...and all it takes is $$$. But at the same time we don't see bulls like this very often anywhere, so there is "some" challenge to getting a monster just due to the fact that there aren't that many.

To me the story is cooler than the trophy. I have some great stories about some dinky elk. I wouldn't trade those for a "well I gave them $20k and they showed me where the monster was" sort of story resulting in a monster.

If you google 400" high fence elk - there are plenty of options. Ranchers grow giant elk all over the country. They aren't publicized often for various reasons but mainly because they are typically frowned upon by the general hunting community.

I was in no way suggesting that the bull in this thread is high fence. If it's not, it will be publicized by, at a minimum, the outfitter. Non-high fence elk like this are extremely rare and a bull like this would be huge for his business. One look at the record books will tell the story how rare they are. No issue with guys doing private land, guided elk hunts at all. I was a guide for many years.