Hannah Helmer, 14, harvested what may be a new state record for Elk in Nebraska. Hannah’s father Joel, an official Boone and Crockett scorer, took an initial measurement of 428-1/8 according to the Omaha World Herald. The current state record for a nontypical elk is held by Dana Foster of Ogallala at 409-7/8 taken in 2008. The average score for elk in Nebraska is 390-3/8. Hannah’s official score will not come in until late November after the rack has dried out for 60 days.
Shaking with anticipation, Hannah took the shot from 200 yards as the big bull crossed her lane on the heels of a cow. “I tried not to think of how big he was, and just getting those crosshairs right where I was supposed to,” she told the Herald. Lee Johanson, a family friend hunting with Hannah, bugled to stop the bull in his tracks. With his broad side facing Hannah, the big elk responded with a bugle of his own and the teenage hunter squeezed the trigger.
Hannah said she burst into tears after taking the shot. “All the emotions just weighed me down. There was so much emotion and all the adrenaline.” This massive elk is an incredible achievement for Hannah who only shot her first Whitetail last season.
Hannah practices regularly with her 7mm-08 Remington and made a perfect shot into the Elk’s vitals behind the front shoulder. “He just walked a little way and laid down,” she told the Herald. “I was happy he died a quick death.” She and her father harvested approximately 400 lbs of meat from the record sized bull.
