Dumb Elk Head Questions

[Muley_Stalker]

This for sure. Leave the antlered animals for someone who values them for more than just free meat.

How long do you think a good set of antlers will last on the ground during hunting seasons? Even someone who doesn't want the antlers wants the challenge of shooting a mature bull. Trophy hunters have no claim on good bulls.

Free meat? I guess so if you put no value on your time. I scout over 200 days a year. What is that worth? How about the money spent on gear? Tags? Gas? Free? I don't think so.

 

[elkaholic06]

Pack out the whole head if possible so that there is no discrepancies with the warden (technically a skull plate with antlers attached will suffice, but a little extra weight/extra trip is nothing compared to problems with the law). This also allows you to get the head tested for CWD. Remove the head from the cervical vertebrae as far cranial as possible, and trim away what you want before strapping it to your pack.

If you have no use for the head when you get home and have had it tested, simply throw it away. There is nothing wrong with throwing away antlers no matter the size. The reason we hunt is for meat; antlers are personal preference and there is nothing ethically wrong with throwing them away (it is definitely ethically wrong to think antlers trump meat). It is your tag, your hunt, and your meat, and there is no reason to not shoot a bull to "save it for someone who will value the antlers". That's BS.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

Good to see someone else think like me. Thanks.

 

[KClark]

Good to see someone else think like me. Thanks.

Do we all have to think like you? Or would it be OK if we had an opinion that didn't match yours?

 

[RobG]

Regarding the comment about proof of sex in Montana, in most places you can’t shoot spikes so you need the antlers in addition to the frank and/or bean parts attached to the hind legs. I pack a small saw to cut the antlers off along with the top of the skull. If I’m doing multiple trips I leave the saw in the truck and grab it on my second trip.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

Do we all have to think like you? Or would it be OK if we had an opinion that didn't match yours?

I didn't say it's good to see everybody thinks like me. I also wasn't talking to you. Funny guys say I like to argue. Your post to me was just a troll. What sort of reaction were you expecting from me?

 

[Deleted member 20812]

For someone who professes not to like arguing, you sure seem to do a lot of it.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

To the OP, if I’m meat hunting and can shoot a cow I’ll do so every time. Learn to cut the skull off at the first joint, or else carry a Wyoming saw. Some states don’t allow ANYTHING but clean skull caps to be transported in or through.

If you don’t want the antlers, sell them or find someone who makes stuff out of them. Good to see you are aware of the law requiring you to bring them out. Don’t chance a ticket by not doing so.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

For someone who professes not to like arguing, you sure seem to do a lot of it.

Not arguing. Just responding to a post to me. Just like this one. Strange you don't notice who it is that's looking for an argument though. A response is not arguing.

 

[WapitiBob]

I put most of my Elk racks in the back yard for the squirrels to enjoy.

 

[CubsFan]

Thanks all. I will put in for cow tags but the OTC bull tag every year as a CO resident is too good to pass up that opportunity just because I'm not enamored by antlers.