Remember When The Worlds 4th Largest Elk Was Taken In Minnesota?

It was 14 years ago that the largest elk in Minnesota history, and the time the 3rd largest elk in the world was taken here in Northern Minnesota. Do you remember just how massive this elk was? The Boone and Crockett score was 462 2/8! How about we take a stroll down memory lane?

I came across a social media post last week that claimed a large elk was taken up in Northern Minnesota, the post looked like it was recent, but the more I dug into the post the more it showed it was more of a memory than current event as the elk was taken in 2010, and there was plenty of excitement about it.

Here is the story of how this massive elk was 'taken' here in Minnesota, and it's a strange tale.

"Ryan Muirhead was out hunting whitetails with some friends when they came upon this bull stuck in the mud upside down—and alive. Slowly dying on a chunk of state land, this bull likely stumbled when jumping a fence, which flipped it on its back. Heavy snow had insulated a giant mudhole from below-zero temperatures, and the elk’s antlers found it. Muirhead, his buddies, and some locals managed to dislodge the massive bull. Once free, it staggered a short distance into some trees. Muirhead drove by a few days later and found the bull. Six hours later, it likely succumbed to pneumonia. He reported it to the game warden, who turned the rack over to Muirhead." - Boone & Crockett

The rack made this elk the largest ever taken in Minnesota history and, at the time, the third largest taken in the world. Since then, it has fallen to the fourth largest elk.

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You can see the scorecard of the rack, and other pictures of massive elk taken in North America, here.