Late season cow

[Eltigreblanco]

Me and two buddies drew late season cow tags here in Nevada. The season starts in January. Im second guessing this choice a little bit. Im having a hard time with the possibility of shooting three pregnant cows. I have a call out to the biologist to answer a few questions including herd health. Am I over thinking this?

 

[Fisherkid1]

They gave the tags out for a reason.

 

[Carpenterant]

Cows are almost always either prego or nursing

 

[Ucsdryder]

I think that’s a valid thought. Maybe shoot a small one? Yearling?

 

[Customweld]

It’s a valid concern, but any cow after mid September has that possibility. It is possible to find a dry cow though.

 

[trophyhill]

Yes overthinking. Kill a fat 5 year old cow and eat well for the next 6 months

 

[Wrench]

I kill several cows in December in cull hunts. I find that they're about 80% pregnant. It is a good chance to watch a lot of elk and try to pick what you want as far as age class. Late January will be a pretty defined fetus. Ive taken them as late as March and even the stone cold killer in me feels put off by the development of the fetus. It does go away after my garlic cheddar brats are done.

 

[realunlucky]

I kill several cows in December in cull hunts. I find that they're about 80% pregnant. It is a good chance to watch a lot of elk and try to pick what you want as far as age class. Late January will be a pretty defined fetus. Ive taken them as late as March and even the stone cold killer in me feels put off by the development of the fetus. It does go away after my garlic cheddar brats are done.

Gutless definitely wins out for this type of situation.

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[Wrench]

Gutless definitely wins out for this type of situation.

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While easier on the gut and heart....I can usually get them to slide across the snow whole which allows me to work on them in the shop. If you have to pack them....100% work it gutless.....and cut the t loins loose from outside.

 

[Eltigreblanco]

Thanks for the reassurance. I will definitely go gutless if we are successful

 

[HookUp]

If you gut the boneless method can you avoid the fetus?

 

[trophyhill]

Gutless definitely wins out for this type of situation.

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I dunno. I’d have to think real hard on reaching in and getting me some veal. We aren’t talking about planned parenthood or some bs.

 

[realunlucky]

If you gut the boneless method can you avoid the fetus?

If you drop the guts on the ground you'll get to see the whole enchilada. If you choose to do gutless and leave everything in the cavity you won't even notice a difference.

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[ManyBullets]

Shoot a calf then.
If you think about it a lot of cows are pregnant right now. . .

 

[AaronMColeman]

I assume cows are pregnant during any legal season post rut. Gutless you’ll never know.

It’s weird, I’ll shoot a cow knowing she’s probably pregnant. But I won’t shoot a cow that is clearly with a calf and not with a herd. Ethics are an odd thing to think through.

 

[Kentucky]

[QUOTE="AaronMColeman, post: 1845825, member: 28525"
.......Ethics are an odd thing to think through.
[/QUOTE]

Not if your hungry..

 

[Kentucky]

I have a week left in mid December in KY. I struck out in September. The elk population doesn’t have the numbers the “man” claims in most areas.. I did locate a group, bull and 5-7 cows. No calling of any kind was met with a reply in September..late season food source will be acorns.

Would cow calling in late season be beneficial?

Or waste of time?

My current plan is to stalk ridge tops hoping to come across a few. There is virtually zero open ground to glass..all wooded.

 

[Next Ridge]

I have a week left in mid December in KY. I struck out in September. The elk population doesn’t have the numbers the “man” claims in most areas.. I did locate a group, bull and 5-7 cows. No calling of any kind was met with a reply in September..late season food source will be acorns.

Would cow calling in late season be beneficial?

Or waste of time?

My current plan is to stalk ridge tops hoping to come across a few. There is virtually zero open ground to glass..all wooded.

I think this is still the basics. Where is food, water, shelter - start there. After that you have to either hear them or see them to hunt them. If they aren’t talking and there really is no place to glass, move move move - find fresh sign then try and pattern them, sit food, trails, etc.

To your specific questions, I would try cow calling. They are still herd animals and probably less pressured in KY. Try some lost calf calls too. Stalking ridge tops could work, but I wouldn’t do it unless you are seeing sign around.

 

[ScottB]

Me and two buddies drew late season cow tags here in Nevada. The season starts in January. Im second guessing this choice a little bit. Im having a hard time with the possibility of shooting three pregnant cows. I have a call out to the biologist to answer a few questions including herd health. Am I over thinking this?

I hear you. I have filled a few late season tags over the years. I agree, the wildlife managers do have reasons for such tag allocations. I have shot adult cows durning my late season tags. The managers know the cow will be pregnant and they rely on that type of harvest. I have seen others take yearlings and in doing so, they have ended up taking young bulls.

 

[Kentucky]

There may not be much actual hunting pressure but people ride the access roads all the time.

These ridges I speak of..they are trail/food heavy
With lots of sign.. there is water standing in every drainage and low road almost year round, makes it almost impossible to zero in a most used water source.

What you laid out is my plan for sure.