Seeley Lake resident Steve Felix and Darla Smarz with Felix's record bull elk antlers. The main beams measured 60 inches. Smarz received word from him the day he got the bull. "I am not a hunter, but I was very impressed with him," Smarz said.
Steve Felix harvested this bull elk on a cool, clear morning Sept. 10, 2016 in southeastern Montana. It is the current pending world record archery typical bull with a total gross score of 447 0/8 inches with a 430 0/8 inches net score.
The elk ivories from the record bull elk that Steve Felix brought down in Montana with a compound bow Sept. 2016. Elk and walrus are the only North American animals that have ivory canines. Elk ivories are in the upper jaw toward the front of the mouth. They are prized by hunters and can be made into jewelry.
Seeley Lake resident Steve Felix's 2016 archery hunt began with clear, cool weather and ended with a once in a lifetime record bull elk. The bull is considered a pending world record archery typical bull until it is panel-scored in February in Missouri. The current record archery bull scores 412 1/8 inches.
Native Minnesotan Felix has hunted since he was 14 years old. For the last 36 years he has rifle hunted as well as archery. "Bow hunting is my passion," he said. He hunts antelope, mule deer, elk and white tailed deer with his bow.
Felix used his 'stand by' compound bow the last six seasons but was unsure if he would ever be able to use it again.
"I had my left shoulder replaced May 2015," said Felix. "I wasn't sure if I would ever have the strength and stamina to pull it back again."
On Sept. 10, 2016 on public land in southeastern Montana, Felix went out bow hunting. At first light, Felix came across some spike bull elk and later caught sight of a bull that he wanted to pursue.
That bull was bugling back and forth with another bull as the breeding season or rut had begun. Bull elk rut in the fall for the chance to gather as many cow elk as they can by bugling, tearing up the ground, sparring and urinating excessively in order to prove their dominance to other bulls in the fight over cows.
Felix thinks there were cows bedded on the timbered bench nearby because of the way the bulls were acting. He watched the bull for more than an hour and then had the chance to draw.
The wind was in his favor as he nocked an arrow, drew back and sent his arrow into the bull at 61 yards.
As Felix walked up to his bull he said he got very emotional. "It is not about killing but about being out and enjoying the land."
Packing the mass of the animal out was an undertaking for Felix, who was hunting alone that day. "Obviously, getting the head, [antlers] and meat out was a challenge," he said. "The bull came out on my back. After five trips to get the elk out I was worn out and dehydrated."
Boone and Crockett (B&C) scorer, Fred King, aged the bull by looking at the lower jaw in November when he came to Montana to do the official score. King estimated the bull's age to be between eight and 10 years old.
Total gross score of Felix's elk is 447 0/8 inches with a 430 0/8 inches net score according to B&C and Pope and Young (P&Y) scoring systems. B&C score legally harvested animals by rifle, while P&Y score animals legally harvested by archery.
The bull antlers have a spread credit of 41 6/8 with the main beams measuring 60 inches each.
The bull cape (hide), head and antlers will be made into a shoulder pedestal mount and will be on view at the P&Y National Convention in Missouri in April.
As for the meat, Felix has not eaten any yet because he is eating the rest of the meat in his freezer first. He will do most of the processing himself. "This elk will be mostly burger and roasts," he said.
Felix maintains the importance of keeping public lands public.
"Hunting wouldn't be possible without public land access," he said. If public lands are sold or given away, the opportunity for outdoors lifestyle and hunting is reduced, he added.
"The entire experience has been overwhelming and humbling," he said. "Hunting is life. I am not sure how else to put it."
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