largest elk's ?
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dirtball
Well-Known Member
Boone and Crockett as well as Pope and Young, will not take entries for animals shot behind High Fence, BUT SCI will take them all day long, as long as the hunt was conducted "Legally" which varies from state to state and country to country.
Check out any of the websites for these High Dollar "Elk Ranches" and they all quote their "SCI" scores.
Most of the African plains game animals in the SCI books were shot behind High Fence.
Dave
Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
No blood test will confirm if an animal was raised in a fence unless it was fed or injected with certain things that are not in the wild. Elk blood is elk blood. The largest elk behind a fence are 100 % elk, if they have red deer in them they are not as big and easy to spot one. Genetics, age and feed are the key to huge elk behind a fence, not red deer mix.
I enjoy being in the high, wild places that is genuine wild elk country. To me that is the spirit, memories and essence of the hunt. Limitless wilderness, the smell of it and the walk for miles in it with no boundaries. If my elk is smaller than the one the guy shot in the fence or anywhere else I really don't care but am happy for him if he is happy. But for me, give me that high country. It just makes a guy feel good inside.
I have no problem with the high fence guys. If a guy is happy hunting there I am happy for him and the guy who owns it. We are all hunters and must stay together for our sport to survive. I just prefer the traditional wild western hunting. If I don't kill anything or mine is smaller I had a wonderful time anyway.
I enjoy being in the high, wild places that is genuine wild elk country. To me that is the spirit, memories and essence of the hunt. Limitless wilderness, the smell of it and the walk for miles in it with no boundaries. If my elk is smaller than the one the guy shot in the fence or anywhere else I really don't care but am happy for him if he is happy. But for me, give me that high country. It just makes a guy feel good inside.
I have no problem with the high fence guys. If a guy is happy hunting there I am happy for him and the guy who owns it. We are all hunters and must stay together for our sport to survive. I just prefer the traditional wild western hunting. If I don't kill anything or mine is smaller I had a wonderful time anyway.
Wyoshootinfool
New Member
LTLR, You poor little poor mouthing, sandbagging rascal." If you don't kill one or yours is smaller". Statements like that when you have put on your walls several of the largest elk most people have ever seen. And when was the last time you ever had an unfilled elk tag, or have you ever had an unfilled tag. And can you recall when you ever came out with an elk or anything smaller than anyone in your group. You don't need to hunt in a pen. Your stuff is bigger than the pen hunters. Shooting and hunting skills do pay off. Some of you guys who know LTLR tell me if I'm wrong.
To answer your question there are some record bulls out there but you either got to have many thousands of dollars or draw the right tags and get real lucky. I have good council on this issue.
To answer your question there are some record bulls out there but you either got to have many thousands of dollars or draw the right tags and get real lucky. I have good council on this issue.
sniper2
Well-Known Member
Bet the biggest ones are in New Mexico....
sniper2
Well-Known Member
That is what a learned friend informed me...I believe he killed one there that goes over 400 pts...
winmag
Well-Known Member
4 words chas, (1)CHAMMA (2)and (3-4)WHITE MOUNTAIN. Thats why. Awesome genettics, and the Indians have been managing these herds since before game management was a phrase. And unless you have an extra $10,000 + lying around,
You wont be able to hunt it.
However, because the phenominal genettics exist, and New Mexico has alot of minnerals in the ground, some GIANTS can still be found off the res. New Mexico is the ''mecca'' of 400+ point bulls, with Arizona hot on its heels. Great genes, great minnerals, big horns, lean animals. Places like Colorado, and Montana have more elk maybe, and they also have thier share of monsters, but New Mexico, and Arizona just plain have BIG horns on thier critters.
Long Time Long Ranger
Well-Known Member
Sniper2, it was New Mexico and they are well over 400 inches. New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and Montana have public land with +400 inch bulls. I have seen and filmed them on public land in those states. Drawing a tag is another issue. The odds of drawing the tag reach 1-100 or better in many top units. But as winmag said, if you got the big doe they can get you the big bull. The last year I was down guiding on public land in New Mexico we got one in the 420's and the guy paid $64,000 to kill it. I had my hunter on one that we all had in the 440-450 range but he just wasn't in good enough shape to get on the bull. Got plenty of film of him and that was all. He had holed up in an awefull canyon to recover from the rut and the guy just couldn't keep up with me through the canyon to get on him with his muzzleloader. I had him within 400 yards three different days.
winmag
Well-Known Member
As a outfitter service, what would you do if you had something to offer that no one else had, but everyone wanted? GO AFTER BIG FISH WITH DEEP POCKETS. Supply and demand. It absolutely sickens me to see a hunt cost SO dang much! It completely turns hunting on its ear! Nobody that has to wonder if they can afford it will be able to in the not too distant futre. BUT I dont belive that the outfitters are 100% to blame. They have to pay for leases/guides/food/lodging costs/pack strings/feed/vet bills/taxes/repairs, etc. and have enough left over to live on. Not to mention, not overhunting, so they have something to offer for the next year.
Im not rich, My $ is invested in my equipment, and I have little to none left for paying someone. + I got burnned once, and wont do it again.(grass is always greener ya know)
Dont take this as a guide bashing post. Its quite the opposite. I know some Very reputable, hard workin folks who guide. They have my utmost respect. I couldnt hunt with all commers! Not a chance. I dont have patience for folks who arent even in enough shape to take advantage of the opportunity they just paid so dearly for. That is a slap in the face to the guide! Combine that with a clients lack of knowledge and lack of skill in some cases and a guide has to be able to put a client on a critter. Now you just turned an uphill battle into mission impossible......Unless you bought the hunting lease to prime realestate.......wich costs more $ to the outfitter, and in turn is passed onto the client. Its just too bad that it costs so stinkin much to be able to hunt certain animals. Namely Elk, Griz, Moose,and Sheep.
Im not rich, My $ is invested in my equipment, and I have little to none left for paying someone. + I got burnned once, and wont do it again.(grass is always greener ya know)
Dont take this as a guide bashing post. Its quite the opposite. I know some Very reputable, hard workin folks who guide. They have my utmost respect. I couldnt hunt with all commers! Not a chance. I dont have patience for folks who arent even in enough shape to take advantage of the opportunity they just paid so dearly for. That is a slap in the face to the guide! Combine that with a clients lack of knowledge and lack of skill in some cases and a guide has to be able to put a client on a critter. Now you just turned an uphill battle into mission impossible......Unless you bought the hunting lease to prime realestate.......wich costs more $ to the outfitter, and in turn is passed onto the client. Its just too bad that it costs so stinkin much to be able to hunt certain animals. Namely Elk, Griz, Moose,and Sheep.
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The second paragraph of Mr. LTLR post speaks volumes to me I agree 100%
As I read LTLR's post I literally felt as if I were in the "high wild places" only a passion for hunting and the wild out doors could be the result of writing such as this . I also agree that if it makes other hunters happy to hunt high fence let em be happy .
BigBuck
