How Many 300+ Inch Bulls Have You Killed

[Caseknife]

LE unit in Wyoming, pushing 360", aged at Matson's at 10.5 years, 2016.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

I have one 6x6 that officially scored B&C 304-4/8" gross and 294-3/8" net. So he had 10-1/8" of deductions therefore he would have been 314-5/8" had he grown to his longest length.

Here are some pictures of my bull before and after. Like others have said, 300" bull is no slouch. For scale I am 6'6 370lbs so im not a small human and the truck is a 2021 F150.

Colorado Resident, Colorado bull, 2022 limited rifle tag.

 

[Speck1]

Two. One from UT and one from NM. Almost had number 3 last year but a juniper branch saved him.

 

[Blackbird]

Maybe 1 maybe none. Haven’t measure him but took him on the late Utah archery this year.

 

[Elkangle]

For those that have killed 300 type bulls on command, what would you say is your biggest contributing factors to targeting them ??

 

[fatlander]

For those that have killed 300 type bulls on command, what would you say is your biggest contributing factors to targeting them ??

I’ve killed one, so take it for what it’s worth. Yet to have an elk trip that there wasn’t a 300+” bull spotted during the hunt. I’ve killed a lot of big whitetails. The common denominator is spending time where big ones are. You can’t kill 160” whitetails or 300” bulls where the biggest buck is 120 or the biggest bulls are 260.

 

[Greenhorn]

For those that have killed 300 type bulls on command, what would you say is your biggest contributing factors to targeting them ??

"On command" is an inaccurate way of describing it, at least for me. I live where hunting (at least used to be) great and there were no shortage of 300" bulls around, and tags are OTC and months of season (archery and rifle). For me there's been a lot of time, scouting, days hunting, more than most people do. In the last 25 years or so, if i shot an elk that was 300", it was an accident. I'd likely not walk away from a 330 type elk in SW MT, but anymore I'd rather not shoot one that wasn't a bit bigger than 300. Elk are just too big and too much work and the bulls are usually not in easy places to handle them for me anymore. I've sold pretty much all my elk racks that were under 320. They've probably been chewed up by dogs by now, as that's what the antler buyers use most of them for. Took a picture of some of the smaller ones before a buyer picked them up a couple years back. I'll say effort they took compared to the income for selling them was way out of balance.

 

[Ross]

Have to be in country for bulls to age. Typically that would be a good crop of bulls 5+ yrs old with good genetics. My country there is very very limited glassing, that means, knowledge, cams, big rubs, history, boots on the ground, and sufficient days to hunt. Prior to heavy wolf predation I could count on bulls bugling through to October. I was a bugle runner and on one mountain I killed 7 six points over a 13 year period, two on the same meatpole. You also have to be patient and likely willing to eat tags letting little bulls walk which is not easy. You also have to enjoy many days of nothing,knowing you can make it happen,if you enjoy the suck as they say

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Have to be in country for bulls to age. Typically that would be a good crop of bulls 5+ yrs old with good genetics. My country there is very very limited glassing, that means, knowledge, cams, big rubs, history, boots on the ground, and sufficient days to hunt. Prior to heavy wolf predation I could count on bulls bugling through to October. I was a bugle runner and on one mountain I killed 7 six points over a 13 year period, two on the same meatpole. You also have to be patient and likely willing to eat tags letting little bulls walk which is not easy. You also have to enjoy many days of nothing,knowing you can make it happen,if you enjoy the suck as they say

Awesome advice right there...

enjoy the suck as they say

We always say "embrace the suck", and I feel deeply that without some struggle you never appreciate the blessings.

 

[Ross]

PS my family thought I was crazy letting little bulls walk and any elk, as there was a liberal cow season until wolves showed on the scene. They were meat hunters and shot a few great bulls, but never targeted larger bulls, as they could Not stay off the trigger, when a legal animal stepped out . When I started bugling bulls in the 80s they just told me I would scare everything

 

[Greenhorn]

Some pics, what keeps me going back and trying and crossing the fingers.

 

[Greenhorn]

I'll say from my experience the rifle bulls from SW MT were by far the most challenging hunts. Very very tough and my days of doing some of that are coming to a close if they haven't already.

 

[Elkangle]

Awesome pics greenhorn

I'm sure it's hard to say specifically but on those rifle hunts how many bulls do you need to look over before finding a target bull ?? Are you sitting on post rutt hidy holes ??

It seems like I need to see about 50 bulls before seeing somthing with size.

 

[Greenhorn]

I'm sure it's hard to say specifically but on those rifle hunts how many bulls do you need to look over before finding a target bull ?? Are you sitting on post rutt hidy holes ??

It seems like I need to see about 50 bulls before seeing somthing with size.

I see fewer and fewer each year. A decade ago and prior, I'd see a handful each season. In more recent years I usually only see 1 or 2 during a rifle season. In 2022 I shot the only one I saw. In 2023 I saw one smaller 6 point the entire rifle season and black powder season and did not take one. We have a very long season and being able to go on every single day when the conditions are good is key. They're so much harder to find later than in September.

2 of my last 3 MT rifle elk I actually found the prior years antlers of the bull I took. And no other antlers, just those 2 bulls. I found the set of the 2019 bull the spring after I shot it, so they sat out there for a year.
2017 elk



2019 elk and prior years sheds.

 

[Elkangle]

That's awesome, thank you

Those long seasons would be dang nice, alot of areas are just handicapped it seems and aside from drawing tags, buying tags, moving to a new state, a guy can hit a imaginary ceiling in the regards to elk hunting.. but maybe this will be the year !!

 

[bradmacmt]

I'll say from my experience the rifle bulls from SW MT were by far the most challenging hunts. Very very tough and my days of doing some of that are coming to a close if they haven't already.I see fewer and fewer each year.

A decade ago and prior, I'd see a handful each season. In more recent years I usually only see 1 or 2 during a rifle season. In 2022 I shot the only one I saw. In 2023 I saw one smaller 6 point the entire rifle season and black powder season and did not take one. We have a very long season and being able to go on every single day when the conditions are good is key. They're so much harder to find later than in September.

I agree Kurt, and am in the same boat. You've piled up a super impressive amount of hard-won mountain bulls over the years my friend!

 

[HighUintas]

I see fewer and fewer each year. A decade ago and prior, I'd see a handful each season. In more recent years I usually only see 1 or 2 during a rifle season. In 2022 I shot the only one I saw. In 2023 I saw one smaller 6 point the entire rifle season and black powder season and did not take one. We have a very long season and being able to go on every single day when the conditions are good is key. They're so much harder to find later than in September.

2 of my last 3 MT rifle elk I actually found the prior years antlers of the bull I took. And no other antlers, just those 2 bulls. I found the set of the 2019 bull the spring after I shot it, so they sat out there for a year.
2017 elk

View attachment 706116
View attachment 706118
2019 elk and prior years sheds.
View attachment 706119

I'm in need of a mentor!

 

[MuleyFever]

I have killed 3 bulls. I don't really elk hunt. One people say is over 300" but I don't measure.

 

[Cspraggins]

Only bull I have shot. Low 330’s. Put in for close to a decade to draw the tag in NM. not one of the glory units, but had some damn fine elk in it. 300”+ of bone is damn impressive on the ground.

 

[jhenry34]

love seeing these - inspirational for sure