Biggest Bull for Your Area?

[Indian Summer]

Clients always ask me what is the top end potential for the area. To me that could mean two different things. The first is what can a hunter realistically expect to see or kill. The other is even though I probably won't see the biggest bulls in the area what kind of monsters might be living like recluses somewhere in the endless maze of hills. A couple years ago I got to talking to a few really nice guys from Utah that were camped next to me. I know for sure I could cross paths with a 320 or 330 inch bull. But I had heard from two reputable sources that there had been a 380 incher spotted over the course of several seasons. The Utah guys asked if I had seen the bull standing on a little chunk of private land at the base of the mountain. I hadn't but they said he was just chilling in a small pasture all alone. He went around 370. Just confirms what every hunter dreams of which is running into Mr. Big just once in a lifetime of chasing elk.

Earlier this week a friend killed this awesome bull. It came from an area just north of some hills we hunt regularly. I LOVE seeing this stuff! When you're done looking at the insane 5ths and 6ths check out the mass on the brow tines. This is the 6 point bull dreams are made of. If there is a God I would be forever grateful just to see a bull like this during open season. Then again I'd have to quit my job and tell the wife it's been nice knowing her because I would become obsessed with killing it. But until then I'll keep looking at pics of monsters like this that make me believe that any day could be the day. Aren't all elk hunters dreamers?

[>>>---WW---->]

Awful weak 3s. Guess I'd have to pass on him. Ya right!!!!! LOL That's green with envy!

[Swede]

Absolutely a great bull.
I don't see or pick up on camera anything as big as the bull pictured. I have heard of 400 class bulls, but it is always from people that have no idea what a 400 class bull looks like. As a matter of fact I heard of this 400 class bull in the area, and at the time Stringunner arrowed his 325 bull. I am quite sure it is the same critter. It was a fine bull to be sure. Last September it was reported that there was a 350 bull on the ranch. I did not see it, but who knows? Maybe it was 350. The area can produce big enough bulls if they can survive long enough.

BTW: Happy Thanksgiving.

[CurlyTail]

Where I hunt in Colorado, we have seen maybe a 350 class bull. Most around 280. Herd bulls 300 to 320.

In Nebraska, anything less than 350 is a dink. But times are changing - as Game and Parks issues more and more permits, that may not last. The herds are growing, but so is landowner discontent, so more permits are probably going to happen. If you are a resident of Nebraska, you need to be applying NOW.

[stringunner]

That's a nice bull! Holy smokes.

I have not seen very many bulls over 300 in the area we hunt. As Swede mentions there are always rumors of some big ones running around. And and about once a year I get one on camera that will exceed 300 but they are few

[Lefty]

When I was hunting the dessert I often saw or got on trail cam and messed up on a 360 ( killed by ranch hand ) While elk were few and far between good bulls stretchered from 300-340
Where we are now Ive seen similar size 300-340. with that said a 380 was killed in 2015 just miles away.
I was in the same camp/trailhead years ago where the same guy killed a 350 and 354 ten years apart. This year he killed another big bull in Utah

I have a friend who runs a CWMU in Utah Most bulls are340's I dont think they shoot anything under 330

[Indian Summer]

I guess a question would be do you think there are any giants in your area that are rarely if ever seen by man that dwarf even the good bulls there? In the Bitterroot in western Montana a 320 is a darn good bull. There are a very few bulls killed that will go bigger but it happens. But I know one guy who killed two 390s decades apart in the same general area. I would never have thought bulls like that lurked around there.

I have no idea what the bull in this picture scores but when I saw it and knowing it came from a place I hunt near I was a bit shocked. It's great to know the odd story of a monster is true so I can continue to dream.

[Gypsumreaper]

Indian I am constantly asked by clients what kind of animals they can expect to see. We usually take one 320"-350" bull a year. But we always hear the story of the huge huge bull seen. Last year the big bull was taken in one of our drop camps an 8x8. He grossed around 370" was basically the monarch on that side of our permit. The other side of our permit does hold our bigger bulls but is the harder hunting. Imo every unit is gonna have that monarch of a bull somewhere but they don't grow big by being stupid. My co owner this year took a friend hunting and they called in a huge 7x7 bull, said his whale tales reached his butt and the Hunter hit a log not the bull. I was skeptical of the size until I seen him myself packing some gear into the camp a week later, and he was huge. To be fair to my clients I don't really tell them of these monarchs I tell them what they have decent chances at, and that's satellite Bulls and possibly a low 300 class bull. That way they aren't passing shots on smaller Bulls looking for this monarch. I'd say every unit probably has a few Bulls that are huge but are rarely seen. Which is why they've gotten so big


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[njdoxie]

I've only seen a 350 class bull years ago, there were 2 of them, spooked them trying to get close enough for a shot, durn wind switched on me, they stampeded away, every other bull I've seen is basically a raghorn. I know of a 340 bull an acquaintance killed 5 miles away. There are 340 class bulls around, but they run for private land at the first hint of pressure, some never leave the private. I would love to get a 340 class bull, but I don't lose sleep over it, and I shoot the first legal bull I see, as they're hard to come by. I've found that if I pass up a shot, I'm likely to go home empty handed, so no more holding out for a bigger bull, I'm happy to get A bull.

[Kentrek]

In ten years for mature bulls we've got 5-280ish bulls, 2-300 Ish bulls, and one 335 bull....I've seen only one true giant prolly in the 360-370 class.... maybe some day if I can hold off il get lucky but the stars will definitely have you aline just right



We can only hope !!

[CurlyTail]

In my secret mind, there is a 380 Bull on the mountain range we hunt. He migrates in from an adjacent Wilderness Area, so he is not always there, and of course he is very smart and secretive. It makes my hunt more enjoyable. And it could be true.

[elkchaser54]

Here in SE Washington the bulls grow so old, 330 is just the standard of what you see. You just have to love what spike hunting does for a population. Honestly though I feel that most of the bulls are too old and past prime for breeding. WA doesn't allow for very many branched bull tags, allowing them to get so old. Some of the elk I see are very old and have nasty looking racks, but there are monsters definitely lurking in every canyon. Steep and deep lets them hide and never be seen.

[Tigger]

I don't think the area we hunt the most has big bulls. I am sure there are some 300 class bulls, but I know of 4 trips with 4 guys on each trip and I don't think anyone has seen or even heard of anyone seeing a true giant. However, in my imagination, there are quite a few of them in the next draw over...!

[Indian Summer]

I don't think the area we hunt the most has big bulls. I am sure there are some 300 class bulls, but I know of 4 trips with 4 guys on each trip and I don't think anyone has seen or even heard of anyone seeing a true giant. However, in my imagination, there are quite a few of them in the next draw over...!

I would never last! To drag myself out of bed and pound out mountains every day I have to know I have a legit crack at a 300 incher as well as an outside chance at a 320ish bull. Most general units in both Montana and Wyoming offer that. When I was young my step dad and some of his friends hunted elk in Colorado. They brought back spike after spike. One year he killed a small 6 point bull and he quit elk hunting after that. I vowed never to hunt the land of spikes!

Every gold miner hopes to find a big nugget or two! It's what keeps you going. Tigger you need to relocate man.

[Tigger]

relocate? Oh man, I have put sooooo much work into this area. We see elk and we can call in bulls. I don't have any knowledge of any other area. Funny part is, we border a wilderness area. Maybe they are there and we just haven't come across them.

[ElkNut1]

Great bull there Joe! I've not seen one on the hoof that big! I'd be glad too though.

ElkNut1

[olympushunt]

I don't think the area we hunt the most has big bulls. I am sure there are some 300 class bulls, but I know of 4 trips with 4 guys on each trip and I don't think anyone has seen or even heard of anyone seeing a true giant. However, in my imagination, there are quite a few of them in the next draw over...!

Tigger, like Stringunner was saying before, game cams are great for showing what potential there is in your area. I don't know how feasible it is for you to put trail cams out (if you are a long ways from your turf) but even while you are there...they are looking 24 hours a day for you. I've heard some say the info you get on them a month or even 2 weeks before season is not super relevant but I disagree. Even when the chips are down and things aren't looking positive, just look at that dandy bull you have on your SD card and boom...instant pick me up. It's like octane boost for the soul just knowing that bugger is around there SOMEwhere. Stringunner has showed me several bulls I had to clean off the monitor from the coffee I spit on it. Now if you have your cams out for a good soak and you see only small sixes and decent 5s at best.....you know that it might not be in the cards in that area.

[ishy]

I'll see 300-330 type bulls, and over 20 years have seen a couple over 350. I've been in Utah a few times hunting spike units and that's a whole nother ball game. I have seen a handful of toads, but never anything with 4ths and 5ths like that. I think it's Jay Scott or Eastmans field scoring that puts the chest behind the shoulder on most mature bulls at about 30 inches...his fourth is quite a bit longer than his chest- that is one of the coolest bulls ever.

[Elkhunttoo]

Most 6 points in my area of Idaho seem to run 260-300 ish... some bigger and a few over 330, but not many