Finally.... First Elk (Pics showing up now)

After 13 long years with a few of those years doing multiple hunts in different states, I finally took my first Elk. Got her opening day, just before dark in the Soapstone area. Wish it was a bull but I still got plenty of time to find one! Heading back up to camp in a hours!

Can anyone tell me if 365 lbs gutted is big for a cow? I've seen people drag a cow out by themself, but 3 of us could barely move her before we cut it in half, and even after we cut her in half it was still a good work out getting her to the 4 wheeler. And when I went to the meat processor she was hanging next to a bull (small 5x5 but not raghorn) and she was bigger than the bull!

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sawsman
Congrats!

I think you answered your own question. :)
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MuleyMadness
Pics aren't showing up for me for some reason, but CONGRATS!!
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kchesley
Congrats. I just got my first elk too. I had an any bull tag and was up on cedar mountain. Just got home today and took it to the taxidermist. No one camping up there could believe that I called a giant 6 by 6 to me and got it on an any bull unit. It was nice to finally be that guy with a big bull hanging in camp that everyone wanted to come see. I will post pics soon. Congrats again
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ridgetop
Congrats on your elk. I have seen some really big cows out there. Sounds like you got a big one.
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Default Avatar
Way to go on your Elk.
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Thanks guys. Feels good to finally say I've taken an elk! It might have taken me almost half my lifetime but I finally did it. Wish it was a nice bull that I could mount on my wall but I'm not going to complain! And I picked up just under 200 lbs of meat today, so I'm one happy camper or hunter I should say! I re-uploaded the pictures so hopefully they show up now!
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kchesley
You may not be able to mount her on your wall but its an elk under your belt right? I am 37 and just got my first elk. I have had frustrating hunts where I didn't even see a cow and wondered what I was doing wrong. I love the soapstone area have hunted up there. I almost got a 5 by 5 rag horn 3 years ago in Vernal but chased him right to another hunter. Thats the way things go. This year I was in the right place at the right time and called in a good 6 by 6 right to me. He is a giant in my eyes but just a small bull others would pass for a bigger. I can't wait to get him back from the taxidermist. Like you said, you have meat in the freezer. I would have shot a spike in a heartbeat to get meat in the freezer but a 6 by 6 came out of the woodwork to me and gave me a double whammy-meat in freezer and mount on wall. Congrats again and like I keep in mind it can only get better (I think) Good luck in your future hunts
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Default Avatar
Ya I've come close to getting a nice bull a few times up Soapstone but each time the hunters that I never saw come up past camp in the morning and somehow snuck in right below me would get the shot off a half second before I could and it was always their first time in the area or their first year elk hunting which kills me but that's hunting I guess haha. And the massive 350-360 bull I shot in Montana 3 years ago that I never could find after searching for 4 days straight and searching again after the hunt still haunts me everyday and gives me day and nightmares! Haha

But congrats on your bull, that thing is a beast! That's mount worthy in my books! I'd take that bull any day even with the governors or sportsmans tag let alone on a general season any bull unit! People would probably criticize me for not getting something bigger but I'd still be the happiest guy in the world haha. Were you hunting in the Pine Valley unit or the Zion? Did they just change the Zion unit from Spike to Any Bull this year?
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kchesley
Zion unit has been any bull unit for as long as I can remember. I love hunting there with an any bull tag because alot of the Panguitch bulls cross over into it. That is where I was on the Zion Unit. Cedar mountain. Just east of Cedar City by Navajo Lake/Duck Creek. It's funny you say that other hunters snuck in because after I shot mine I was waiting for him to bleed out and I look over and there is hunter orange walking up the ridge to the left of me. He came up took a pic of my bull said congrats, showed me a pic of a 6 by 7 his brother killed in that area off his phone and went walking up the hill. I was like wow glad that bull came to me because that hunter was right there in a matter of minutes after I shot. Crazy how things work. And thanks for the props on him as like I said I wanted meat in the freezer so bad and an elk under my belt I didn't care what he was but glad he was mount worthy. (I think I would've mounted a spike because "first bull").
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