Cow Elk Tips

[pablodiablo]

Greetings Hunt Talkers, I am preparing for my fourth elk hunt, hoping to finally connect on one. I have a cow tag for Wyoming's first rifle season. I wanted to ask the more experienced folks out here...(if there are any cow elk hunters)...do you have any cow-specific tips for a newish elk hunter? Any tactics or concepts you've employed that you think would be valuable? Any ways you would differentiate your mentality or tactics for a cow hunt vs a bull hunt? If anyone is willing to share their experience and knowledge, I would be most thankful. Have a good week and a great hunt, Paul

 

[Addicting]

Wyoming's first rifle season

Cow tags start differently all over the state. What dates are you hunting?

 

[Wy067]

For rifle hunting cow elk, I usually hunt later in season (November/December) after the woods have calmed down a little from opening week of rifle. Get out early and glass the potential feeding areas at dawn and dusk. Know where your water sources are to keep tabs on during the day. Cow elk will still need to meet their needs of feed/water/cover and they will most likely be herded up into larger groups and hopefully somewhat easier to find via glassing. If I were hunting a bull in the late season, I'd be looking more for steep, dark, secluded sanctuary areas as they are recovering from the rut and most likely not moving as much.

 

[wytex]

If it's Sept. hunt they will be in harems. Calf call and cow calls will work. Look for good feeding areas , small areas of grass meadows in the timber. It's been hot so water may help but we have a cool front for 1 st week in Sept, they may get pretty active.
You may have success hunting timber fingers between meadows.
If you hear a bull bugle I bet he has some cows with him.
Early season they are feeding and breeding, listen and move in.

 

[Bob-WY]

Been watching this one carefully as wife and I have cow tags in a limited draw unit near us in WY. This will really be our first serious attempt at these critters. We have been scouting and have routinely found cow/calfs and rubs and old and new sign. So I am optimistic.

We had a camera out in a low point where a small creek runs for over a mile between two ridges, it was there for 2 weeks and with the exception of one evening, had cows on it every evening. My wife now wants a tree stand there for archery season. I was going to stay out of that area, but now will be going back in one more time before Sept 15!

We have also been teaching her to cow call and she's been taking the call when we scout, twice now, we've walked right up on elk, one time a solo cow, the second time a cow, 2 calfs and a 4th "elk of some sort". In both cases we were not trying to be quiet, but following a game trail, talking occasionally and her calling occassionally with her cow call. The first time we literally almost walked into the cow, saw her at 15 yards in some thicker sections, she was just feeding and didn't seem to care we were there. Second time we came over a small rise to find a cow staring at us and the other 3 (that we saw) apparently bedded.

My question is that this area doesn't have a good glassing spot, at least that I've found so far, it has some ridges but very tree'd and some lodge pole pine and aspen groves. In some of it we can see a good distance. I plan to mostly still hunt/walk these areas glassing as far as I can, use ridges to call (bugle and cow), then focus on teh grass areas that are spread around, some small, some very large, especially at dawn/dusk.

we've identified several game trails to/from many of the open parks and will work these as well. There has to be a wallow around, but damn if I can find it!

Without an elevated glassing spot, what's the best way to approach this?

 

[wolfpup]

I was going to inquire the same thing for my upcoming muzzle loader hunt in Colorado though. In the past I have found groups of cows with and without bulls but more often than not a small bull with them. I typically also smell them before I see them. During September, I try to hunt near water and grass. I cow call and calf call periodically as I walk through the area as hoping not to spook them if possible. If your close enough the cows will respond to the mews but if a bull is in the group he typically will respond before the cows, but not always. For a rifle hunt I would think you try to find any elk as they typically are not alone so food, water, and protection would be the places to look. Be out early and late at glassing areas for rifle. Then see if they are patterning or migrating.

 

[Wy067]

Been watching this one carefully as wife and I have cow tags in a limited draw unit near us in WY. This will really be our first serious attempt at these critters. We have been scouting and have routinely found cow/calfs and rubs and old and new sign. So I am optimistic.

We had a camera out in a low point where a small creek runs for over a mile between two ridges, it was there for 2 weeks and with the exception of one evening, had cows on it every evening. My wife now wants a tree stand there for archery season. I was going to stay out of that area, but now will be going back in one more time before Sept 15!

We have also been teaching her to cow call and she's been taking the call when we scout, twice now, we've walked right up on elk, one time a solo cow, the second time a cow, 2 calfs and a 4th "elk of some sort". In both cases we were not trying to be quiet, but following a game trail, talking occasionally and her calling occassionally with her cow call. The first time we literally almost walked into the cow, saw her at 15 yards in some thicker sections, she was just feeding and didn't seem to care we were there. Second time we came over a small rise to find a cow staring at us and the other 3 (that we saw) apparently bedded.

My question is that this area doesn't have a good glassing spot, at least that I've found so far, it has some ridges but very tree'd and some lodge pole pine and aspen groves. In some of it we can see a good distance. I plan to mostly still hunt/walk these areas glassing as far as I can, use ridges to call (bugle and cow), then focus on teh grass areas that are spread around, some small, some very large, especially at dawn/dusk.

we've identified several game trails to/from many of the open parks and will work these as well. There has to be a wallow around, but damn if I can find it!

Without an elevated glassing spot, what's the best way to approach this?

I think you've got a handle on it. Keep an eye on the wind/thermals obviously. Concur with a tree stand/blind approach especially if you've been into elk there. I'd deploy a decoy as well for stand hunting.

 

[pablodiablo]

Thanks everyone. This is a Unit 24 rifle tag so the season opens Oct 1st. Sorry for the delay, my city has been burning for three nights.

 

[WyoDoug]

Turn on the burn layer on On-X maps. Burn areas are a good place to find cow elk especially depending on cover, amount of new growth, available water close by. I find a lot of cow elk hanging in unburned dark timber next to burn areas and meadows away from roads usually hanging in the black timber surrounding them. Look for springs. Very often you might have a stream originating from those that might be 10 feet long before it disappears underground again, but they tend to attract elk. When I did some preliminary scouting in the summer while fishing and camping, I found a bunch of these with heavy traffic into and around these.

 

[TheElkMan]

What part of the state are you hunting in? Always be aware of what the wind is doing and spend a lot of time glassing. Have fun, cows are fun to hunt too, ya can’t eat antlers anyway.

 

[wytex]

Bob, any spot where the elk are using a saddle to cross the ridges ? Find a pinch point to hunt or a good trail. Otherwise, just watch those winds and thermals like Wy067 said.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

I would wait and hunt it in November.

 

[Bob-WY]

Wait til November? Not a chance, can't do that! I'll be there 9/15 and 10/15 for both opening days (well if tag isn't full). I may get discouraged by crowds and out again til November, but I can't see not hunting, especially if my pronghorn tags are filled by then.

I easily could be hunting in November, but I can't see waiting! Though neighbors have the same recommendation: archery hunt, then wait til Nov! First real time doing this, so not a chance of me not hunting!

Wytex, I will be looking for just such a place. Thanks!

 

[Seamaster]

Hunting pressure is the biggest thing I consider when hunting early season cow elk. Opening morning sometimes means orange hats and horses appearing in unexpected spots.

One of my favorite old spots was a steep rocky bald knob that had a thin fringe of timber at it's base. On opening day the pony soldiers would ride into the area and about an half hour after daylight some bands of elk would trot through that timber as they were heading for a new zip code. It was an area that was overlooked by other hunters and was just about a sure thing for me. Most of the hunters in that area were looking for a bull but they pushed those cows with the pressure. I shot a few cows and a couple of bulls in that little strip of timber.

 

[east 406]

This helps a bunch as I have a cow tag for an area I’ve never hunted.

 

[DaveA27]

How did this turn out?

 

[blaire458]

How did the hunt go?

 

[Guy]

Hoping to draw a cow elk tag again here in Washington myself. Last one I got was in 2016. The hunt was fun, saw lots of animals and finally shot this big cow at 340 yards with my 30-06 rifle. One and done. The meat was delicious!

Tips? Get to know the landowners, learn where the elk might be in different conditions. I was only hunting about 12 miles from home, and got calls from landowners telling me great stuff like "They're in my orchard now. Come on out!"

Those are great phone calls to get...

Hope everyone had a good hunt this season. I didn't draw a cow tag this year, but maybe next.

Regards, Guy