Big Ones (photos)

Wyoming 2010, 465 yds. 7mm 160 gr. acubonds. 84 1/4 gross, 82 5/8 net. Biggest and best hunt because my little hunting partner was there.
 

Attachments

  • PA150187.jpg
    PA150187.jpg
    58.8 KB · Views: 2,248
  • PA150189.jpg
    PA150189.jpg
    75.1 KB · Views: 2,235
Here is my 2010 AZ archery elk. Shot him at 30 yards in the evening while sitting a meadow with a small creek in it. Surrounded by about 20 elk at the time. Grossed about 321.
TKO2010bull3.jpg


My 2008 Coues is my biggest coues deer. He scored right around 98. Glassed him up at about 900 yards and shot him at 400 yards.
P1070478_CR_SH.jpg


Here is my 2006 AZ mule deer. Found his shed the previous day after missing a smaller buck. Glassed this guy up at last light the evening before I shot him, but didn't realize how good he was. Found him again in the morning, moved in to about 300 yards, and shot him. He grossed 192 and netted about 187.
PB020012.jpg


Ron
 
AZ Archery Bull

351" - 6x6

Mathews Q2 - 37 yard shot
 

Attachments

  • 2009 AZ Elk.jpg
    2009 AZ Elk.jpg
    90.6 KB · Views: 2,232
An outstanding photo of my biggest mule deer, from northern CO in 1994. Jump-shot it with a .270 Win while walking through an aspen stand on the last evening of the season. Don't recall the score....I think around 180 and 29.5" outside. Definitely not my favorite buck.

bigbuck.jpg
 
Last edited:
Biggest bull elk, shot it with my bow in 2007 in Wyoming. Pretty much just being in the right place at the right time. Enjoyed the hunt more because I got to share it with my Dad and Brother, we almost didnt even go that morning as they were in town to hunt antelope. I think one thing that makes this bull kind of cool is that it has over a 20 inch 5th on one side, which is longer than both 4ths. Bull officially gross scored 371 5/8 and net scored 358 5/8. I seriously doubt I'll ever top this bull, which I'm perfectly happy about.

575.JPG
 
One and only Sitka blacktail, from Kodiak in 2006. Shot with a .300 Wby on the last day of the hunt at about 300 yards, after passing up nicer bucks. Think it scores 83-84?

Kodiak10.jpg
 
Last edited:
Here are my personal bests from within the last five years. I've had a pretty good run of luck! All public Montana critters
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1671.jpg
    IMG_1671.jpg
    85 KB · Views: 2,239
  • IMG_1252.jpg
    IMG_1252.jpg
    71.2 KB · Views: 2,178
  • IMG_0442_2.jpg
    IMG_0442_2.jpg
    49.7 KB · Views: 2,229
  • DSC00527.jpg
    DSC00527.jpg
    71 KB · Views: 2,183
  • DSC00345.jpg
    DSC00345.jpg
    62.1 KB · Views: 2,183
My best bull to date. I thought he was a lot bigger than he scored. A good lesson in judging what to look for in a big bull. I would still shoot him every year if given the chance.

2010 Montana
8 yds
Scored 317

135_0103small.jpg
 
One and only Dall sheep. Killed in 2007 with a .300 Wby on the 13th day of a 10 day backpack hunt. A bit over 38" on the long horn; 13 6/8" bases. My hardest hunt ever.

Dall51.jpg
 
Last edited:
Man, you guys have really set the bar high. Will add a few of mine, then scurry to the back of the crowd and watch the big stuff get posted.

This is a Montana whitetail. 2007, pre-Lasik surgery days, and pre-TV show. Way too long of a shot in way too windy of conditions for me to replicate. .300 Win Mag 180 gr. Thought I missed. Walked up to look for blood and saw him laying right where he had stood. Official gross is just over 161". Net was some where at 148" and change. Biggest bodied whitetail I have ever shot.

IMG_1932.JPG
 
My favorite animal I have ever taken. Imagine that. Not a tough hunt at all, but more fun that is normally allowed within the bounds of legality and morality.

New Mexico antelope 2008. 140 yards with a .270 Win shooting 140gr. Used the Moo Cow for the first time and it worked.

Wish I had known a thing or two about how to take care of the horns during the drying period. Hanging them in your shop is not a good way to do it.

Officially grossed 86 5/8 and netted 85 2/8. Green score on the day I shot him was 88 6/8. Think Eli Grimmet had pictures of this buck and they estimated him between 88 and 89.

Oh, what might have been ........ :eek:

IMG_2833.JPG
 
A mountain goat from Alaska in 2008. Shot on the 4th day of the hunt with a .300 Wby at 10 yards.:eek: Official gross score is 54 4/8", net of 53 4/8". The unbroken horn is 11 3/8".

Goat-22.jpg
 
Last edited:
This one isn't mine, but it is the biggest elk in our house. Shot by my son in 2005. Missouri River Breaks of central Montana. By far, the most fun I have ever had on an elk hunt. Wish I had not messed up the video, as the footage would have been spectacular.

My brother, Log Dawg, came out for the festivities. It was the year after our dad had passed, and spending time in a camp with my son and my brother sure made for great times.

Shot was 280 yards. .300 Win Mag with 180 gr. Was dead on his feet with the first shot, but two more insurance rounds finalized the deal.

Matthew was 15 years old at the time and the thing I remember most of this hunt was how hard he worked to pack that elk out of that bottom. It was the time when I saw my young teenage son growing into a young man. He made me very proud in how he worked to get the meat to the trail, then shuttled it to camp. Many long and hot trips. All of you who have raised kids know there is a defining moment when they step forward and without words, announce to the world that they are no longer a child. This was it.

Had it scored at a gun show. Gross was just over 350 and net was in the low 330's. Would have to find the sheet for the actual numbers. Better than any elk I have shot.

Matthew 2005 MT elk.JPG
 
Biggest (and only) bow buck - not sure of the score

IMG_3506.jpg


IMG_3519.jpg


142" South Texas whitetail- taken on 4000 acre low fence ranch, had biologist ear tags used for age structure research. #717 was 5 1/2 years old.

IMG_3472.jpg


IMG_3482.jpg


Biggest boar killed with a knife - 140 lbs

IMG_5741.jpg
 
Since I have only shot one Alaska Brownie, this will be my biggest. And, given the price of a hunt today, probably my last.

This one was up the Chilkat River, north of Haines, AK. Almost to the BC border. Was hunting with my grandfather, an AK resident, so got it done "on the cheap."

He was 82 at the time. He passed away three years later. Was the last time he and I hunted together. One of the most memorable ten days of my life, knowing the many great times we had spent in the past were greater in number than the few days that lay ahead.

Shot was 110 yards. .300 Win Mag 180 gr. (man, I see a lot of my critters have died with that caliber and load). One shot. He never even wiggled.

Not a big bear. Just over 8' square. Was aged by G&F as 7 years old, pretty young for a brownie. No need to get it scored, given the only book it would make is the "Randy and Grandpa" book.

Wish I had been more demanding that lots more pics be taken, as the pics of this hunt suck. Never again will I take less than 50 images to sort through, preferring closer to 100.

IMG_0535.JPG
 
Crappy picture. Best antelope


1998
Montana
7mm
15 6/8
80 7/8 if I remember
 

Attachments

  • SCAN0005.JPG
    SCAN0005.JPG
    157.5 KB · Views: 2,074
Have shot bigger mule deer with a rifle, but this is my "best" mule deer, given I shot it with a bow, spot and stalk, with a camera over my shoulder.

Was in NE Nevada, 2010. Shot was 55 yards. He bounded at the sound of the string release, so the hit was high and far back - liver material. He moved and stood at 62 yards, where another arrow took out the important stuff. Official P&Y was right around 150", with almost no deducts.

Was joined by some special people. NV Longbow, Jereep, and Elk_Hunter from here on Hunt Talk. An episode that aired this last season.

Also was the first time my Uncle Elton got to be on an episode. He has been a very special guy in my life, with us being hunting, fishing, and trapping partners since I was a teenager. He given some very tragic news this month (terminal brain cancer), moving this hunt way up my "Best mule deer" list. Probably will stay at the top of the list, regardless of what I shoot in the future.

IMG_5535.JPG
 
Back
Top