Cow elk or bull?
Killing any elk is a success!
Deciding whether you must hunt for a record bull elk, or if a nice tasty cow elk will do, will influence how and, possibly, where you hunt. Any legally killed elk in wild elk habitat is an accomplishment to be respected. We cherish the memories of both kinds of successful hunts.
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In many areas it is important to take some cows out to benefit the herd. If more hunters would be willing to kill some cows in those areas, the herds would be healthier and the numbers of bulls would actually increase. When cows are culled as needed, it is a win-win-win situation. Hunter success increases. Herd health improves. Ranchers are happy to lose less hay to the elk that is needed for their cattle. When I kill a bull on one Montana block managed ranch, I kind of hate to tell the rancher. When I kill a cow, I can't wait to tell him, because they are always so glad to hear it!
Many states allow either sex during archery season. Killing a branch antlered bull during the peak of the rut is a great thrill, but a nice clean cow is so much easier to field dress and skin. A nasty old rutting bull is often caked with dried mud and his lower body is usually covered with his own urine. Cows don't do that nasty stuff. It's easier to keep the meat clean from a cow elk.
Antlerless Permit Increases Success
One year I ended up hunting from archery season the first of September straight through to the end of a late rifle season in December and was absolutely thrilled to finish the season, at last, with a nice big cow piled up in the deep snow.
With only a few hours left of elk season, my meat was on the ground. While I was field dressing my elk, another elk hunter walked up and admitted he was tracking the same herd that I had just sent running. He asked me which way the herd went. I pointed toward a hopelessly arduous drainage. The downcast hunter put his feet in the tracks of the long-gone herd and set out with slumping shoulders, ready to stomp deep snow for the rest of the day, if necessary.
I felt sorry for him, then asked him, “Do you have an either sex permit?” He said that he did. I pointed in another direction and said, “Then follow this single set of elk tracks and you’ll soon find a nice sized yearling.” He thanked me and immediately started following that lone set of tracks.
In about ten minutes I heard him shoot. His harvest was not huge, though over twice as big as a deer, and it would be very tender. We were both thrilled to have finally harvested our annual elk meat. We crossed paths the rest of the day doing the hard work of packing meat in deep snow. It was the kind of demanding work that feels good on a man’s legs and back.
Most of us have visions of huge antlers and massive elk quarters in the early part of the season. Being willing to adjust our goals, allows success to be re-defined as well. Having an antlerless permit is not a guarantee, but it increases your chances of elk hunting success.
5 Reasons to Consider Taking a Cow
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation offers 5 reasons to consider taking a cow elk:
1. Reducing a herd to fit the carrying capacity of its winter range is a form of habitat conservation. Culling a calf-producer is more effective population control. Wildlife agencies issue either-sex tags specifically to encourage hunter harvest of cows.
2. Letting young bulls walk improves your odds for a big, mature bull next year.
3. A more abundant bull population tends to be older which can improve efficiency of the rut. Result: more bulls surviving winter, higher pregnancy rates in cows, fewer late calves and better overall herd health.
4. A less abundant cow population tends to be younger, more vigorous and resistant to diseases.
5. As tablefare, cows and calves are generally better.
Cow Elk Hunting Takes Skill, Too
A cow elk provides lots of delicious meat (120 to 180 pounds or more), as well as collectible “ivories”. Successfully finding, killing and retrieving a cow elk is much harder than shooting an antlerless deer. (We shoot those, too.) Successful cow elk hunting is an accomplishment worth celebrating. They have incredibly keen eyes, ears and noses. They don’t do “stupid” things when the rut is on, like a bull will sometimes do when he has one thing on his mind. It takes hunting skill to kill a cow elk.
In some areas of Montana elk hunters are allowed to hunt either sex for a week. It's good “insurance”, in case you're still empty handed toward the end of rifle season.
It’s an awesome accomplishment to kill a nice bull elk, especially with a bow and arrow, but many elk hunters are very glad to kill a cow.
(What do you think about the idea of hunting cow elk?)
Can You Keep Both Options Open?
If you can, leave your options open. Study the regulations and see if you can set yourself up with an either sex opportunity. In Montana, most of the regions during archery season allow “either sex elk” to be killed. Once rifle season starts, it becomes mostly “bull only”. With a special cow permit, I can kill bulls on one side of the highway and a cow on the other side.
Take your decisions about cow or bull elk into consideration as you plan where to hunt. You may have to get in there to determine where the elk will be during the different times of year. Then, when you think you have it figured out, they will change the “rules” on you anyway! That’s what makes it hunting instead of shooting.
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Forum Topic Discussions:
How often should I use my cow call?, I am new to the sport of bow hunting elk and my question is how often should I use my cow calls?
295 yard kill with a Kimber Montana 325 WSM, by Don from Dallas: My ELk did not even twitch once. He was dead when he hit the ground.
325 WSM is worth considering, Palmer Lake,CO: I believe that the .325 WSM is the ultimate elk caliber...
30-30 for Elk? : I have a 30 30 with 170 grain round nose bullet. Will this work to shoot an elk ?
(More comments about Best Elk Rifle below)
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Solo archery hunting -- tips for calling/set up?, by Idaho Steve (Hailey, ID )~ I hunt by myself a lot...I'd love to hear your thoughts on strategic set-ups when solo hunting and calling.
Non- Lead Bullets for Elk?, by Dave, Elk Hunting Tips.Net (Garrison, MT)~ What do you ballistics guys think about the use of non-lead bullets for elk? According to this story...
Rage Broadheads by Chris, ...my buddy gave me a rage practice tip and when I shot it you could not pick out the broadhead from the field points. I was sold...
Recent Submissions:
Finally filled the freezer..., Colorado Rockies~ "I was bummed when I got to the property and no elk, nor any hoof prints in the snow. ...I pulled each of the elk into shade then started gutting..."
Wounded Veteran Elk hunts, by Joshua FL), I am a disabled veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and have always dreamed of hunting elk. I am posting this to see if anyone would know of any elk hunts free to disabled vets....
First Elk with a Bow, by Ryan H. (Colorado), ...Finally after many years of hunting with a bow "I got er did"!
First Elk!, by Tater (Sheridan, Arkansas) I took the advice I received from this website and was successful…I wanted to Thank You and Your Forum and the folks that share on here for the knowledge and information that helped me find an elk I was quite happy with.
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Bugle in Herd bulls, by Swiltbank (Az) The key to calling in a herd bull is to get into his bedding grounds and threaten his herd. Start off sounding like…
Best Rifle Caliber?, by Buglemup (Superior, MT), "I've been reading what people have been writing about rifle calibers and here is what 16 years of guiding elk has taught me."
7mm Remington Magnum, by Dean (Helena, MT. USA) I use my Liberty Ruger M77, 7mm Rem. Mag. for antelope, deer, elk... Comment: "What do you guys think about the idea of hunting elk with a 270? I also know a guy who kills elk with a 243."
338 Marlin Express, "Light, fast shooting, hard hitting, manageable recoil, and for a lever gun - very accurate."
Guns I like for Elk, by Mountain Walker (Kootenays east B.C. Canada),"I think the gun you shoot Elk with should be one you shoot a lot with... "
.35 Remington, by Bill Smith "...my .35 Rem appears to have dropped a medium deer flawlessly, but I now have serious doubts as to its capability to take an elk."
Where to hunt in Az unit 3B?, by Cliffjumper (Tucson, Az) ~ I got a late bull muzzle loader hunt in Arizona unit 3b. Does anyone know how to hunt bulls in the late season?...
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Elk Hunting Colorado in 2013, By William (Midland, TX) "I am planning an elk hunt next year in Colorado and I wanted to know if hunting Gunnison National Forest..."
Unit 60 Elk 4th Rifle Season Nov 13-17 Either Sex 2013, By Chester "...Any general advice about the unit would be appreciated!"
Elk Hunting Idaho Unit 8 8A 11, This is my first year seriously trying to track down some elk. Is there anyone that has hunted in any of these units and can give me some friendly advice? Mitchell, Moscow Idaho
Elk Hunting Pocatello by Cameron (Pocatello) Where is the best place to elk hunt around Pocatello, Idaho? I'm a student at ISU and I'm looking for somewhere around here to hunt next season.
How is the elk hunting in unit 30A in Idaho?, by Terry (Richland Center, WI) Has anyone archery elk hunted in unit 30A in Idaho? What can you tell me about the area?
Hunting in Western Montana, by Mike A. (Alabama)
I did not draw a tag for Missouri breaks where I have hunted in the past. Having to start over and try western Montana.
New Mexico Unit 49, by Silas (Los Alamos, NM)
If anyone has tips on areas to start scouting, I'd really appreciate it.
First Elk Hunt First Elk Hunt, by Big "R" (NM)
I finally got drawn for a late elk hunt in Unit 28, north of Road 506 and south of the boundary line of the Lincoln National Forest...
Cow elk in Nevada's unit 222:
"Any good places known in unit 222?"
Northeast Nevada Early Elk hunt, by John (Carson City,NV)
"Any suggestions on what areas I may see some signs of elk?"
Retired USMC MSgt Needs Advice, by Ken Wing USMCRET (Bealeton, Va)
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