Strategies for killing COW elk - calf calls? etc.

TauPhi111

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Hey guys,

So I drew a CO 1st rifle cow tag this year, and after eating OTC elk tag soup last year, I'm pretty determined to bring something home. Most of the strategy stuff you read out there focuses on bull elk: what calls to use, where to find em, etc. I haven't seen much for cow-specific strategies. What are some good tactics to find and kill cows in early October in north central/north west Colorado?

Recently on social media, I came across an article warning people to be wary of aggressive cows guarding their calves. That got me thinking about a possible strategy. Back east, a good method for calling in protective does and bucks in the early season is to blow a fawn in distress call. Deer will come charging in to drive off whatever is harassing a screaming fawn. This ususally works very early in the season (late September/early October). Do you guys think a similar strategy will work for elk in 1st rifle? I'm wondering if it would even work in relation to the rut and how that effects cow/calf interactions. With whitetails, this strategy is used long before the rut, which happens in early November, but with elk, I'll be there possibly at the tail end of the run at best. I'm not sure how that'll effect things. What do you elk hunters think?

Please post back with any tip, techniques, or strategies you use to put a cow in your freezer.
 
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307

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Of the couple of cows I've killed, one was tracked through fresh snow until I could see and shoot one at under 200 yards. The other cow was spotted with glass and I snuck in and killed it at 175 yards. I wouldn't plan on calling as a primary strategy for cows.
 

UtahJimmy

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I wouldn't be too terribly worried about calling with a rifle. If the bulls are still bugling, locate the herd that way and drop a cow. If not making noise, get high and find a herd, then drop a cow.

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TauPhi111

TauPhi111

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I wouldn't be too terribly worried about calling with a rifle. If the bulls are still bugling, locate the herd that way and drop a cow. If not making noise, get high and find a herd, then drop a cow.

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So you're basically saying locate cows by locating bulls, cause they're probably with cows. Guess I need to work on my bugles
 
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I used a lost calf call last year to fill my antlerless tag and will use the same strategy again this year. I also have a bear tag, so a distressed calf call could work for both bear and elk.

There are some videos on YouTube of lost elk calves, and one video of a distressed elk calf being carried off by a bear. I tried to mimic those sounds.
 

cnelk

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Hunt cows early in the season - lost calf/mews
Get ready, they can come running in
 
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TauPhi111

TauPhi111

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I used a lost calf call last year to fill my antlerless tag and will use the same strategy again this year. I also have a bear tag, so a distressed calf call could work for both bear and elk.

There are some videos on YouTube of lost elk calves, and one video of a distressed elk calf being carried off by a bear. I tried to mimic those sounds.

How early in the season did you have success with this technique?
 
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Good idea. This may be something for my buddy and I to consider as well. We also drew cow tags for 1st rifle. Following thread for other ideas.

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I called in a cow during muzzleloader. Hit a branch sticking up off a blow down just enough to be hidden from my sight by the barrel. A bull followed her in after the shot.

Called in a yearling calf 2nd rifle. Rolled him at 26 yards.
 

cnelk

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How early are you talking? Archery early, or first rifle early?

The latest Ive called in a cow and it was shot was 2nd rifle season, but it works much better before the bulls have rounded them up for the rut.

Once the rut starts, cow calls are more apt to bring in raghorns. - but they eat well too
 

TheCougar

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I’ve only ever called in bears and a buddy called in a lion. I would think there are more effective calls out there like a lost mew for bringing in elk
 

DavePwns

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Not that I really care what other hunters think, but is cow elk hunting looked down upon and thought of as drastically reducing elk populations? Or is it good to improve the bull to cow ratios by harvesting cows?
 
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Not that I really care what other hunters think, but is cow elk hunting looked down upon and thought of as drastically reducing elk populations? Or is it good to improve the bull to cow ratios by harvesting cows?

The number of tags sold is determined by the state's strategy to manage population. If you can get the tag that means the state agency that governs wildlife believes that filling it will help move towards whatever their management plan calls for. That doesn't necessarily mean every state is perfect at setting those goals but if you want/get the tag there's no reason not to fill it.


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cnelk

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Aug 26 2017 - Opening evening

This ol girl couldnt resist my cow calling


jaeDMwt.jpg
 
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TauPhi111

TauPhi111

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The latest Ive called in a cow and it was shot was 2nd rifle season, but it works much better before the bulls have rounded them up for the rut.

Once the rut starts, cow calls are more apt to bring in raghorns. - but they eat well too

thanks cnelk and all the others who made suggestions. But remember, I'm more wondering about lost calf or calf in distress calls and how they work on cows more than normal cow calls. I'm trying to key in on that aggressive mothering instinct that you often see in whitetails than just playing on the social nature of elk.
 
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