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Got a pic of this bull on my trail camera last week.
Would you pass or shoot this 5x5 in an OTC unit?
I have never killed a bull so my goal is to kill my 1st legal bull. Yes.
legal? shoot. butcher, cook. eat, repeat
In alot of units that's a great bull. Pass up too many of these and you may never kill a bull at all! I'd like to get something better but at three feet this guy is looking like elk kabobs to me.
I would be shooting in a heart beat. Hopefully I get my first archery elk this fall in Colorado.
I have taken several that size in an OTC unit and hope to take another this fall. As an Archery Hunter in an OTC unit I am there for the success of taking a legal bull and having some elk in the freezer. Shoot
I'd call him in for my son!
He's going to grow into a shooter for me, for my first or fifth. I will be headed out this fall and would shoot him at the first opportunity.
I'm passin - unless it's the last day. Once you shoot, the hunt is over and you go home. I'm more in to 'hunting' than 'shooting'.
Brad I am going to need GPS coordinates if he is going to be my first archery elk. LOL
That guy gets a pass from me. I would be happy to help my hunting partner pack him out and share the meat though:)
Same as Rick M, I'd let my hunting buddies who have never killed an elk shoot him and I'd hunt for a bigger bull unless its the end of my hunt then I'd stick him.
I love eating them but with my wife and son both getting cow tags this year I'm confident we will have elk meat one way or another.
Let me see..... Stick bow....1st elk with a bow...Hell Yea!
I passed a 10 yd.shot on a cow back in 2009 and it still haunts me. 1st legal elk for me is just fine. Just want to make a clean kill and see that arrow go right where I'm looking!
My 2 cents
About a minute after the 5x5 walked by the camera, these 2 elk came by.
No hesitation for me with an OTC tag. An arrow is going to get flung!
Hmmm...[thinks]
First bull gets a 'hell YES' from me
Depends!!
Long pack out- pass
Short pack out - shoot
DIY in an OTC, I'd shoot! Looks like there are a couple you will be able to chase. Shoot straight.
I like to eat elk and I hunt hard for one or two opportunity's a year. So yes he gets an acc tipped slick trick . Stay hungry my friends. HUNT
Brown and legal, I don't care if it's got head gear, I'm shooting at it if I have the shot, most especially in an OTC unit!
He's still got some work to do. He's still got a shot at 6x6 IMO. At some point even a 360 is a 5x5.
In sept. OTC I'd likely choot em.... unless I knew something bigger was around.... =D
The only pass I would want to give him is a pass-through, but I've never elk hunted.
It's about the experience. DIY OTC hunt I'd shoot the first one. Such an awesome experience to get it done with the bow and pack him out... Nothing like a nice rack on top of the pack!
Josh
If it was early in the hunt, there seemed to be some bulls around, and there wasn't much activity at the trail head, not much hunters around. . . I'd pass
If late in the hunt, or lots of hunters, or few elk, quiet elk, etc., I'd shoot
Bake
I'd be shooting. Would be my first bull!
I'm with Bowbeck, letting the air out of him.
Id let him walk. But I also like to draw out the season until the bitter end if I have the time. If I was pressed for time and was after meat. I would take him if given the chance.
If you dont, he's probably catching a .30 bullet in the near future.
And about 1 minute after those two came by, this little 4pt raghorn came by,,,
Put the hammer down! Co OTC unless you're a trophy hunter that's a really nice bull for Co OTC.... Nothing wrong with that bull with a stick and string!
Put the hammer down! Co OTC unless you're a trophy hunter that's a really nice bull for Co OTC.... Nothing wrong with that bull with a stick and string!
Just FYI... Outdoor Channel just posted this pic on their Instagram page. It is titled "Who's ready for archery elk season?" It has 139 likes in 38 minutes so I'm guessing that means its a shooter lol.
Hunting elk in Co. next year for the first time, Id definitely be happy taking that one home to MN. for my first bull!!
geez, he's a little guy... Let him grow up to be a man, breed some cows, live some life...
Different strokes for different folks! Shoot if you're happy with it.
Every trip we go on my buddies ask me what would I shoot for an animal. My answer is always the same 'ask me after I get back.' For me if I get excited about the shot I take it. If not, I don't shoot.
Not much help for you if you are trying to decide whether you would shoot this elk is it? :)
I'm planning my first elk hunt within the next two years, which will see me travelling from the east of England to elk country which is at least 4500 miles and then some...so of course I want to take a trophy home, even if it's only the photos of an elk cow.
I would pass on him unless it was a year I needed the meat. Between my wife and I both having 2 elk tags each a year. It has been a long time since I had to shoot a little bull. I use archery season as my 6 point or better hunt and then use a later rifle hunt to fill the freezer.
Hell, I'd shoot him without the horns!!
1st tag of the season, shoot. 2nd tag of the season, pass.
Pass unless it's the last couple days and an easy pack out.
Being, I haven't killed an elk before, I'd kill him. (I lost an elk on my first trip last season.) Then, I'd enjoy some fine eating for the year.