Spike vs Branch Antlered Bulls

[Chrstn]

Gents,
Looking for some clarification on elk classification, specifically how spikes versus branch-antlered bulls are defined. I know the general rule, but I’ve seen differences in regulations and want to make sure I’m judging legality correctly in the field. Any insight or tips to avoid mistakes would be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[Dsnow9]

Depends on the state. Read the regs for that state.

 

[Pucky Freak]

An antlerless bull (rare during hunting seasons) is illegal on a cow/calf tag in most jurisdictions. That will test your ID skills even further.

 

[Rack Daniels]

Kind of a weird rule to define and I’d hate to cause any confusion but let me try this.

With a deer in MT, if it has spikes longer than 4” it’s considered ANTLERED. With an elk, IN MT, a “branch antlered bull” has a tine at least 4” on the BOTTOM HALF. If it’s just a big tall spike even with splits on top, it’s not “antlered” without the 4” tine on the BOTTOM HALF. Here is an illustration from our regulation handbook

 

[El Jason]

An antlerless bull (rare during hunting seasons) is illegal on a cow/calf tag in most jurisdictions. That will test your ID skills even further.

Do you have an example off state where this would hold true? Every state I’ve hunted in it would not be true.

 

[Rack Daniels]

Do you have an example off state where this would hold true? Every state I’ve hunted in it would not be true.

See, this is where it gets tricky for me to wrap my head around.
I’ve heard that here, a spike is legal on an antlerless hunt/tag, but how? The regulations specify “spike bull” in SO many districts where spikes in particular are legal or illegal, but all of a sudden the definition changes in other situations and it’s no longer “spike bull” it’s “antlerless”?

 

[brymoore]

Spike

Spikes are legal (Idaho) on any bull tag, not on browtine only hunts. Not legal on a cow hunt.

 

[El Jason]

I’ve heard that here, a spike is legal on an antlerless hunt/tag, but how?

In Montana if the antler is less than 4” in length it’s considered an antlerless elk. Doesn’t matter if it has a weiner or not.

 

[Rack Daniels]

In Montana if the antler is less than 4” in length it’s considered an antlerless elk. Doesn’t matter if it has a weiner or not.

Got it, the spikes themselves have to be less than 4”, just like a buck deer… no longer talking about the brow, but the main beam less than 4”

 

[Pucky Freak]

Do you have an example off state where this would hold true? Every state I’ve hunted in it would not be true.

WY big game regs

Type 6,7,8 tags are “cow/calf”

 

[El Jason]

WY big game regs
View attachment 399916
Type 6,7,8 tags are “cow/calf”

But yet you can use the head for proof
that it is a cow instead of the sex organs. Picking nits, but I don’t think the technicality exists that you think does.

If I kill an antlerless elk on a type 6 tag, it has beans, and is clearly not young of the year, I don’t have to leave the testes attached and I would question if it’s really a violation to begin with.

Type 4 and 5 tags specify antlerless only elk.

 

[MTLabrador]

But yet you can use the head for proof
that it is a cow instead of the sex organs. Picking nits, but I don’t think the technicality exists that you think does.

If I kill an antlerless elk on a type 6 tag, it has beans, and is clearly not young of the year, I don’t have to leave the testes attached and I would question if it’s really a violation to begin with.

Type 4 and 5 tags specify antlerless only elk.

This is correct. It’s poorly written in the regulations, but shooting a male that just happens to be antlerless is not a violation.