Casey Brooks, a bowhunter, had a mission that encompassed two years: the pursuit of a beautiful, non-typical bull elk. As all archery hunters know, the challenge is always to get close enough to the animals, since even the most high-powered bows offer a limited effective range. He finally fulfilled his quest with a well-placed arrow on the final day of 2024—not knowing that the majestic antlers of that elk would serve as a crown. Yes, a new World Record Non-Typical American Elk has been recognized.
Brooks' achievement would attract the attention of not one, but two, proponents of fair-chase hunting: Pope and Young, America’s leading bowhunting organization, and the Boone & Crockett Club, which serves a similar role for gun hunting. A special panel was convened by both the Pope and Young Club and Boone and Crockett Club consisting of experienced measurers from each organizations—and to say that this is unusual is a bit of an understatement—on October 13th, 2025. This was the first ever joint special panel with both Pope & Young Club and Boone & Crockett Club convened for a potential World Record for both organizations.
“From a scoring and verification standpoint, this bull was remarkable in every way,” said Roy Grace, Records Chairman for Pope and Young. “The mass, tine length, and overall configuration made it clear early on that we were witnessing something special. It’s a true testament to the conservation success of bowhunting and wildlife management.”
On December 31, 2024, Casey Brooks shot this record-breaking bull in Kittitas County, Washington. The bull has an official score of 478 2/8”, surpassing the previous Pope and Young World Record by an astounding 28 6/8”. This incredible bull is less than half an inch from the Boone & Crockett World Record, which would be the largest bull ever taken or found in North America, and Casey killed his bull with archery equipment, which is an outstanding accomplishment.
“This elk represents the heart, dedication, persistence, and respect for the hunt,” stated Tim Rozewski, Pope and Young Director of Records. “It’s an incredible achievement, not only for Casey, but for the entire bowhunting community.”
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