Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting high fence freak shot in Idaho

Was CSU studying whatever had been causing sheep to get sick and die for centuries, they just didn't know at the time they were studying scrapie?

100 acres of solid forest is nothing at all like 10k acres of mixed sagebrush and timber patches like what's found in much of southern Idaho. You can find open areas of sagebrush a square mile or more in size, often a LOT more. You can find large patches of timber but with equally large open areas between them. The timber patches often extend up the sides of steep mountains or draws, making secluded escape routes for elk.

The OP article says that the ranch workers stationed several hunters at the edge of a timber patch to wait while they moved through to chase the elk out. They knew exactly where they'd come out. Wild elk aren't going to be chased out into the open like that. They'll double back and will use a hidden escape route. It's amazing how a spooked elk can disappear. These elk aren't wild.

+1!

I'd rather take a wild raghorn or cow than a freak like that.

Livestock, not a game animal. I would not pollute my game pole with that nor would I allow it on my wall. This sort of thing is not good for the sport of hunting.

I would rather have a 5x5 raghorn bull taken fairly off public land than that "thing."

Yeah, that is not really hunting. It's "harvesting". I shoot a lot of spikes on public land where hunters success rates are only about 5%, so they are well earned. I also shoot cows and appreciate the meat they provide. This shooting at elk locked up behind a fence is unethical. There are probably a lot of guys here that like those antlers on their walls that do it every year though, then badger some of us thinking we don't shoot elk or hunt, but this is not "hunting".

Agreed. Maybe he rolls with member sharpthings.

we drive WILD deer exactly like that successfully every year

Judging by the guys clothes in the picture, must not have been too hard of a "hunt" considering his blue jeans or red t shirt aren't even dirty or sweaty.

Not even an attractive head, IMHO.

I'll take a normal 350 rack anytime over something like that.

MM

If you read the article, he was with a group of shooters ferried to a place near some timber. Then ranch employees chased the elk by them. They were all shooters, not a hunter in the crowd.

I made the mistake of trusting a (non-CF) long-time friend who made all the arrangements for that trip and it was only after I had paid my deposit that I started to investigate and found out how it was run. The ranch was very evasive about it and several e-mails didn't answer my questions so I finally cornered them at the Harrisburg outdoors show. I let my friendship take over my normally cautious nature. I'm glad I went, I had a very good time with friends but it was not an elk hunt and I wanted to make sure that was clear in my post about it so others understood what they were getting into.

Still investing in Wyoming elk points to take myself on a real hunt sometime here after retirement.

Gotcha. Makes sense.

You may not have known what you were dealing with when you paid the deposit but made clear what it was in your story/write up. That is good to go as far as I am concerned.

ask a Texan lol

Id be super happy to take a cow elk every year archery elk hunting

Pugs, I think you're a Veteran, and you wanna hunt Wyoming, so you should send a message to Fotis, I'd bet a dollar he could probably help you with getting in on that Wyoming hunt.

Agree with Ted, being upfront about the whole thing means a ton. It's about like finding a decent bison hunt. I want a bison for the freezer but I'd prefer something at least a little like hunting. I wouldn't kid myself though about "the hunt". It's definitely about putting one in the deep freezer and it's more fun than getting beef at the Restaurant Depot.

I figure for every person shooting one behind a fence is one less competing with me in drawing a tag. The way things are going, I don't know if my 4 Wyoming points will even draw a general tag in 2023.

I have a friend who killed a magnificent elk at Roulon Jones' place. Super good guy. He's wealthy, has some health limitations, knew what he was getting into and did it with a bow. He's happy with the experience. Not my style, but I certainly don't begrudge him for it.

ugly rack!

I kind of have a hard time telling folks what to do with their money or their livestock.

I'm not exactly sure what the objection is here, so
someone will have to explain.
Many in my area spend thousands every year to
go " hunt " a whitetail deer.
Many decry high fence hunting, and as many embrace
it. Most all are trying to take a "good " buck. If
you strip away all the layers, they want a large
antlered head to put on the wall to post on their
web page, or show off to friends, or for whatever
reason. A good many don't keep the any meat,
some giving it away, some donating it to charitable
organizations, some stashing it in their freezer
for a year or 3 until it's useless. I'm sure there's
been many that just took the head and left the
carcass, otherwise we wouldn't have the laws we
do about taking a mandatory amount of the
carcass. It really doesn't bother me if the next
guy wants to hunt like he wants to and spend
a pile of money every year to get a new head or
two on the wall as long as the laws are followed.
I do wish that other people would leave me be
and let me "hunt " like I want to as long as I
follow the laws. My license costs as much as
everyone else's does