Passing up smaller bulls

I have a small house with no room for herd bull size mounts, not that I wouldn't mind taking one of the bruisers. I am quite content with a freezer full of elk meat so the first cow that is in range of my bow is in trouble. I took my first bull last year, a 4x5, and he is mighty tasty :)
 
One of the bonus situations is when here in Utah during the OTC archery elk season if you have a separate cow tag for the same area you can keep it in your pocket and fill it during the archery season regardless of when that cow tag actually has its season.

So last year I was hunting for a bull in an area that we had scouted when a very big cow walked in front of my bow at 52 yards. She has more than topped off the freezer and I was able to then get picky and search for a bigger bull knowing the freezer was full. I opted to eat tag soup rather than harvest another cow which I could have done with that OTC tag. The chase of the bigger bulls was very fun and the experiences I had past when I harvested the cow or could have harvested another cow/small bull were some of the best I have ever had.

But generally speaking, if a bull is branch antlered on my OTC archery tag and he is withing 50 yards I'm gonna stick an arrow in him should a shot present itself. As my wife likes to remind me "You don't put antlers in the freezer".
 
Over the years I have shot the first bull that walks up, and there have been a few years where I hold out for a mature bull. Sometimes Karma will smile on a hunter, and sometimes not. Depending on where a guy is hunting can greatly influence my decision. Last fall I went out hunting with a big bull or nothing attitude......... Came home with an un-notched elk tag in my pocket. And that's the game. Any regrets? Nope, I had a blast anyway! Because of this, this fall I will have more bulls to chase and perhaps a few bigger ones too ;)
 
I have never shot a truly huge bull, but the over the counter unit I hunt does not have 300 bulls around every tree. I have seen them, so I know they are there. I hold out for something bigger than I have shot the year before. There are a lot of times I go home with tag soup. But if I want one for the wall I gotta pass up the small bulls.
 
On an over-the-counter hunt, I'll shoot a 5 pt or better. On the couple of "trophy" tags I have had, I have passed up some decent bulls looking for what I had in mind. I really depends on the situation. If your in an area that only produces smaller bulls, you had better be shootin'! If you have an area with good potential, you had better be willing to eat the tag if your passing on small bulls.
 
The tag determines what I pass up. OTC areas first legal elk (other than a calf) gets an arrow. Here in WA depending on the unit that could he a spike only, spike or antlerless, 3pt min or 3pt min or antlerless unit.

I will say though if given the option I will shoot a cow over a small bull (4pt or less) any day of the week because if I shoot a small bull its for the meat not the antlers. And Is ratjer shoot the cow in hopes that the bull will grow up someday.
 
I can not actually say what will happen this year. Shooting a longbow if it is legal and gets in the way of my arrow......shame on him. I only hope it is a 340 bull, but being OTC most likely not. I am there to have the best time possible and the kill is just a bonus. An even bigger bonus if he is a big bull.

Glenn
 
I recently read a study on age structures of breeding bulls. It would apply to this discussion greatly. Ill see if I can dig it up and post it.
 
Everyone must decide for themselves what it is that they are satisfied with, for some its a cow, others a branch antlered bull, & others something bigger that they've taken in the past! It's an individual Sport not a competition! It's sad when I see hunters being influenced by others & it has them go outside their comfort zone because of peer pressure, that really ends up taking the fun out of it! Get out there and hunt, do not be concerned with the size of the kill, if you released the string or pulled the trigger be darned happy about it, not sitting there over a dead animal & wishing it was bigger because your concerned what others may think!

With all the TV Shows & so called Trophy Hunters influencing newer hunters I've seen a huge attitude change on what Elk Hunting used to be all about! Personally I get excited over anything we put an arrow through & I truly hope I never lose that feeling regardless of rack size! Define what's important to you as individuals & your needs & stick with it, don't worry about competing with the "jonses" >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

ElkNut1
 
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i pretty much so quit whitetail hunting because of "waiting for the bigger buck" mentality. after not releasing an arrow for a while it took the fun completely out of it. now i set in a tree and think, if a doe or small buck comes through i wont shoot cause i dont want it but if a huge buck comes through i gotta figure out how to come up with the money for taxidermy, why am i even here. i just lost my enjoyment of it. this will be my first year at elk hunting, im 41, and ive chosen to use a muzzleloader and a cheaper cow tag this year so i can increase my chances of success while keeping cost down while i learn a few things. i will shoot the first cow i can and be more proud of it than alot of guys that shoot 6x6s. ive got that burn again with this even though its just a cow. there are alot of factors that go into that pride of doing this that goes beyond just hunting, mainly the fact that at 41 i finally said im going no matter what. we all hunt for different reasons and desires. as long as its legal and your proud of your accomplishments go for it. good luck and straight shooting, rather its a cow or 400.
 
If I shoot it it is a TROPHY and will not shoot something that is not a TROPHY! With that being said I have a cow elk that is one of my biggest TROPHIES! that hunt was one of the best hunts of my life, I met the group that I still hunt with till this day. The only one I knew before the hunt was my cousin. The rest of the group was strangers I had never met. Today we are very good friends and I would do anything for any of them. Would I like to shoot a big bull, of course I would. I might one day be in the right spot at the right time.

When I do the ground check on an animal I get there and get all excited like a young kid with his first kill. That 30 minute rule of waiting before going to the animal always is hard for me because I am so excited. It was especially this spring when I shot my first animal with my longbow (Black Bear). I had to sit there for seamed like 4 days waiting. It turned out to be the smallest bear in camp that week, but to me he was the biggest every. That was another hunt where I had more fun than should be allowed.

So I would consider my self a TROPHY HUNTER. My TROPHIES might not be what others consider TROPHIES and that is OK with me. My only competition is with my self to make the hunt the best it could be, you never know when it could be your last one. So make every day and every hunt the best possible and HAVE FUN. Like my signature says " TROPHIES ARE NOT MEASURED IN POINTS AND INCHES, RATHER THE GREAT MEMORIES CREATED".

Glenn
 
I am going to be hard pressed to pass up any bull I see given that it has taken me 9 years to draw a tag! I have been forced to "pass" up many without a tag in hand and it hurts. I have had to let some beautify animals walk. If a cow presents an opportunity on the first day I think I am going to have to pass.
 
This year, nope! I'm predicting a bull down, no mater the size the first week. I just don't have the time to drag the season on. I'm hoping to arrow an elk, and a bear over the gut pile, and be done.
 
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