big elk hit by truck in De Beque Colorad
Elk
Can not confirm, but the story is that this elk was hit last night in or around De Beque Canyon. Can any one confirm?
Yes you confirm, or yes it is a shame? Yes it it very much a huge shame!
neither...........yes someone can confirm.
Well the DOW guy sure looks happy about it!
can a semi hit a elk without damage to the antlers
Wow! But I think that I would pass one like that up. Lol
What do you think he scores? I'd say about 5'9 200lbs!
Thats a nice bull w/ some awesome length.
City Hunter...use to be a cop and took many road hit accidents....its possible...had a huge bull that got hit in January and his antlers shattered like glass...but an animal can get clipped and end up if pretty pristine shape...the more antlers the less chance but possible
hope the guy in the truck wasn't hurt.. Dang thats a big one.
hope some one got the back straps
It is a great animal and I have sent out a few feelers but no one can confirm the location yet!
I have been in this country a lot and have spent tons of time around DeBeque area. I have never seen a bull close to it! Largest I have ever found maxed around 320" also knowing the country, it is hard to believe it was in the area and no one knew about it and it was living my close to a highway, etc.
The other issue I have is look at the antlers and velvet. The only time I have seen elk she'd like that had been enclosed areas with out trees to rub. Notice the velvet is totally dry, no blood, etc. I hunt a lot of desert country elk but even there when the velvet comes off, they polish up fast and the velvet is bloody.
Just my thoughts. Hard to believe that DeBeque area could hold such a slug considering it is OTC and even the outfitters celebrate when they kill a 280 bull!
That is also a state Patrol and not a DOW officer!
I always wonder why WCOs and cops always grin when they hold the rack of a road-kill or poached critter...
coelker, in the area around my cabin in NoCo the hunting pressure is heavy and the elk density pretty low. A couple years ago a guy killed a bull (archery) that grossed 381 about 1/4 mile from a popular ATV trail. Nobody had ever seen that bull that we knew of. Guy sat down to eat a Snickers on the way back to camp one morning, squawked-out a couple cow calls, and here came the bull through the timber.
My partner killed one that grossed 371 in our heavily-hunted OTC unit known for raghorns. Nobody on any of the adjoining ranches had ever seen that one before either. He just showed up one morning.
You just never know...
Good thing some pointed out that it's a Co HP officer. There for a minute I thought it was a Boulder cop.
What a magnificent animal.....
How do you know that it was hit by a truck, versus a car?
I think why an officer would grin when holding such a trophy is because they know & respect that its a trophy. Most things they (we...I'm a LEO, too) deal with that are dead are human beings and that's no laughing matter. I'd much rather deal with a dead trophy animal than a dead person; I'd smile, too.
BP
Wow what a great bull and a shame as well.
Maybe he was hit by a Prius. I wonder how the Prius would fare.
Ya know, there's this sense out there that every big elk and deer is known or have been seen, but I like to think otherwise.
It only takes a couple years of being elusive for a deer or even just a few for an elk to get huge while no one notices.
If you had a shy 5 year old bull that had gotten pressured a few times and lived to see another day, he might not drop down into open wintering ground and could make it without getting spotted. Add the possibility of him dropping his antlers in a bush somewhere on a steep slope where no one goes and they get chewed up.
Then all the sudden, 3 years later being nocturnal and a little lucky, he's a 400 inch bull and what was once a bull that wouldn't have been on anyone's radar is now pushing WR status.
There's going to be areas that are more prone to growing the occasional monster, but I don't see the occasional 350+ inch bull coming out of just about anywhere as being impossible.
Same thing with the occasional huge deer.
Big free range animals get big for a few reasons. Insane genetics and staying out of sight. Also just b/c you haven't heard about it doesn't mean it doesn't exist, I bet someone knew.
I have a 200"+ buck that was biologist aged at 3.5yrs, genetics. I also have a 180" buck that was estimated to be 9yrs+, reclusive, his teeth were worn more than the examples.
Someone on a group on FB is stating that he was following/scouting this bull for the last 2 weeks before the bull got hit on the road. We may have pics of him alive soon.
Whether or not that is true is up to you. I do know that some BIG bulls can slip through the cracks, but usually someone has seen them and just chose to keep quite. Or it is a "legend" among those who heard or know until it gets killed.
"I always wonder why WCOs and cops always grin when they hold the rack of a road-kill or poached critter..."
Heck I am smiling looking at the pic of the cop smiling holding the big bull. It's an amazing animal. A tragedy that it is road kill but amazing.
"There for a minute I thought it was a Boulder cop"....That's tooo funny...8^)))
Reminds me of bigfoot. Just because no one sees him doesn't mean he isnt out there!
My sister works dispatch for CSP. I can ask her.
Confirmed, pick up truck hit it & bounced into the guardrail. No injuries except for the elk of course. I-70 about MM 57.
No problem.
She didn't say if it was the pick up or the elk that bounced into the guardrail. I'm assuming it was the truck.
I almost center punched a big bull in WY driving thru the BH He looked like a wall in front of my jeep . It would have been ugly !
What is the mark on the elks right beam between G-2 and G-3? Almost looks like a metal tag of some sort.
Well the location make perfect sense. There is a huge alfalfa field on the south side of highway and the river on the other side. IT is a huge animal, and while I fully agree that there are good bulls in all units, this bull is a phenomenal that is as big if not bigger than what any one could hope for even in a top trophy units. As far as where he was.... I have hunted near this location on a few occasions over the years. It is close to work and easy access and very few hunters. Very few elk. Just a shame that he was hit by a car. I do have a feeling that if you can find a bull with a little age they are going to have good antler growth for sure.
Like I said between shed hunting, turkey hunting, predator hunting, and even elk hunting, I have never crossed paths with a bull that size around Debeque. I have seen a few nice 300 bulls but never something as big as this. I was wondering if his left ear was split? From a tag possibly? I am also excited to see what the sheep tag for this area will produce this year.
My dad has a ranch very close to where this bull was hit. He's seen him in his hay fields a few times. There was a fender and some debri from the truck that hit him on the side of the road. Really a shame that big beast had to go that way!
He could of been average at best last year. With this year's early spring (easy winter) and good rains all the way into June he grew huge. Plant nutrition is through the roof.
Wouldn't that be around unit 33 or so? Regardless a nice bull. Speaking of such things, I knew of a group of local guys who went out every year to around unit 33 for late season elk, I believe third season. Anyway, every year for several years they came home empty handed, or with a basket full of little tiny racks. They pretty much shot whatever was legal. But one particular year, about six or eight years ago, one of the guys shot a bull that grossed around 370 to 380. It was unbelievable. Especially in the area that they were hunting, and considering they would shoot the first legal elk that offered an opportunity.
Too bad that he went this way. That area is over in my neck of the woods. Would have liked to have had the opportunity to put that one in the freezer.
Mike
I got some pics from an LEO friend up there. He said the weak fronts on the left, G1, G2, G3 hurt the score. He said they got 390" on the rack.
This year has been amazing for growth! The deer and elk are looking great.
He said it scores 390. I don't know anyone personally who ever says the net B&C or P&Y when giving out a score so I guess that would be a safe assumption. I have actually never asked anyone either "what's the net"
I agree about the net. I think score should be by putting a rack in a tank of water and how much water is displaced is what they score. If they grow it I give them credit for it.
So this animal is a legit free roaming road kill?
Yes, it is a legit free roaming elk, that unfortunately hit by a pickup truck.
