Word is out and things are going crazy. The Spider Bull is dead. Word is that he may green gross score 500 4/8 and Team Mossback guided on the bull! I will post more as I find out more of the facts and see what we can find out. The hunter was Denny Austad. Denny is the Governor Elk Tag holder for Utah for 2008. The Spider Bull has eluded hunters for an amazing amount of time. What a legend.
UPDATE: 10/01/2008 - The photos of the Spider Bull have been posted. I will do the courtesy and link over to mossback.com for you to see more if you want. Here is what is posted by Doyle Moss about the bull:
September 30, 2008 will be a day marked in history. On this day a great bull was taken on public land in Utah. The “Spider” bull, a pending new world record and state record was taken by Denny Austad while hunting with Team MossBack. The “Spider” bull has a gross green score of 500 4/8 inches and a net green score of 488 inches.
So what do we know…The Spider bull rubbed his velvet off, became very weary, nobody could get on him, finally gets taken by the Governor Tag holder Denny Austad, the green score of 500 4/8 gross and 488 net non-typical is a pending world record.
This will shatter the current world record of 465 2/8 net B&C if the following happens:
- The bull is officially scored after the 60-day drying period
- The paperwork is submitted to Boone & Crockett
- Boone & Crockett accept the entry
- The bull is a pending world record for Boone & Crockett
- The antlers will have to be invited and taken to the next panel score
- If the accepted “panel” official score is over the 465 2/8 net mark…we have a new World’s Record Non-typical Elk
We will wait and see what happens next.
If you know anything or want to expand on the details please post a comment below.
Here is some video taken during the summer of 2008
Nate
November 11, 2008 at 10:57 am
Sherril, I have to disagree with you. If you are from the area you should know there are some different genes on that mtn… Have you ever seen pics of “chicken foot?? Very similair genes, I killed a bull on the archery hunt 2007 that had very similiar genes with tons of palmation, he isn’t near as big as the spider bull, but the genes are there. Dutton, Boulder, Fishlake are the units that border Monroe, Does anyone know the areas that elk can cover, especially to move to winter feeding grounds? You have to be very uneducated to make stupid comments that this bull was or is a farm bull… the elk on monroe are more like pets during the summer months, you can ride up to them within 20-30 yards on a four wheeler, but as soon as they start to rub, they remember they are wild animals. Spider made it though a month of archery hunters, two weeks of rifle hunters, and another week into the muzzleloader hunt before being killed. With all the eyes, trail cams, hunters, and curious he was only seen two or three times before the day he died. Denny did have a shot at him a couple of weeks before and missed a “gimme”. Now I have a hard time giving Moss congrats, but THEY did work hard for this bull, Denny DID NOT! The first shot he got on the bull was becuz a lady spotted him from the road and told Moss about him, they went down the road and missed him. 150 yards missed him broad side. Congrats to Denny as well, Im jealous, not in the way he got him, but that he is able to live his hunting dreams. I would buy the tag if I was finacially able, kudos to Denny for creating the life he has. But to call it a hunt, the moss boys can, but for Denny, it was just another day at the range.
donald yeo
November 16, 2008 at 5:07 pm
is this guy denny the same hunter that buys most of the gov tags hear in the northwest ore wa nev nm thanks i just heard some guy has the money to bid high on the tags.and has his own men workong for him to find the big bulls
mike
November 17, 2008 at 6:37 pm
I’m sorry but my opinion is that guided hunts are just not sporting. If you want to go out and just kill something go find a day lease “they should be outlawed also”. I am not stating that I disagree with the shot but I do say if you are willing to spend the time to hunt and the time to prepare for it you should be able to spend time on your own researching the hunt and not just take the easy way outand PAY foy the horns. To me a guide is just like the 17 year old punk at the drive thru just giving you what you ordered, sorry I still work for my food. Now I am not trying to offend any guides and the last thing I want to do is deal with some richie rich that doubles my income every year but the simple fact is if you love hunting as much as I do you should just go out and hunt like it should be. Man vs Nature. Win or lose its still hunting. Just got back from a moose hunt in Alaska “non guided” one of the top hunts I have ever had the pleasure of going on. $1000 round trip. Go ahead and check prices but I will tell you between air fare from Texas and the license were the majority of the bill and we saw more moose than that reported by many others. Congrats to the Austad family for their achievement but there is no way I could have paid for that shot.
Bert Mullen
December 17, 2008 at 10:15 pm
If it’s just about money I wonder how much would have been raised in a year long lottery that any hunter could have entered, not just the rich. We had the same thing happen up here in Washington. The guy paid 64,000$$ and got a 450 class bull. Look up the Bird Bath bull. I’m for a lottery so we all have a shot at these guys.
ben
December 26, 2008 at 12:54 pm
IM FROM WASHINGTON, AND THAT IS A GREAT IDEA BERT. A ALL YEAR LOTTERY. THAT WOULD MAKE IT EVAN FOR EVERYONE AND MAKE ALOT MORE MONEY FOR A GOOD CAUSE. SOON ALL THE RECORDS WILL BE HELD BY THE GUYS WITH MONEY AND GOV TAGS. LOOK AT HOW MANY HAVE BEEN BROKEN IN THE LAST 5 YEARS WITH GOV TAGS
bone
January 8, 2009 at 9:49 pm
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT BULL AND THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK IT IS FARM RAISED ARE NUTS
AND PROBLEY A LITTLE JEALOUS OF HIM SO DONT KNOCK HIM FOR KILLING A BULL THAT NO ONE WILL EVER HAVE A CHANCE TO DO AGAIN WAY TO GO I’M HAPPY FOR YOU DENNY DONT LISTEN TO THOSE HATTERS WHO PROBLEY DONT HAVE THE PASSION FOR HUNTING AS YOU DO YOU GO BOY!!!!!!!!
ShedHunter108
January 29, 2009 at 6:14 pm
For all of you that think it is a farm bull……You are right. It was the town of Monroe’s kind-of pet. No one fed it or gave it steroids, but it would let you get really close to it and not run. The town people tried to keep it hush, but word on a bull like that flys around really fast.
mike
January 29, 2009 at 6:50 pm
how can it be fair chase when only the rich get to chase ,he was not the hunter the guides were the hunters he was the shooter.all hunting for trophy animals is all about the money these days. i see it all the time with whitetail hunting . .the money man leases the land from right under you.i been putting in for elk permits in trophy areas in western states for years never drew , probably never will .i do not use guides or pay to hunt i do all my hunt myself .i know the money for the govenor tags is for a good cause , but that does not make you a better hunter.
Lynn Harker
January 31, 2009 at 12:17 pm
May I say that I have actually been with Denny on an Antelope hunt, and am proud to say that there is no one who works harder and is more a true sportsman than he is.
If the doubters are out there still, let me say that it is only their own jealousy that makes them say the crap that is passed along.
Congratulations, Denny, carry on!
Trevor
February 10, 2009 at 9:07 pm
There are three reasons why this bull has sparked such controversy. The reasons are: was this bull a free range bull and was it taken on a fair chase hunt? What are the ethics of a guided hunt? And lastly what are the ethics of govenor type tags, and the roll money now plays in hunting? First off this bull was a free range bull taken on public lands. The evidence is in. It has been tested, by the DWR and B&C it it has been cleared. That is good enough evidence for me. This bull is truly a testament to the outstanding management practices of the state of Utah. Next is the issue of guided hunts, particulary the ethics of Moss back guides and outfitters. In my opinion many people love to hate, what they cant have. The fact is Doyle took a pasion of his and made it a huge business. And that is what we all want to do, but very few of us will have that chance. I dont know any of the Moss Back team personally and for that reason I refuse to pass and judgement. But as far as I know everything they have done has been leagal. And as far as a guide service their reputation speaks for its self. The last issue is that of govenor type tags, and the roll of big money in hunting. The fact is it takes all types of hunters to make hunting great. It takes the small town hunter as well as those that buy these tags. Those that complain that hunting is now only a rich mans sport need to realize that with out the money these tags bring in, hunting in Utah would be like it was twenty years ago. Elk would continue to be on the decline and we would be lucky to find a two point mule deer. The money brought in by these tags, has given us all, if we play the game right, the chance to harvest a few exceptional animals in our life. That is my two cents, please feel free to correct me if you see any flaws in thought process.
mountaindewd
March 1, 2009 at 11:44 am
A bull that impressive deserved respect and the right to die naturally. What was the point of killing it….a story to tell people? I have nothing against hunting, but I do believe the line has to be drawn somewhere.
Love my guns
June 14, 2009 at 1:43 am
Ive lived in utah 46 years If you are dumb enough and jelous enough to not have a clue what went in to taking a great animal like this you need to come walk these mountains to see if it will help pull your head out or maybe let it fall out. the management of the trophy unit where this bull was taken and thick cover is what helps keep an animal out of sight while it own it own experiances educate it to reach maturity.Places near filmore monroe and dutton are becoming famous for record bulls. Panguitch will soon be next .Congradulations to the man smart enough to become worth self made millions –to have knowledge to hire DOYLE MOSS and congradulations to MOSS BACK for being able to put in the hours to eventually find this bull of earths. life all of you talking about pens need to pull your head out of its pen sounds like thats where you are use to hunting it obvious you dont know —- about utah bet you couldnt find your own spike here!! Id give any thing to be able to hire a guided hunt from moss to take my trophy however i cant runn through the trees and mountains like they do to keep up with Utahs great natural TROPHIES!!!!!
kandy
September 29, 2009 at 6:35 am
I would have to admit that i don’t beleive in trophie hunting, i belieive that whena hunter goes out on the hunt it is to help put food on their table, and not to put a big elk head on there wall. then feel proud that they got the big one, I want to say that he is a very nice elk and hopefully next year this guy wont hunt for the big trophie, and will hhunt for the right reasons. i live in the mountans ans defently that elk had to of been raised on a farm then brought in. so much for the real reason why people go hunting, cause we have these men that go out hire a guide and think to there selfs wow i’m a hunter who only wants to put a elk on there wall.
Talin
December 4, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Denny great bull and mossback great job guiding.. My dad owns an outfitting business and i love to go and help… I don’t think those who don’t beleive in guided hunts understand how we all go about it but thats just my opinion.. The big question was ” is it high fence” and i heard some stories so i thought i would do some research and i found out that it was fair chase.. So great job agian and look forward to seeing the bulls you guys kill next year.. And by the way bought a mossback movie on some big deer nice bucks..
Aaron
December 6, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Congrats Denny and Team mossback, that is an excellent bull!!! and mike u know nothing of outfitting,if u did u would know guides work their butts off to have a great success rate, and make the hunters happy with their animals… Many big animals live on leased property, in fact a local guiding business (Talins dad) guided a successful hunt that sent a hunter home with a 402 class bull.
skylerriker
December 7, 2009 at 12:05 pm
i have been wachin the spider bull and looking at pictures and some of the pictures thers a tag in the bulls ear and u have been saying on ur magizines that the bull was 100 percent fair chaise so is the bull realy fair chase .