Anyone Hunt Cow Elk ?

R

Rem308

Guest
Just wondering,all th talk about big bull elk. Does anyone hunt cow elk? I have so many horns on the wall that I hunt for cow elk,I let the bulls walk.I enjoy the hunt and have a much better chance of taking home some great meat.Mostly hunt Colorado for elk ,up in the NW part of th state.
 
i personally am a spike kind of person a cow is just too 'easy' lol i kind of enjoy a challenge!

Wildlife population control specialist
 
every fall for the last 7 years, and again this year...need to refreshion the freezer with elk steaks to get thru the winter.
 
Nuttin wrong with taking a cow, your doing your part in maintaining a healthy herd, plus they taste bettr!! ;-)










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LAST EDITED ON Aug-04-08 AT 11:37AM (MST)[p]I have shot more cow elk than bulls. I have only killed 2 bulls in my life a small 5x5 back in 2002 with my muzzleloader and a spike with my bow. The rest have been cows and will do it for the rest of my life. Sure I'd love a big ol bull but I love elk hunting and cows seem to fit my tags just fine.I love big antelope, I want a monster buck someday, but as for deer and elk, I love looking at them big boys and would to tag one , but am ok if I never do.
 
Absolutely!! I hunt achery with an Either Sex tag.
A big bull would be nice but I'm of the belief if its brown take it down. Its tough enough to get a shot with a bow I'm not going to sit there and let them walk by antlers or not.
Plus like everyone said they tend to taste better.
 
I have only taken one elk, and it was a cow. Here in NV, there is a 5 year wait if you draw a bull tag, and a 10 year wait if you take one. Cow tags can be had every year. Archery hunts, it is possible to hunt cows every other year at least. Muzzleloader, you can draw about every other year. Rifle hunts, about every 3 years or so, maybe 4. The muzzleloader hunts are in late September during the rut, and the rifle hunts start in early October with archery in August. I would rather have a crack at a cow every year or two than wait 10+ years to draw, another 10+ years after I got a bull. Elk meat sure is good!!

Later,

Marcial
 
I can have all the fun of a bull hunt and twice the quality of meat from hunting cow elk in AZ. I'll also probably get in 2 or 3 hunts in to the 1 bull hunt a lot of guys get.

You can run and gun, call, sit stands, basically hunt the exact same way as hunting a bull, but when it's finally time to close the deal, you pull the trigger on the cow and snap the shutter on the bull!

Antlerless elk watch out in AZ on September 12-25, I'm coming!

Nick
 
I have only killed one Cow......but it was GREAT fun!

I would like to do it again........just have to draw the damn tag!

I need some more jerky anyway, I am almost out!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I'm not a big fan of hunting cows, I have shot one, over in Wyoming on the last day. Felt kinda like an ass, dunno why. I've shot half a dozen spikes, but I want to hunt the big boys. Finally had to switch to archery just to have a chance, more than once in a lifetime, and have gotten skunked the last 2 years, gonna try again here in Utah and Idaho, 'course I can shoot either sex too, maybe I'll end up shooting a cow, maybe a spike, but hopefully I can get lucky and drill a big 'ol bull. Having said all that, my wife gets mad if I don't bring home an elk, so to keep her happy I might have to shoot another one.
 
I feel sorry for those who think they have to shoot a big bull every year. I've shot my share of bull and cow elk, I have just as much thrill harvesting either one, of course I generally do it with a bow or muzzleloader, generally. Some say cows are better eating, if it's a dry cow absolutely! A cow with a calf in September I now pass up if I can tell she has a calf, I've found nusing cows really aren't that great of eating, personally I'll take a bull over a wet cow. To each their own as long as the meat is eaten and appreciated.
 
I am building points for for a quality unit. I draw a cow tag as my third choice every year. I'd go after a additional cow tag and hunt a bull too, but, I live in a unit where I can hunt from my front door so I stick with that cow tag. It eats fine.

Beanman
 
If I cant draw a cow tag I always buy an OTC archery tag and dont hesitate to shoot the first cow that comes into range. I cant have enough Elk meat, I prefer it to beef.
 
For sure.

Helps on management goals and it extends my hunting season when I draw a cow tag.

Plus I eat elk weekly as it is so healthy compared to cattle cow meat.

Robb
 
LAST EDITED ON Aug-05-08 AT 08:32AM (MST)[p]I've taken 2 antlerless elk, and 3 bulls. For me, the bulls are good eating too.

I have a quality archery tag this year and my freezer's not exactly empty, so I'm hunting for the big bull. Yes, hunting for a cow is fun, but it is nowhere near the challenge of getting past all of the cows to get a shot at the herd bull.

Besides, meat wise, my dad drew another rifle elk hunt in the same unit. No guarantees, but we shouldn't have a problem getting him a shot at something.
 
There is absolutely nothing wrong with killing a cow. I have killed 3 cows and 1 bull in the last 5 hunting seasons and my Dad and I have cow tags this year. I would love to shoot another bull but I would rather hunt a cow than sit at home because I didn't get drawn for a bull. Here in AZ it is MUCH easier to get an archery cow tag than a bull tag. I moved out here from NY, where I could only dream about hunting elk, so as long as I get to go every year, that is ok with me. I still get to see the bulls and hear that sweet music they make.
 
i got my first cow last year on deseret here in utah 1 shot on a dead run at 275 made about a 15foot skid mark in the snow!
 
Hey Rem308 I also hunt nw colorado for cow elk, what unit you hunt??? With what weapon?
 
This is my third year with an either sex tag for the first hunt and I have decided to pick up a second season cow tag as a kicker. Would like a bull on the first hunt, but I will take a cow if opportunity knocks. I'll take a second cow too if I should be so lucky to find her. Besides, the second hunt extends my vacation in the woods by another six days.

My wife and daughter love elk meat and I want to fill the freezer this year. Sixty-four days and a wake-up till I am on my way.
264X300
 
>Hey Rem308 I also hunt nw
>colorado for cow elk, what
>unit you hunt??? With what
>weapon?


I hunt units 4,12,231 14 . I try for a muzzy tag when I can ,and when I do not draw a muzzy tag ,I use my rifle. I also bow hunted once.Depends what tag I can draw.
 
I felt realy bad the first time I shot a cow elk (The worst 3 seconds of my life!) Then I thought of the great eating and have never looked back!I try to get a cow tag every year.
 
We archery hunt the Manti unit in Utah. We have a great time trying to get around herd bulls to get a shot at one of his cows. Damb big bulls are always getting in the way.
 
I'm strictly a bull hunter and always will be..... Until a cow walks out and offers me a shot...... Probably why my tally is 8 cows and 0 Bulls...... Here in AZ we have to choose Cow or Bull hunts and I usually go first choice Bull and second and third choice cow on my apps..... When I lived in Montana and Oregon it was either sex OTC tags...... Still waiting on my first Bull but just love being in the El;k woods in September no matter what tag I have in my pocket....... Terry
 
I always put in for bull tags in the hopes that one day I'll draw a tag. While I wait I buy an otc archery tag for spike or cow. My family loves the meat and I love to go every year wether I get one or not. 1 elk can feed us for a yr and luckily, most of the time I get one.
 

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