Elkhorn tag mt

[blain]

Nice bull. Looks like you choose rifle.

I shot this bull the second day of rifle season.
I hunted my tail off during archery season and had PLENTY of chances, but had to carry the tag into rifle season.

I sent you a PM if your wanting more detailed information....I've had this tag 3 times and I've helped my hunting partners 4 different seasons.

 

[Toadslayer]

I lived 9 miles from the unit for 27 years, You are headed in the right direction when talking about Radersburg. I have seen numerous 400+ bulls in this unit, ESPECIALLY when the snow gets deep.

 

[Rat Fink]

I lived 9 miles from the unit for 27 years, You are headed in the right direction when talking about Radersburg. I have seen numerous 400+ bulls in this unit, ESPECIALLY when the snow gets deep.

You talking about snow or S*&T getting deep. Numerous 400 inch bulls. HAHAHAHAHAHA

Why give the guy a false impression of the unit. It's going downhill. Talk to the biologist. One of my friends has the tag this year. He about crapped his pants when he found out the average size bull being killed in 380 is only 320". He had been living under the false impression of 360 inch plus bulls living behind every tree like most of you guys. Unit 380 is like a monster that feeds on itself. The more people that praise it as the holy grail the more people that buy into it, even though it is just ok for a permitted area.

 

[HUNTMAN]

They have only killed ONE bull ever in there that grossed 400. Ever. It will be a Great hunt enjoy it with your kids.

 

[TheTone]

You talking about snow or S*&T getting deep. Numerous 400 inch bulls. HAHAHAHAHAHA

Why give the guy a false impression of the unit. It's going downhill. Talk to the biologist. One of my friends has the tag this year. He about crapped his pants when he found out the average size bull being killed in 380 is only 320". He had been living under the false impression of 360 inch plus bulls living behind every tree like most of you guys. Unit 380 is like a monster that feeds on itself. The more people that praise it as the holy grail the more people that buy into it, even though it is just ok for a permitted area.

Average harvested bull is around 320? Sounds terrible

 

[Straight Arrow]

I have seen numerous 400+ bulls in this unit,

It amazes me how many 400+ bulls get scored running through the timber.

 

[Bulldog0156]

I'm not a great field scorer, but the biggest I have seen in there was probably around 375. It was bedded down and stood up when I was about 20 yards away. We had a stare off, my eyes were bigger than his. He just turned around and loped off after a bit. I know of some pretty good sheds people have found in there this spring but nothing approaching 400. Lots of respectable bulls in there though! And it is definitely possible to get away from people in there.

I'd love to have that tag, it's a bowhunter's dream tag in my opinion.

 

[Rat Fink]

Average harvested bull is around 320? Sounds terrible

I'm not much of a trophy hunter so I would NEVER let a 320 bull in a general unit walk unless I could see a better bull and could get a shot at that moment. In a LE unit other than 380 it would be a tough call depending on the unit, access, pressure, weather etc. A 320 inch bull in 380 would be dead as soon as a shot presented itself, because chances are you will be working very hard for chances at anything bigger.

 

[mtmuley]

I wonder if this thread will get as many posts as applicants to 380. mtmuley

 

[revelized]

I had the tag last year and had a blast hunting. Saw lots of big bulls but was never able to capitalize. Enjoy the time with your kids... I sure did hunting with my pops in there. Flame all you want but I was happy to shoot this bull on the third to last day of rifle. He tastes way better than them old bulls anyway

 

[Lawnboy]

That bulls awesome. I have to admit that's the first "whale tailed" spike I've ever seen.

 

[blain]

I lived 9 miles from the unit for 27 years, You are headed in the right direction when talking about Radersburg. I have seen numerous 400+ bulls in this unit, ESPECIALLY when the snow gets deep.

To my knowledge, there's been two bulls taken in the Elkhorns in the mid 390's, one of which was shot in the mid 1950's. I've been lucky to have this tag three times and I've assisted my hunting partners on four other tags. I've been hunting (horn hunting too) this unit for 15+ years and the biggest bull I've seen during season would be in the mid to high 380's. I'm not saying there isn't any 400 class bulls, but this unit is plentiful with 300-320 class bulls. I highly disagree there are numerous 400+ bulls.

After having the tag last year for the third time I had two goals:
1) harvest a 340+ bull......easier said than done!!!!!!
2) don't allow anyone to out hunt me

I had PLENTY of chances last year and I was easily getting frustrated because the majority of the bulls are 300-320. The Elkhorns are a blast to hunt, but DON'T expect to see 340+ bulls on a normal basis.

By the way, I just received a returned letter from the biologist for the Elkhorns letting me know the age of my elk which he was 7.5 years. I was informed from the biologist the average age of the bulls harvested during the 2012 season was 7.1 years old. There was 3 bulls harvested at 11.5 years and 1 bull harvested at 14.5 years.

Good luck with the tag!!!!

Send me a PM and I'll assist as best as I can. I have a handful of areas that will be easy for you and your kids to hunt.

 

[MTnsheds]

Congrats on the tag! I have been lucky enough to tag along on numerous hunts in the Elkhorns over the last several years. The hunts resulted in a couple unfilled tags (very picky hunters), an archery bull shy of 300", a 315" rifle bull, a 345" archery bull, and a 349" rifle bull. My wife picked one side of a shed there that was officially scored at 178" - dandy bull that likely still roaming the unit (hope you find him). Good luck.

 

[Toadslayer]

You talking about snow or S*&T getting deep. Numerous 400 inch bulls. HAHAHAHAHAHA

Why give the guy a false impression of the unit. It's going downhill. Talk to the biologist. One of my friends has the tag this year. He about crapped his pants when he found out the average size bull being killed in 380 is only 320". He had been living under the false impression of 360 inch plus bulls living behind every tree like most of you guys. Unit 380 is like a monster that feeds on itself. The more people that praise it as the holy grail the more people that buy into it, even though it is just ok for a permitted area.

So I haven't seen numerous 400+ bulls in there because you guys all say so? Ok, I guess I was wrong then, they must not have been that big cause I must have no f*n clue what I am talking about and I didn't grow up in the f*n unit and don't have rancher friends that ranch in the f*n unit with said f*n bulls on their properties. And that's because you guys with that tag didn't kill a giant bull up Crow Creek, they must not be there.

 

[Art Vandeley]

What unit is packed with 400" bulls? Believing one unit should produce a 400" bull is an unrealistic expectation. 400" bulls are an extroidanary trophy in any big game unit. You hold a great tag and the unit has more good bulls than most over the counter units so enjoy th hunt and hit it hard. A guy I know killed a 372 in there last year...

 

[blain]

Heres a bull I followed for 5 years. I was never successful finding this bull during hunting season, but was able to find one of his sheds which should have scored about 400". I know the person that found this bulls sheds the year before and the year after I found my single shed from this bull. This bull peaked out at 407" with a 40" spread. I'll post a picture of my single shed from this bull.

A 400" bull from this unit can happen, but I would advise all 380 tag holders to shoot the first 340+" bull.

 

[blain]

I'll post a picture of my single shed.

Here's my single shed from an Elkhorn bull I followed for 5 years.

 

[blain]

Heres a bull I followed for 5 years.

Here's another picture.

 

[MHMT]

I'll post a picture of my single shed.

Here's my single shed from an Elkhorn bull I followed for 5 years.

Come on man. Everyone was doing their best to try to bring the draw odds back up, and you gotta go ruin it again... haha.

 

[dustinf]

Here's my single shed from an Elkhorn bull I followed for 5 years.

That is an antler.