PA 1st Mega-Bull in the bag....

[Plinker147]

Winters and habitat are why southern states continually grow bigger elk than northern. Very little to do with genetics as a whole since they all came from yellow stone. Bulls have to spend too much energy to survive winters in the north. In the southern states winters are a joke even in hard winters compared to the north. Bulls can use all their energy to grow antlers in south. Same kind of deal in PA it sounds not to harsh winter and great groceries and Time mean big elk.

Keep them pictures of the big boys coming my hunts just around the corner and it's fueling the fire!!

 

[JAYgs8163]

Winters and habitat are why southern states continually grow bigger elk than northern. Very little to do with genetics as a whole since they all came from yellow stone. Bulls have to spend too much energy to survive winters in the north. In the southern states winters are a joke even in hard winters compared to the north. Bulls can use all their energy to grow antlers in south. Same kind of deal in PA it sounds not to harsh winter and great groceries and Time mean big elk.

Keep them pictures of the big boys coming my hunts just around the corner and it's fueling the fire!!

Not sure about the "Southern States" but not too mild here this past year. Flagstaff, Az had 146" of snow for 22/23 winter. Some years we have mild winters but most of the time they can be pretty brutal in all the Western states Elk Country.

 

[RCMSTER]

There have been several on trail cam in NW MO. But yes, crops are a problem.

I was born and raised on a dairy/beef/hog farm, and when my dad retired from farming during the farm crisis of 1982, I went to work for a few farmers over the years, and generally speaking, grain farmers are quick to say they're not in the business to feed a bunch of blankety deer, and with elk it'd be ten times worse. There wouldn't be good relations between farmers and DNR at all if elk were brought to iowa, so no way would it ever happen.

 

[dougduey]

No different than comparing same whitetail species to same ones in Midwest. I never shot 200# + dressed whitetails until moving here. Heck if not 225 dressed not even in top 10 of big buck contests.

Hey Muddy, how's the elk heard in Michigan doing?? I left the state in 2007, so haven't kept up on the herd. If I remember correctly, they were located around Hillman. I always wondered why the herd didn't grow and expand much, other than they were heavily managed.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0pWhWSCTZvJgy24F8G41Mc3QzQD3LnbEJaL1tWcEQbJFBc73HxwQarbkPzUBBmBGel&id=1440197053&mibextid=CDWPTG

Again, not mine but I know you'll enjoy this...great trail cam placement..lol

 

[Muddyboots]

Hey Muddy, how's the elk heard in Michigan doing?? I left the state in 2007, so haven't kept up on the herd. If I remember correctly, they were located around Hillman. I always wondered why the herd didn't grow and expand much, other than they were heavily managed.

Doing well, the total is managed so not to "expand" and cause "problems"... I have been putting in every year but NADA. But one of my club members drew a cow tag last year and scored so that was cool. Best area is north of Gaylord by Atlanta and Hillman.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

Finger lickin' good....lol. This guy is way to normal for PA...

A little caribou genetics showing...

 

[HRM Johnny]

Frank, thanks for the videos, and all the new pictures.

 

[ssramage]

Wow! Heckuva bull!

 

[bluedog69]

I was born and raised on a dairy/beef/hog farm, and when my dad retired from farming during the farm crisis of 1982, I went to work for a few farmers over the years, and generally speaking, grain farmers are quick to say they're not in the business to feed a bunch of blankety deer, and with elk it'd be ten times worse. There wouldn't be good relations between farmers and DNR at all if elk were brought to iowa, so no way would it ever happen.

I run a measly 80 acres of row crop. Run 60 head of cattle and have taught math 32 years. Most farmers around here don't worry about deer too much. Some hate them but most aren't bothered by them.
I just wish I did not need any farm income and could strategically row crop and food plot and habitat work all of it. Deer paradise!!!!

 

[Lenny Foffa]

What an incredible Bull. My Lifetime dream!!! A sincere Congratulations to you!! Excellent shooting. Very Well Done!! By the way, This was a Penn Elk???

 

[yobuck]

That is very very true especially in any given location.
On the other hand there are many places in the mid west where corn might peak out at
140 bu/acre, and other places where 220 bu/acre is common. Then there are places that are hitting 300 bu/acre.

Super rich soils seems to translate into antler potential in whitetails and I am betting it would for elk also.... as long as they
reach their potential.

Well as for crops like corn, you wont be finding that the PA. farmers are very tolerant of the Elk.
When you get beyond the big woods areas their numbers decrease considerably.
There is a lot of big woods area in the N C region for them to expand the herd, but again, the farmers arent as impressed with having large numbers of them as others are.

 

[yobuck]

A nice bull in driftwood.

That bull is actually in Castle Garden, which is just a short distance from Driftwood.
Our camp is only about 2 miles from that spot, he no doubt ate grass in our yard also.
Within sight of that spot on the opposite side of the large creek is a subdivision containing mostly older mobile homes used as hunting camps.
A ride thru whats known locally as the trailer park will as a rule show quite a few elk eating grass in the yards.
Ive seen up to 6 large bulls there at the same time.
And of coarse its also a prime location for (hunters) to visit.
Even (guided) hunters.
There is no place within that location that you wouldnt be violating several different safety zone laws by shooting.
But that all goes away when the elk season is open.

 

[CMP70306]

Well as for crops like corn, you wont be finding that the PA. farmers are very tolerant of the Elk.
When you get beyond the big woods areas their numbers decrease considerably.
There is a lot of big woods area in the N C region for them to expand the herd, but again, the farmers arent as impressed with having large numbers of them as others are.

From what I remember in my reading the PGC tried to introduce them in different areas around the state but the farmers kept shooting them for "crop damage" which is the primary reason they never expanded much outside of their current range.

Now how much of it was actually for crop damage vs exploiting a legal way to kill an elk without drawing a tag we don't know but the fact that pretty much any elk that stepped out of the official area got killed I'm going to lean more towards the latter.