# Who would punch the trigger?



## prumpf (Apr 8, 2016)

Alright, drew LE wasatch with 6 points. This boy comes along opening morning, who would take the shot? Who would not? Why? 

Let’s assume you have plenty of time in field left.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

What season? Archery, if he were close enough maybe. If ML or rifle, I'd hold off if I had the time to hunt the entire hunt. I see lots of bulls this size on the ML deer hunt, could have killed one like this nearly every day hunting for the past 5 years.

Its your tag though... shoot what makes you happy. There will be people responding that their kid would be estatic with a bull like that, but others would pass on a 360 bull still looking for something bigger.

-DallanC


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Not a great picture so hard to tell. When I hunted that tag I set my sights on a "six point". Hunted hard and next to the last day ended up harvesting what I was looking for.

That being said I think you could do better with a little more selectivity. But enjoy the journey. That's the fun part.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

LE tag? Probably not.

OTC tag? You bet.

Sent from my SM-N976U using Tapatalk


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Depends on what you’re looking for - the trophy is in the eye of the beholder!


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Are my young kids with me? Is he within a hundred yards of the road and positioned so they could watch me shoot him? 

If yes on both fronts, that would be hard to pass up. 

But if it were just for me personally, I doubt it.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Nope! Because I know what’s on that unit.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I passed on a 330 bull the last day after spending all but two days of the hunt trying to get the "Big Boy" that I had close encounters with. Processed tag soup on a LE Wasatch hunt. I'll never have another LE tag in my possession again. 

Like CPAjeff said...."The trophy is in the eye of the beholder". It's your tag, your derision. Scouting will tell you what bulls are on the unit.


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## TPrawitt91 (Sep 1, 2015)

I'm sending an arrow. But I have never had an LE tag in my life, so I may be a little more antsy than others.


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## pollo70 (Aug 15, 2016)

LE only on the last day to avoid tag soup but no shot prior to that.


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## elkhunterUT (Jan 21, 2008)

We all get way too caught up on score and inches - to each his own on what they want to shoot with their tag, and what they want their experience to be like. In this specific scenario, I would personally pass on opening morning, but a raghorn 5 point may not look so bad on the last day. I love punching my tag, but I also love the full experience of the hunt, so to end it on a young bull on the first day when there will likely be opportunities at a bigger bull on a long hunt like the bowhunt would be a little anticlimactic for me personally.


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

If I had a shot, id send it. My luck being what it is, I won't get another opportunity.


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## Bearbait49 (Jun 16, 2020)

You could do a lot better on the Wasatch than that bull but any branch antlered bull with a bow is an accomplishment and like others have already stated it's your tag so shoot what makes you happy you won't have another LE elk tag in Utah anytime soon so take it in and make sure you do all you can to get the experience you are looking for that is as important or more than filling your tag IMO. Have fun and good luck!


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## prumpf (Apr 8, 2016)

trying to be mentally strong and prepare. I want to say that I will wait cause I see the potential in the unit but don’t want to eat tag soup.

i will post some Trailcam pics in a few weeks


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

You still didn't mention what season your hunt is for.

-DallanC


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Me on the internet: no, I'm holding out for bigger.

Me in real life: send it!


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

DallanC said:


> You still didn't mention what season your hunt is for.
> 
> -DallanC


This post is titled in the archery section, so I assume archery.


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## prumpf (Apr 8, 2016)

Archery it is, 2 more months!


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> This post is titled in the archery section, so I assume archery.


Oh... lol, I don't even really pay attention to sections anymore. Just click the 'new" button and see what posts show up.

-DallanC


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## DIRTYS6X6 (May 19, 2021)

prumpf said:


> Archery it is, 2 more months!


Correction 56 days  but whos counting.. oh wait its me.

I share the same feelings as some of the others its your tag. A trophy is what you make of it and the experience and knowledge that you take from it. 
Have a great hunt and good luck..


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## tmitty (Jun 22, 2020)

I would pass. I had the same tag in 2020 and had way too much fun chasing bugles during the last couple weeks of the hunt. My buddy drew it this year, so I'll be back at it with him.


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

I’d let him go. Unless you’ve never killed an elk before or you were really short on time, then maybe shoot him. You’ll look at the antlers the rest of your life and think “what if…” if you shot him the first of the hunt before it even gets good


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

On opening day with lots of time left in the field and knowing there are better animals out there, I’d pass. If I’d scouted the heck before the season and couldn’t find anything better and didn’t have any leads on something better, I might shoot. Hard to do though when you know that last week of the season is where it’s at if you still have tag in hand.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

25.9 harvest percent last year. So only 1 in 4 hunters even killed an elk. Keep that in mind.

-DallanC


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## caddis8 (Sep 10, 2007)

Lots of factors to consider. How many days do you have to hunt? If it's only a couple, let it rip How many bigger elk have you seen? How much pressure is there around? . Don't pass up on opening day what you would shoot on the last day. It makes sense to hold out for a bigger one. But if you haven't seen a bigger one or don't have time, then send it. If it isn't the "it" factor, then don't.


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## BearLakeFishGuy (Apr 15, 2013)

Archery - Yes
Muzzy or Rifle - Definitely No


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## hawkeye (Feb 18, 2008)

I would definitely pass. I have killed two 6x6 bulls on the wasatch with archery tags in the last 10 years and know that you can do better. Facts to consider: (1) It is opening day and the fun is just getting started; (2) The archery hunt lasts an entire month; (3) The last week of the archery hunt is the best time to hunt; (4) I would want to be out hunting that last week just to experience the rut; and (5) There is nothing wrong with hunting hard, having fun, and eating tag soup. It is all about the experience!

Hawkeye


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## Ecpk91 (Jun 13, 2018)

I would shoot him on the Archery LE tag. Limited entry elk is pretty much turning into once in a lifetime, after your season you have to wait five years to start putting in again. I drew my tag in 2009, shot a nice bull I am proud of, Ive been putting in for limited entry deer ever since and still haven't drawn. I'm 49 now, maybe I draw next year? If I do the following year I can once again start putting in for elk, takes me 6-8 years to draw that again, now i'm 58 years old and on my second elk tag....hopefully. Archery is also more difficult then other hunts, I want to place the best shot possible to avoid injuring or losing an animal, If I pass him up whats to say I don't even get another chance regardless of what I saw scouting. Pop that sucker, be proud you did it with a Bow, put in for other hunts and hope you draw elk again, if you do hunt for something bigger the next go around. Nothing is guaranteed.


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## DreadedBowHunter (Sep 22, 2021)

I’d take the shot because my wife would easily love me coming home the next day after opening morning. Instead of sprinkling salt on some tag soup I’d rather fill freezer bags than talk about being cool for waiting on bigger but getting nothing 30 mins after sunset. I’m not about finding giraffes on any unit, just settling for ethical shots of species that are good to go.


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## WButch (10 mo ago)

Depends on so many factors as others have noted. I'd probably be a "no" if I had more time and had scouted other areas/bulls. The hunt could just keep rolling on that way!


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## bwood (Jan 5, 2011)

WButch said:


> Depends on so many factors as others have noted. I'd probably be a "no" if I had more time and had scouted other areas/bulls. The hunt could just keep rolling on that way!


I had the tag last year. Everybody says that you get what you put into the Wasatch. What they don't tell you is that you need to have put in a TON of time in previous years. The unit is huge and there are tons of people. I spent a bunch of time last summer scouting, talked to everyone who would listen, had friends and family who hunted the unit previously. I spent the last 2 weeks of the season on top of the first 2 weekends. We never saw a trophy bull(320+). 

Also a huge question is your personal situation. I knew I would never get another decent LE tag in my lifetime. Personally I would rather spend time actually in the forest hunting than sitting in the truck with a spotting scope. I did see and/or hear elk every day. At daylight of the final morning a bull much like your pic stood and looked at me at 50 yards. I was thrilled to bring him home. He has been great eating....


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## Gledeasy (Mar 23, 2014)

I've seen a guided hunter shoot one like that early in the hunt with a rifle. 

We worry too much about approval from others concerning our own decisions. If you like him enough to fling an arrow I say why not.

If it's me with a bow I'm passing. That's because I've harvested a few bulls, including one with a bow. I would be ok with tag soup to try and get the full experience. However, with a bow and no previous harvests the decision definitely becomes murky.


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