Spike vs. Cow

[GunsAreFun]

Cow. For no other reason than I find spikes to be really ugly.

 

[AaronMColeman]

Could not care less. If my tag allows for either, whoever walks by first and gives me a shot is the one I'm filling the freezer with.

If the tag is "antlered" I'll pass on a spike for a mature bull. But if in some world I had a cow/spike tag...does not matter one bit to me which one walks by first.

 

[Coveyleader]

Being I'm in CO, and the way our OTC units are set up, I'd get the B list cow, shoot a young one without calves and focus on hunting bulls the rest of the year. Nothing wrong with a spike (i suppose) but with cow in freezer, even if I had a limited tag, last day, last minute, spike is getting a pass

 

[treillw]

A spike could grow to be a 6 point, but a cow may parent four 6 points and multiple cows.
If you want more elk, it's probably better to shoot a spike.

 

[cnelk]

Doesn’t a good elk herd have a higher bull:cow ratio?

 

[wind gypsy]

Doesn’t a good elk herd have a higher bull:cow ratio?

Depends on the herd. Zone 1 of MT for example I don’t know why the heck they even let people kill cows like they do.

 

[Billy Goat]

Depends on the area, several areas are concentrating on a certain herd size, those numbers come from your cows, not bulls. So if it's an area that has OTC cow tags I think I'd definitely be shooting a cow. That is what they are trying to manage. If it's an area below objective goals I wouldn't shoot a cow, however I probably wouldn't shoot a spike either.

Definitely not shooting either unless "close" to the road.

 

[jmez]

Whichever one is closest/best shot. Don't care.

State Game and Fish manages the herd. If they needed more bulls then I wouldn't be holding a tag with a spike being legal.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Cow for me.

Spikes are just stoopid. Plus, if you really want to participate in herd management, taking cows improve the overall herd.

The guy that likes to shoot them next to the road draws the line at stupid ones?

 

[Tradchef]

Cow.

 

[kbrown5897]

If you shoot spikes they will never grow to be 6 points...I prefer cows if you are purely meat hunting.

agreed

 

[AaronMColeman]

I found a solo cow with a calf yesterday. Seemed a bit strange that they were all alone with no bull and no other cows this time of year.

Anyway, got me thinking a bit and I decided I would not shoot that cow and was wondering what would happen to the calf? Not a spike vs cow issue, just a general cow issue I guess. None of this matters because my cow tag doesn't open until Nov. 15.

 

[Blinddog]

depends on which would have more meat on them. The spikes I have ran into have been smaller than the cows.

 

[7Bartman]

I'd rather shoot the spike. That cow will likely go on to produce more bulls and cows.

 

[wind gypsy]

My experience is primarily in MT general units so I lean strongly towards not shooting the breeding stock. Populations in NW MT are terrible, I don't know why the hell they allow cow shooting on a general tag during archery at all.

In a lot of Central and SW MT units they piss pound the cows 6 months a year saying the herd is "over objective" because there are lots of elk on private land sanctuaries even if the public is nearly void of elk. I'd shoot a spike (if it were legal) here before a cow too to keep that breeding stock on public land.

 

[Sled]

My experience is primarily in MT general units so I lean strongly towards not shooting the breeding stock. Populations in NW MT are terrible, I don't know why the hell they allow cow shooting on a general tag during archery at all.

In a lot of Central and SW MT units they piss pound the cows 6 months a year saying the herd is "over objective" because there are lots of elk on private land sanctuaries even if the public is nearly void of elk. I'd shoot a spike (if it were legal) here before a cow too to keep that breeding stock on public land.

The same happens in Utah. Utah started selling private land tags with mixed success. They also reduced the public land cow tags slightly. Montana has not been in favor of that but it does help reduce the large winter herds that further the spread of CWD. I'm not saying MT is doing it wrong but rather another way to skin the cat.

 

[Vegas777]

If you could choose, which would you rather shoot?
Spike or Cow?

Ive shot my share of spikes before antler point restrictions were put in place in the late 90s [Colorado], and since then shot my share of cow elk when I can.

But if both a cow and and a spike give you an opportunity to fill your tag, what ya shooting?

Cow. Taste much better than any bulls I've had...

 

[wapitibob]

I’ve shot 2 spikes in my life and won’t shoot another one, ever. I was embarrassed standing over that thing.

 

[hobbes]

Cow, if allowed.

 

[hobbes]

Looks like this thread is a year old, but I'm still shooting a cow.