Will you kill an elk anywhere?

Joined
Jan 16, 2018
Messages
1,034
I'm not very smart . . . So as long as I'm not going to lose meat to spoilage I'd kill one. Couple years back we topped a ridge and dropped down the back side into a wicked hole, my buddy said 6x6 or better or no shot. He was shaking his head when he was at full draw on a rag horn at 40 yards. Lucky for him there was a tree covering his vitals because I was absolutely going to stick him if he took another step!!!
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Messages
2,328
Depends on the bull, lots of spots where I've passed up smaller bulls or even some questionable bulls due to them being in a hell hole. The juice just has to be worth the squeeze, I would kill a good 6x6 bull anywhere I've hunted.
Exactly. I’ve been in places where I’ve asked myself what the hell are you doing here? Do you really want to kill an elk here? The answer was yes, six point bulls only. It also has something to do with how much time I have left on my hunt. You don’t kill bulls and far away hell holes on the last day of your hunt.
 

waldo9190

WKR
Joined
Jul 10, 2018
Messages
307
Location
Minnesota
Seeing as how I haven't killed one yet....absolutely! Maybe when I'm old and grey with a fair number under my belt I'll let myself get picky, but I'm not there yet. I've chased a few bulls into massive hell holes but wouldn't have given it a second thought to let one fly had the opportunity presented itself.
 

taskswap

WKR
Joined
Oct 6, 2021
Messages
524
Modern tech has changed my answer here. I feel like I can always find SOME path out of an area without having to climb the wall of a steep gully. it may not be the most direct route - last year I went a mile out of my way on a pack out. But it avoided two nasty rifts and was 90% downhill the way I went. so it was totally worth it.

I'd say at this point my two deciding factors would be a) if an area is just downright dangerous (steep sides, loose shale, no anchors - I fractured my heel in a gully like that 4 years ago and it still twinges today) or b) I thought I might not recover an elk at all (so steep the elk would fall into the river, for example).
 
Joined
Feb 14, 2023
Messages
24
Location
Texas
I would personally shoot any size bull anywhere since I have never taken one. Now an Aoudad or something I have taken plenty of, I would consider the location before pulling the trigger.
 
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