How about a Cow hunt

[muskeg]

Because of my guiding schedule I only have December to travel to hunt. There arn't many (western) December hunts to choose from. This year I decided to try for an Az Elk tag. My first choice was the unit 22 Bull and unit 23 Cow for a second. I got lucky and drew the Cow hunt. I had put in for unit 23 Whitetail because the hunts run back to back but didn't draw the Deer.

I'll be flying on Dec 3rd for some fun in the sun

This will be my first Elk hunt and I have seen very few Elk in my life. Besides size what are the ways to tell a younger Cow from and Old Lady.

I imagine a 2 or 3 year old would make good table fare or should I try for a calf?

Johnnie

 

[DAWG]

First, especially if it is a big herd, I would take the one that gives me the best shot. Try to pick one you can single out, and do not shoot twice if you are not sure you are shooting at the same animal. Elk do not always react immediaty after being shot, so if you mix them up, you could end up with more than one on the ground. They are all good eating, and other than relative size, ?????

 

[elk_getter]

If it doesn't have a rack..........

 

[threeforks]

When I am cow hunting I try and look for one that doesn't have a calf near her. Most of the time you wind up with a yearling that way, but I have got some older, big dry cows also. They are all about the same for eating, except for the calf meat is real tender like veal. There is not as much meat on the calf, but they are good eating.

 

[Hook]

Hi Johnnie,

congrats on drawing a cow tag. I just got back from AZ on a elk hunt in unit 6a. Lots of elk out there, you should not have any trouble finding a cow elk. A cow call will do the trick. You will be able to tell the size difference in the cows just by looking at the herd, most are herded up now. I'd say take an medium size cow, not a youngster.

Have fun and let us know how you did.

Good luck..

 

[BDB]

You asked a question i was going to ask since I am off 2 weeks from today for a cow elk hunt in New Mexico. Thanks for all the info guys. Just picked up my hoochie mama call today, and am driving the wife and dog nuts

 

[brut]

good luck on your hunt it will be a blast. like most of the jho said any single cow will taste great. pick one out and squeeze off you shot

the rest will be bbq

 

[subfan]

Johnnie,

Good luck! Are you going alone?? Even a small elk can be a bunch of work after the shot. Keep us posted.

 

[DAWG]

One last thing, this is a late hunt and they will be spooky. Picking one out and shootiong quickly may be important. Again, take the one that presents the best shot. They all eat good.

 

[muskeg]

Thanks for all the info guys.

I was thinking that the Elk might be spooky since they just wrapped up a bull hunt in that unit. I plan on lowering the hammer on the first opportunity.

That is also the reason I’m taking the 338 instead of the 45/70. Using my 250 grn Nosler partition bear loads.

I have a friend in Phoenix that I met some years ago on a trade deer hunt. We have become good friends and he is going to let my use his 4x pick-up. He is going to start out the hunt with me. My son might drive over from Santa Clarita for the first weekend if that works out for him.

Other than that I plan on doing the hunt alone.

I have rented a cabin in Young and plan on day hunting out of there. I have talked to one hunter that hunts that unit quite abit. I have all the topo maps for the unit and have been looking things over.

I will hike 1 or 2 (maybe 3) miles in if I have to. We are used to backpack style hunting as that is how most of our hunts in these parts are conducted. If I can’t get a rig to it I plan on boning out the critter. That is how we have to do it here most of the time. I see the night temps have been in the 20’s so it should work even if it takes a couple days to pack it out.

Thanks again for all the good info.