The Raghorn vs. Forky Discrepancy

[RyGuy]

Seems like the general consensus is that elk are hard to kill, even when they’re young.
Forkhorn deer are easier to kill. People like to judge each other for taking the “easy way out”

 

[TOGIE]

i basically attempt to shoot the first legal anything i find while i have tag. i'll mostly always be that way i think.

but my state actually manages mule deer so i don't feel bad about it.

 

[LuketheDog]

Although i've never shot a forkie or raghorn, I'd maybe do it under the right circumstances. Thankfully, I enjoy hunting and I'm not starving or crippled yet.

My first two California blacktails were a forkie and 2x1, and my first Colorado mule deer was a forkie. The circumstances being those were the first legal bucks I had a shot at, and I wanted to eat deer. I sleep fine

 

[Bambistew]

Its a good question.

I think it has to do with effort vs reward? I would venture to guess that the age structure of elk in MT is similar to mule deer. Very little effort is needed to shoot a dink mule deer. IMO. With an elk there is a level of effort far above that of a deer, plus they eat about 10x better.

I don't hunt elk much anymore, but have shot my share of raghorns mostly because I liked to get one in the freezer so I could chase big deer. The last couple elk trips I passed up a number of raghorns. Not against it, just didn't want one that bad I guess.

 

[Point Creep]

I’ll be happier with a tag in my pocket in the last day of the season and still able to hunt than killing a forkie or raghorn, or even a small 4x4 deer or 6x6 elk. To each thier own. A cow hunt would be fun after season, provided I needed some meat. Forkies are safe from me - not judging you..

 

[Southern Elk]

I’ll be happier with a tag in my pocket in the last day of the season and still able to hunt than killing a forkie or raghorn, or even a small 4x4 deer or 6x6 elk. To each thier own. A cow hunt would be fun after season, provided I needed some meat. Forkies are safe from me - not judging you..

I was just joking around when I replied with that meme. You are a hell of a hunter. I’m jealous of your accomplishments.

 

[mtmuley]

I've killed rag bulls. The majority towards the end of season. I like to eat them. As far as forkhorn deer, I'm with Greenhorn. Haven't and won't. A cow or whitey doe on my property might end up cut and wrapped. mtmuley

 

[brockel]

Seems like the general consensus is that elk are hard to kill, even when they’re young.
Forkhorn deer are easier to kill. People like to judge each other for taking the “easy way out”

It’s like a carp to walleye comparison. Sure one is edible but why

 

[SwaggyD]

What about a Thanksgiving Day forkie with extra large neck roasts?

I've never killed a forkie, and have only killed one bull in my life.

edit - but to each their own. It is their tag in their pocket and they can put it on any legal animal they kill.

 

[Point Creep]

Some 2022 opening archery weekend public land general area MT elk….
No
Thank
You

 

[Hunt West]

Some 2022 opening archery weekend public land general area MT elk….
No
Thank
You

View attachment 246409

Come on man, people pay 10k to hunt bulls smaller than that

 

[JT88]

Lazy hunting is what bothers me. If you put in some time, and end up with a forkie, well, Ok, I guess. 1st deer, or your family needs the meat, ok. If you have to shoot the first one you see (year after year) from the road in the rut, then to me you're not really hunting.

Elk are a different animal and a different story.

BTW, shooting a truck-full of muley does in an area where they're not overpopulated is arguably worse than shooting a forkie. You just killed off an exponential number of deer. I think our management in MT needs serious help, but ultimately being a hunter we should be taught and expected to self manage and show some self control. It's called hunting for a reason. To me if it's easy, my standards are too low, and I'm the one losing

 

[Point Creep]

I was just joking around when I replied with that meme.

I loved the meme!!

 

[TheTone]

Some 2022 opening archery weekend public land general area MT elk….
No
Thank
You

View attachment 246409

Better man than me. Those would be herd bulls in my home unit

 

[BuzzH]

I think part of it is how and where you grew up hunting.

Elk we hunted for meat, first legal one got shot. It's still tough for me to pass up a legal elk on a general tag. I look at elk and see burger and steaks for the year.

Like Bambistew, my family liked to be more selective with deer to extend the season.

 

[TheTone]

I think part of it is how and where you grew up hunting.

Elk we hunted for meat, first legal one got shot. It's still tough for me to pass up a legal elk on a general tag. I look at elk and see burger and steaks for the year.

Like Bambistew, my family liked to be more selective with deer to extend the season.

I grew up very similar; elk hunting was work and deer hunting was fun. Units we hunted seeing a bull that was even 2.5 years old was rare, but the chance of finding a nice to exceptional deer always existed

 

[nastynate]

Question someone on this thread can answer... how did we get the name raghorn? A forky has forked antlers. A spike has a spikes. A full curl ram has a full curl. I know a raghorn is a young bull elk, but where's that come from?

 

[nrpate05]

I think it is just a social thing. People seem to put elk on a pedestal no matter how big it is. They are generally harder to hunt for sure. I'm fine shooting forkhorn mulies if it means meat in my freezer. The last few years I've been in grad school and became a dad so I only had a few days to hunt. I shot a small mule deer bucks on the last day every year. I don't feel bad about it.

 

[TOGIE]

I think the length of the Montana elk season plays a big role in some of the differing thoughts here.

In colorado you have 5, 7, and 9 day rifle seasons. You get one bull tag in one, just one, of those seasons. You find a legal bull you better try to shoot it. Deer season kinda the same situation... Except legal deer practically running you over everywhere you look…. I’m sure I’ll start being more selective with deer here. But hunting time is limited these days and I fricken love mule deer meat

 

[Nameless Range]

Because elk are actually a source of very good meat.

Not bashful about killing a whitetail of any age for meat as well.

Mule deer I eat because I feel obligated to since I shot it. Its not horrible, but its not elk, pronghorn, moose, or even a good whitetail.

I think part of it is how and where you grew up hunting.

Elk we hunted for meat, first legal one got shot. It's still tough for me to pass up a legal elk on a general tag. I look at elk and see burger and steaks for the year.

These sum it up for me.

I am admittedly not a very good elk hunter, but even the “good” elk hunters I grew up hunting with never passed on a legal bull.

I know there’s often not a case to be made about elk meat being a good deal financially, but there is a real virtue - in a literal protein sense as well as a piece of mind - when you’ve got a freezer full of elk.

It’s definitely cultural, but I could hunt very hard and pass dozens of forkies a year. I could also hunt very hard with a commensurate amount of effort and struggle to find a legal bull in the same season.

TLDR: Elk hunting is harder and the meat is better.