The 2012 David L vs Aron S challenge!

[les welch]

Yep, it's gonna be balls to the walls in 2012!

Yeah, like that's different than any other year!lol

 

[Dead eye]

180 is 10 points off book so around a 360+

 

[Evan Williams]

Dead eye what state are you hunting in!?!?!!

 

[Aron Snyder]

I think he's in Colorado.

 

[a3dhunter]

I hardly call that wasting time in my opinion. I spent 17 days trying to kill my last backcountry mule deer over 180" and got it done on the last day. Never was one day of that a wasted day. And I had a lot of other stuff to get done as well to include going to MT to kill an elk. That was another 12 day hunt. On my mule deer hunt I passed up numerous bucks that I could have stalked in the 160" range. I could have gotten it done a lot sooner if I wanted to kill a lesser buck.

With all that being said, I am much like David and search out the biggest bone on the head of my quarry.

Jared, I'm going out on a limb from my conversations with Aron, I don't think he'll hold out!
Until someone has committed to passing up bucks and really looking for a great buck, it is easier to shoot a smaller one. It seems like with each buck I passed on, it was easier to pass on the next one.
While I wouldn't call it wasting time when I am hunting mule deer, for the person who lists mule deer way down on the list of top species to hunt it might be considered wasting time for them.

This year I'm taking the first decent buck I get a shot at myself.
I'll be surprised if I shoot something over 160", lol.

BTW: great article you had.

 

[Aron Snyder]

I'm not sure how long I'll hold out this season on with mule deer, but I agree with a3d on just about everything he just posted.

I have never been a big mule deer hunter, so I don't pass up on much, but when I'm elk hunting there's times I've passed up 10-15 bulls in a season before taking a shot.

Either way, it will be interesting to see how many I can actually pass up (deer anyway) this season...especially if means I'll get made fun of

 

[Rick Seymour]

Colorado OTC trophy = 300+ IMHO

 

[david long]

In the area of Colorado I hunt, I would say that a 300" bull would be equivalent to a 180" muley.......the guys comparing 350-360 bulls to a 180" muley have obviously not spent much time hunting public land in Colorado

I have seen numerous elk over the years that range from 300-350 while hunting mulies (with elk tag in my pocket), but have never been tempted to do a stalk. I can tell you this, elk won't even be on my radar this year until I get both my Colorado and Wyoming mule deer hunts out of the way

 

[justin davis]

In the area of Colorado I hunt, I would say that a 300" bull would be equivalent to a 180" muley.......the guys comparing 350-360 bulls to a 180" muley have obviously not spent much time hunting public land in Colorado

I have seen numerous elk over the years that range from 300-350 while hunting mulies (with elk tag in my pocket), but have never been tempted to do a stalk. I can tell you this, elk won't even be on my radar this year until I get both my Colorado and Wyoming mule deer hunts out of the way

Dang David you sure are addicted to them gray ghosts!! Good luck to you guys!

 

[dotman]

Was just thinking, weapon used should factor into this unless you both decide to hunt with same type of weapon for both animals.

 

[bearguide]

330 we do not want it to be to easy

 

[justin davis]

Yea I am not trying to pic sides. But I have seen alot more 300+ bulls in the woods compared to 180 inch bucks. I'm just saying. haha giving Dave a hard time.

 

[TwoTikkas]

Hmmm. I hunted Colordo 67 last fall for elk first rifle season. During the week I saw 3 bulls. The biggest was maybe 300". The 2 Muley bucks I saw were 150/160" 4X4s. i wouldn't want to have to find a 340+ on a bet with a muley hunter on those grounds with what I saw in person. I sur didn't see them all,but what I did put the deer hunter at an advantage. Just my .02. I would have to say OTC Colorado 330 tops and that might not be fair.

 

[a3dhunter]

I think one thing that ought to factor in is how much time they will have to hunt the species.

So, David, How much time will you plan for elk hunting?
Aron, how much time for deer hunting?

 

[cmeier117]

In the area of Colorado I hunt, I would say that a 300" bull would be equivalent to a 180" muley.......the guys comparing 350-360 bulls to a 180" muley have obviously not spent much time hunting public land in Colorado

I have seen numerous elk over the years that range from 300-350 while hunting mulies (with elk tag in my pocket), but have never been tempted to do a stalk. I can tell you this, elk won't even be on my radar this year until I get both my Colorado and Wyoming mule deer hunts out of the way

This just seems like backward thinking to me.

 

[Rent Outdoor Gear]

I would have to say that a bull in the 330 - 340 gross range on an OTC tag is roughly the equivalent of a 180 buck and that's roughly supported my dthornton's analysis above (I'm guessing that's a P&Y recordbook?), but it seems 'bout-right!

Accordingly any larger or smaller would have to be scored by a ratio of these scores. As an unbiased outsider, I'll write the equation to settle any disputes. drhronton (is that Dr. or D.R.?) - you tell me what the top 10% of entries are and we'll just do a linear equation between these points. The likelihood of either of you shooting bucks and bulls way out of this range isn't worth the effort of over complicating things. Let's get it on!! High country rumble!

 

[elkhunter]

The good dr is right. but I would up the elk to at least 340"

 

[david long]

Until I have a Colorado and Wyoming muley on the ground........the elk are pretty safe

I have a 16 day stretch set aside for these two muley hunts. I will begin in Colorado and then travel directly to Wyoming for my second hunt. With that being said, I might have two weekends for Colorado elk.

I really don't want to shoot an elk......unless Aron agrees to pack it out for me

 

[a3dhunter]

David, You ought to have that as part of the bet.
If you shoot a bull over 300" then Aron has to drop what he's doing to come pack out you're elk for you!
Just make sure you have a satellite phone with you...

 

[Florida Mike]

330 Elk = 180 Muley. In Colorado. Mike