Same Bull?

[Bambistew]

I can't say I've ever seen anyone post a picture of a caribou bull from one year to the next. I've looked at 1000s of caribou over the years and they are all unique but all somewhat the same. I am not sure how much different they are from year to year for antler growth. These two pics are half a mile a part 4 years apart. I believe its the same bull. Huge shovels like this are not common, as a matter of fact I think this is the biggest one I've ever seen. Its probably 14-16" wide. Both have a second shovel, although the one from 4 years ago has 3 points on it, and this year its just a long spike.

What do you think?

2019



2023

 

[Dave N]

I think someone needs to shoot that bull!

 

[longbow51]

Send it!

 

[Dsnow9]

Gorgeous animals but I don’t think they are the same. I don’t know jack about bou though!

The question is why aren’t the 2019 and 2023 versions both in game bags?

 

[Deleted member 18333]

Awful lot of similarities but enough differences to make you wonder. Even some similarities in the capes. As big as he is in 2019 I would assume he had some age then. 4 more years on a bull like that seems old. How old can a bull get in that country? Not knowing enough it would seem like long life for a bull in that country would be really rare. Very cool bulls to have laid eyes on either way.

 

[Salmonchaser]

Looks like the bulls we used to see back in the 60s and 70s and I have the same question, can you hunt them?

 

[Irrelevant]

I'll defer to @Bambistew's judgement but I could be convinced either way on that bull/s.

 

[Letthemgrow]

Shoot him and send in his teeth.
If he's 6 or younger then it's not the same bull.

 

[kiwi hunter]

Nice pics tho.

 

[antlerradar]

I have zero experience with caribou, but I am going to say yes, same bull.

 

[Bambistew]

I think caribou peak on antler size around 5-6, and can live pretty long. 12-15 years. We've killed some bulls with hardly any teeth left with small antlers, and some with big antlers.

I would be very surprised if this isn't the same bull. Its his summer range, and like I said shovels like that are extremely rare. I can't think of another bull I've ever seen with a shovel that big, and I've looked at 100s and and 100s of big bulls. Most bulls are luckily to have a shovel half that size.

Yes we can hunt them, but I'm not packing one 12+ miles... sorry. I came for sheep, which even that spilt between two guys and camp sucks balls.

And the burning question... No, I didn't notch my sheep tag. We saw more caribou bulls than rams, I think. Sheep numbers are in the gutter, and beyond. I'll bet state wide they are down well over 50%. Some areas in the interior and eastern AK range are down 75%. Lamb numbers were high, but hard to make much headway when you only see 12 ewes instead of 42... The saddest part is there are basically no young rams between 1-3yo.

If I had to look at my crystal ball, I'd bet harvest in 5 years will be in the 200s statewide, down from 750-800. We need more auction tags and lead poisoning for golden eagles.

 

[dgc1963]

I think someone needs to shoot that bull!

What he said !

 

[Flatbrimmer]

I can't say I've ever seen anyone post a picture of a caribou bull from one year to the next. I've looked at 1000s of caribou over the years and they are all unique but all somewhat the same. I am not sure how much different they are from year to year for antler growth. These two pics are half a mile a part 4 years apart. I believe its the same bull. Huge shovels like this are not common, as a matter of fact I think this is the biggest one I've ever seen. Its probably 14-16" wide. Both have a second shovel, although the one from 4 years ago has 3 points on it, and this year its just a long spike.

What do you think?

2019
View attachment 288957

View attachment 288962
2023

Close but negative! Both beautiful!!

 

[rogerthat]

That’s the same bull

 

[Bluffgruff]

I thought bulls peaked at 6-7 and average life expectancy was 8-10? That said, antler morphology is the same, and his elbow patch looks similar. I'd split that bull with you....