Quality Or Quantity?

[ElkNut1]

Good stuff guys! Lots of food for thought! I agree with just about all thoughts in presented situations & scenarios! Fact is not everyone hunts areas that produce Quality bulls year after year or do not have the means to hunt or get into country that does! That's what makes this subject entertaining! Some guys feel it's nothing to kill an elk yearly others have difficulty finding them & would be happy with nearly any elk especially on a yearly basis!

BuzzH mentions it's nothing to kill an elk on a yearly basis if he wanted too, now it must be he hunts a heck of an area with an abundance of elk. Others who are hoping to get lucky every 3-4 years hunt pressured areas with fewer elk. Now to some they would feel ones just don't hunt hard enough! (grin) It's all in what your expectations are & what you put on yourself, for some the skies the limit & others are satisfied with any elk. This was exactly the point of the thread!

Greenhorn, you have some excellent thoughts! Something tells me you are far from a greenhorn! (grin)

A couple of you mention Quality in ones area, if it's not there then move to another! Easier said than done, first you have to find that area, then define "quality" it's different to everyone!

I enjoy the fact there are so many perspectives here on what satisfies a particular hunter. Some here are trophy hunters while others certainly are not, I feel this is an excellent balance! No one should force their thoughts on anyone & compare ones success to another, bottom line is we all are hunters & all have expectations & goals elk are trophies & deserve our respect for the awesome animal they are! Hunt Hard & Hunt Smart, good things will happen!

Lawnboy, DIY especially on general season hunts are the most challenging I agree. I like what Randy does because this is the way we hunt as well, the pursuit of Quality bulls really can get the adrenaline going, a quality bull in our areas range in the 270" + & they would never be passed up, of course these areas get hit hard so it's even sweeter when any elk is taken on a yearly basis especially during an archery hunt! Thank You sir!!

ElkNut1

 

[Badlandcat]

If I can backup the pickup up to it, Quantity rules
If I have to pack it out on my back, Quality rules
My mindset now is the farther from the pickup I get the bigger the elk has to be, gone are the days of packing cows and small bulls out on my back for 5 miles.
Someday I will draw a good tag where I can hold out for a 325 bull. Hasn't happened yet, but hopefully soon as the years are stacking up on me. Have 12 points for Utah maybe soon I will be down there. For the record 30 years of MT elk tags has netted 27 bulls, biggest grosses 301.

 

[2rocky]

Paul, Every hunt has a different criteria. Now I haven't killed anything bigger than a 300" RM bull, so many folks would call me a meat hunter. In fact in 2010 the first bull I passed in my life was a 280's tule elk at 25 yds, 15 minutes into the first day.

I've been lucky over the past 6 years that the first bull to give me a shot in range has exceeded my "standard"

I'm starting to get jaded when I see someone with a monster bull, I think 1) outfitted hunt, 2)private landowner tag, or 3) high fence bull. Especially if there is more than 2 people in the picture...

 

[Devil Diver Down]

I've lived my whole life--40+ years--in AZ and only hunted there until the last 2 years. I've drawn only 5-6 times--all November or December rifle hunts--in my home state over that time. Hunting Arizona and only Arizona can mean you'll be getting out every 6 years or so and chasing elk. You're limited to one weapon, one unit, one gender for one week. Your elk hunting skills can be pretty mediocre with gaps like that and I've come home empty-handed each time.

When I drew twice as a teenager, I didn't really care about shooting an elk and passed on some spikes and raghorns. I even passed on a really nice bull because I had no exit strategy (pack) and I was a long haul from the road. As I got older, elk became more of a priority to me, but it just hasn't happened. I've worked hard, but maybe not smart. Killing one elk--bull, cow, spike, legal whatever--is my top hunting goal now. I just want to get #1 under my belt. So, I guess I'm a quantity guy. After I tag one with a rifle and one with a bow, I can worry about herd management quality. Until then, if it meets whatever state's legal limits--it meets mine.

 

[SagebrushSlayer]

I am with 6speed on this one. I have hunted for bulls only a handful of times and have been skunked every time. I am excited to start archery hunting for elk and will be shooting whatever legally walks within my range. I'm sure my vote will be for a quality bull at some point, but as of now, I won't be picky!

 

[Horn Seeker]

Thats the other thing of course Paul... what is Quality?? For many a hunter... a 240 raggy 6 point is a quality bull. For some its 270.... 300....330.... etc. Its just too complex a question to get any sort of unified response on...or even a response that means anything! ;0) But, it can be a fun discussion.

 

[ElkNut1]

Thanks guys for taking your time to respond, it's certainly more than expected, I was just looking for a trend on how hunters view such matters, it's a personal decision, all elk are trophies to the beholder!

Ernie, it's really not too complicated once you look at it how the states or even record books view just thoughts or scores! Yes, a hunter can have his own definition as to quality, but this is personal & only applies to himself. P & Y for instance has set the ground rules that an Archery killed Bull netting 260" is considered a Quality Bull, that's a good guideline we can all consider, if your sights & others is higher than then once again it's a personal decision. B & C has there scores if a rifle hunter 375"-380" -- It's not set in stone in either category for anyone but are worth our views when trying to decide what's a real Quality elk! To me, any real 5-6 point taken with archery gear is a good quality bull, my dream bull with a bow (longbow would be best) I've yet to take would be in the 340" + class DIY! (grin)
Now if I could add two racks together I could smash that score!! (grin)

ElkNut1

 

[The Hedgehog]

Deep thoughts by Jack Handy.

 

[wingman1]

If it's brown........ well you know the saying. Yup yup yup.

 

[WI avidhunter]

I am going on my first elk hunt in 2012. It will be a DIY hunt in CO with an OTC tag. I will take the first legal elk I can.

 

[streamer]

It starts with quality then by day 4 the standards lower to just legal, then I would take a cow on the last 2 days if no tag is filled. But I really would like to take a great bull some day. 280 with my bow is my best.

 

[konasage]

Although this topic stirs up dreams of large numbers of b&c bulls roaming within 300 wm range. I suspect Quality is going to be tied very closely to experience, comfort with the game and confidence that the elk you are about to let walk can be replaced by a better one before the hunt is over.

Quality vs. quantity is a VERY specific and tricky topic.

1. Those of us that have been elk hunting most of our lives and have been hunting the same area for years may have a handle on the specifics of the unit. (confidence)

2. I have taken over a dozen elk and have yet to kill one I would want to put on my wall. (maybe next year)

3. You are not going to be a world class elk hunter the first time out, just like when you started any kind of hunting. (experience)

4. Experience - no substitute, this may be as easy as going cow elk hunting for a few years if you are looking to hold off on a big bull. Get used to how elk operate will bring confidence.

5. Stick-to-it-ive-ness.. er something like that. Like Randy with his wyoming bull this year. If you believe you can kill one, you probably can even if its not a monster.

We are lucky in CO to have an abundance of Elk to hunt, however with that comes large numbers of hunters and a butt-load of Elk killed each year which I believe is a good thing. Many a hunter would be without his or her once of a lifetime elk or the ritual of elk camp.

Big bulls exist here, if your willing to work just like anywhere else but if you want to kill a bull just because its an elk, you can do that too and gain the confidence and experience for later years when it will become easier to let that little (but legal) guy walk.

I happen to know a guy that hunts in the area I do that has been hunting there for over 30 years. He has taken over 24 bulls in that time and most of them are not huge, 4s, 5s, and mid 6s. It is an area he loves to hunt, knows the area, close to home, makes elk camp a fun ritual every year and sets his watch around. Bottom line, this is his life of hunting and he has meat in the freezer all the time. To the point... he usually kills the first legal elk and is fine with it. Last year his son shot a 330 bull about 400 yard from where he killed his mid 200 bull the day before.

Trophies are not all about size. The time out in your favorite elk hunting country, getting everything ready for weeks before season, shooting your gun, spending time with friends old and new, can all be as important as killing an elk. (If your lucky enough to get to hunt them every year.) This year we had a guy from Finland (Fin are you listening) who was a friggin' riot, one from Lake Havasu AZ., and one from NJ none of which had been elk hunting before. In camp we killed a cow and a small bull but was a blast and a hunt I will not soon forget.

Just get out there and do it. When the time comes you will know your answer and the more experience and confidence you can put under your belt, the closer you will get to that living room decoration that your wife can roll her eyes about....

 

[ElkNut1]

Konasage, now you're talking! Good points & thoughts for sure! There are many avenues where ones can experience success it's not just about the kill or its size! This doesn't mean no one is interested in taking a nice bull, it's just not a heart breaker if you don't! (grin)

I agree with the others as well, if you haven't taken an elk or very many of them consider the first legal animal, you cannot beat the meat & you experienced success at the same time! With enough critters under your belt in time you may want to then consider upping your standards, until then have fun!!

ElkNut1