Cow elk tag

Joined
May 19, 2019
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95
I hate to say last minute decision but I only recently talked a couple guys in to attempting a cow elk hunt this year. Hoping some of you guys would be willing to give some advice on besting our odds of drawing tags and harvesting some meat for the freezer this fall. I realize app deadlines are coming up and wyoming has already closed although I guess there's a chance of leftover tags. Any advice or help is appreciated.
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
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Unless there was a certain type of terrain I wanted to hunt, I would try to get tags for the closest state to me. (I wouldn’t drive through MT to hunt ID if I lived in the East)

MT, WY, CO, ID, AZ, NV, UT, all have cow tags available to non res I believe. Pick a few of the closest states to you and make sure the season works for your schedule. Then look at the draw odds.
Once you have a state and area kind of figured out I would google the unit.

I haven’t done many cow hunts. But the ones I did were pretty easy to find cows on. And when hunting bulls it would have been easy to kill cows on those hunts also.

Regards, Branden
 
OP
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May 19, 2019
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Thanks for the reply Branden. We are driving from the east so CO, WY, MT are the states we're looking at. Extreme backcountry hunt is NOT preferred in fact my buddies would prefer to road hunt I'm sure. Hunting out of a hotel is even acceptable but not necessary. It'll make many on here cringe but we're looking for the best, easiest and cheapest way to fill our freezers with elk meat. Just thinking some others on here have been in a similar situation in the past and wondered how they pulled it off. Anybody else out there have suggestions?
 
OP
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May 19, 2019
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My experience here told me a couple of "you" guys would chime in. I appreciate the truth in your sarcasm.
 

cnelk

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Mar 1, 2012
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Colorado
There are several areas that have 'B' List cow tags available in Colorado.
This means you can just go buy a cow tag - anytime.

These areas are typically over herd objectives - which is always a good place to start

Good Luck
 
OP
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May 19, 2019
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Haha, was meant as a funny. When I use the “fill the freezer” line, my wife likes to remind me the grocery store is down the road and a lot cheaper than my hunting trips.
Understood. I took it as funny. I even said the same thing to my buddies. Ultimately we decided hunting would be more fun.
 

Jbehredt

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Mar 4, 2017
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Colorado
No shame in camping at the Holiday Inn. I killed my biggest bull while staying at that same camp. Something to be said for being able to hunt hard all day, no matter the weather knowing you’ve got a hot shower, warm bed and access to a clothes dryer.
 
OP
I
Joined
May 19, 2019
Messages
95
There are several areas that have 'B' List cow tags available in Colorado.
This means you can just go buy a cow tag - anytime.

These areas are typically over herd objectives - which is always a good place to start

Good Luck
Thanks for that. Like the otc opportunity Colorado offers for sure. I'll definitely follow up on your advice.
 
Joined
Jun 29, 2020
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330
From what you describe I recommend a rifle hunt where you can glass. Get the population stats from cpw website, overlay that on where the archery otc cow tags are and pick a unit. Then get on google earth, google maps, Gaia, onX, etc and find places in the unit where you can access easy and glass. May mean entering the draw but a lot of those cow tags are typically easy draws, some don’t sell out at all. Could even pool money and then at least one person get a bull a tag also.
 
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