World Record Elk from SCI

Denny Austad grabbed headlines across the country after downing the new world record elk dubbed "Spider Bull." The huge animal officially scored 478-5/8 B&C non-typical points. Few animals are as jaw-droppingly impressive as a full-grown elk. With a body weight approaching half a ton, antlers spanning six feet, and a multi-point wide rack, white-tipped and majestic, a rut-crazed and bugling wapiti is something to behold. Rare is the America big game hunter who doesn't dream of tagging one of these elusive and awe-inspiring animals. To help stir those dreams, here's a photo gallery of some of Safari Club International's all-time record-book elk trophies. For more, check out the SCI website, (www.scirecordbook.org). Alan Hamberlin traveled to Navajo County, Arizona in October 1998 to down this giant non-typical Rocky Mountain elk. With a score of 474 3/8, it ranks No. 2 with SCI. Everything about this enormous 8×8 elk is impressive–inside antler spread of 40 2/8s inches, and main beam lengths of 53 inches (left) and 59 5/8s inches (right).

Gary Chicoine arrowed this incredible non-typical Rocky Mountain elk last September 15 during a self-guided hunt to Arizona's Game Management Unit 27. The 8×7 bull scores 434 2/8s inches, with main beam lengths each about 50 inches, and main beam circumferences of about 12 inches. It's the No. 4 ranked non-typical taken by a bowman.

James Ludvigson arrowed this No. 5 SCI non-typical Rocky Mountain elk bow trophy in Arizona's Coconino County in mid-September. The 9×9 bull measures 431 7/8s inches, with beam lengths of 51 6/8s and 54 2/8s inches. He was on a self-guided hunt.

Rifle hunter Tod Reichert dumped this unusual palmatted-rack 7×6 bull in Socorro County, New Mexico last January 5. The 437 5/8s-inch Rocky Mountain elk is No. 1 in the typical category for SCI.

This No. 1 bow-harvested SCI typical Rocky Mountain elk by Shawn Patterson, was taken Sept. 16, 2005 from Arizona's Game Management Unit 10 with guide John McClendon. The 7×7 bull scores 432 2/8s inches, with has massive main beams measuring 60 inches and 62 inches.

Renowned bowhunter Chuck Adams claims the No. 2 SCI spot for typical Rocky Mountain elk with this enormous 431 6/8-inch bull, collected from Rosebud County, Montana in September, 2000. The 7×6 rack has tremendous mass, with an inside spread of 52 3/8s inches.

This number three SCI bow-harvest typical Rocky Mountain elk was arrowed near Athabasca, Alberta, Canada by bowman Will Huppertz. He was on a self-guided hunt when he rolled the 6×6 bull, which sports main beams measuring 52 and 51 6/8s inches. The bull scores 419 2/8s.

This 400-inch 9×9 Roosevelt elk is the No. 2 SCI record for this, the largest member of the North American wapiti family. It was shot by rifleman Gerald Warnock during an October hunt along the Campbell River in British Columbia, Canada. He was with guide Bruce Watson.

This 8×8 Roosevelt elk is number three in the SCI book, taken October 17, 2002 by rifleman Ron Bridge with guide Doug Rippingale on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. It has main bean rack circumferences of 8 6/8s and 9 4/8s inches, and scores 397 2/8s.

Mike Finnell's number seven ranked SCI Roosevelt elk was claimed Oct. 12, 2000 from the Adam River, British Columbia, Canada. He was rifle hunting with guide Rob Brown when he took the 7×7 bull, which scores 374 7/8s inches.

This is the largest SCI record-book tule elk taken by a handgun hunter. The tule elk is the smallest wapiti found in North America, occurring only in California. Taken by Jim Tonkin, this 9×8 bull measures 341 1/8 inches, and came from near Santa Margarita.

Duane Stroupe's 339 1/8-inch bull ranks number nine for tule elk in SCI. The 7×9 trophy has a wide 41 5/8s inch inside spread. It was taken in August from Grizzly Island, California.