On March 20, 2021, the Pope and Young Club convened a Special Panel of Judges in Alberta, Canada, for a potential P&Y World Record Non-Typical American Elk. Shawn O’Shea’s Non-Typical American Elk scored an incredible 449 4/8 inches and is now the largest bow-harvested Non-Typical American Elk in North America. The bull was arrowed on Sept. 14, 2020, in Minburn County, Alberta. This bull surpasses the previous world record by 7 4/8 inches.

According the O’Shea, the bull was first located in September of 2017. “Routine examinations of trail cameras rendered interesting snapshots of the nocturnal 8 x 7 bull elk,” he said. “As of yet it had not been seen in other hunts or scouting trips, and interest only grew as time went on like this. The few pictures caught by camera served only as teasers, you had to but look at the photos to realize the massive potential of this animal.”  

O’Shea finally caught up the bull in the fall of 2020.  “On the 13th (September), I heard him fighting with another bull and tried to get in close, only to be halted by the dark,” O’Shea said. “Hoping to get a glance the next morning, I set out and was once again treated to a no-show. The evening hike in proved promising at first due to an abundance of fresh bull rut activity. Once in place, I tried a few locator calls with no responses. I then set up in a ground blind near a frequently used trail with fresh sign. Eventually, the bull appeared to my left at only 30 yards, seemingly planning his next move. He stood for 3 to 5 minutes, with the wind in my favor. In a compromising position, I waited until a draw would not spook the bull. He then closed the gap to 18 yards, and I was able to draw and make the shot count.”

O’Shea’s new world record bull will be invited for display at the Pope and Young Convention in Reno, Nevada. The convention will run from July 14-17, 2021, with the awards dinner and presentation on July 17.