wildwoody Report post Posted July 26, 2017 wow, now he can't be officially scored untill hes striped correct? and I'm not talking about the hunter. and hay he's not smiling. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rossislider Report post Posted July 26, 2017 Was that the auction tag from last year and the year was coming to an end? Stud bull!!! I think this was last year's tag. If I am not mistaken, the auction and raffle tags run each year from August 15th through August 14th of the following year. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rag Horn Report post Posted July 26, 2017 Do most auction/raffle elk hunters shoot their bulls while the bulls are still in the velvet? Is this because the antlers haven't been all broken up from the rut or just the novelty of it? Maybe a combination of both? Not many bulls are shot in the velvet, compared to deer shot in the velvet at least. I don't pay too much attention to this year in and year out. A bull in the velvet just seems to be the hallmark of a bull killed with the auction/raffle tag. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nateNAU Report post Posted July 26, 2017 Do most auction/raffle elk hunters shoot their bulls while the bulls are still in the velvet? Is this because the antlers haven't been all broken up from the rut or just the novelty of it? Maybe a combination of both? Not many bulls are shot in the velvet, compared to deer shot in the velvet at least. I don't pay too much attention to this year in and year out. A bull in the velvet just seems to be the hallmark of a bull killed with the auction/raffle tag. I think that score is really the deciding factor. It's a gamble. Shoot a bull hard horned or give him till his next set before your governors tag expires and others start chasing him. I think most rely on their guide to be able to pick a bull up towards the end of there tag, allowing it to be the biggest it can be. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nateNAU Report post Posted July 26, 2017 wow, now he can't be officially scored untill hes striped correct? and I'm not talking about the hunter. and hay he's not smiling. I think thats only for a potential world record. At least with sci. Not sure about b&c or p&y. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZ420 Report post Posted July 26, 2017 Do most auction/raffle elk hunters shoot their bulls while the bulls are still in the velvet? Is this because the antlers haven't been all broken up from the rut or just the novelty of it? Maybe a combination of both? Not many bulls are shot in the velvet, compared to deer shot in the velvet at least. I don't pay too much attention to this year in and year out. A bull in the velvet just seems to be the hallmark of a bull killed with the auction/raffle tag. Over the years it's become more common to see a Auction/Raffle elk tags harvested in velvet. I'm not sure why, but I'm thinking it's the previous years tags that are about to expire on August 15th, and they need to put a bull down quickly. That means shooting some bulls even before they've finished growing, although most are near completion by then. This years tag holders will likely hold out until their bull is scraped and shiny, and then put them down a few weeks before the pressure of the archery elk hunters hit the woods.. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flatlander Report post Posted July 26, 2017 I think the auction and raffle bulls are often velvet because many of the hunters see what is found during the first 6 weeks of their hunt and if they don't fill the tag they do like this and wait as late into the next year as possible. If memory serves me correctly there is still a raffle tag out there that is good until 8/14 as well. It's sort of a vicious cycle because only a handful of guides end up guiding these tags and so now that one outfit is trying to kill 2 400" bulls right now, it's tough to find another one before the archery hunts start or bulls start breaking tines so then they end up waiting until next summer. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost85 Report post Posted July 26, 2017 They shoot them in the velvet because once they go hard horned they wander off. Velvet bulls are very predictable and much easier to get on the ground 10 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flatlander Report post Posted July 26, 2017 They shoot them in the velvet because once they go hard horned they wander off. Velvet bulls are very predictable and much easier to get on the ground True 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hunter4life Report post Posted July 27, 2017 They also score much more when they are in fresh velvet which helps with the advertising for the guide companies. As you will notice they never tell you the score after they are dried or stripped. I have heard that once dried many of these bulls lose 30-45 inches. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cjl2010 Report post Posted July 27, 2017 Was that an auction or raffle hunter? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azelkhunter2 Report post Posted July 27, 2017 Having been responsible for several large velvet bulls hitting the ground I can tell you they don't loose close to 30/45 inches. In close to 25 yrs of doing this the most I have ever seen lost is apx 11 inches. That bull will finish well over 400 inches..... 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector777 Report post Posted July 27, 2017 Having been responsible for several large velvet bulls hitting the ground I can tell you they don't loose close to 30/45 inches. In close to 25 yrs of doing this the most I have ever seen lost is apx 11 inches. That bull will finish well over 400 inches.....But they will lose 10-15 additional inches when the bull is scored by someone other than the guides that killed it. everyone can heckle me but I don't see 425" 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azelkhunter2 Report post Posted July 27, 2017 The outfit that took that bull has no need to over score an animal. They won't get next yrs auction tag or raffle winner based on one animal....Its off of several yrs of taking some of the largest animals in the state again and again. Opinions on score are like assholes everyone has one.....I have sat on mountain sides and had heated arguments with other guides about what an animal scores.....But to look at ONE picture and try and give a accurate score is near impossible and a disservice to those involved in the harvest. Having seen several pics of that bul it is well over 400 inches..... 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZ8 Report post Posted July 27, 2017 Whew! I was worried. My number one bull is still alive!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
