Cow elk

[Yell Co AR Hunter]

I would like to hunt elk once in my life. After looking at options and a limited budget. It appears a bull tag in a limited area is out of the question with no current points. At age 51 I do not think I want to get in that game. I am not willing to spend money on a outfitter for access to private land. I know there are general tags, but looking at the number of tags issued and success rates, that does not look like a very good option.

What are some things I need to know to start a plan to find areas I might draw a reduced cow/calf tag?

The area I am hunting this fall looks like a tag can be drawn. So I plan to pay close attention on elk numbers. Of course I will be out there in October and it looks like the season starts in November.

Would Colorado offer a better choice to hunt cow elk?

 

[Hilltop]

Public land Wyoming- Cows can be just as difficult to hunt as bulls on public land. In your shoes I would look at a general tag hunt in areas where you can harvest any elk. I can remember several hunts where it would have been easier to harvest a rag horn or a spike than the cow I had the tag for. I have had the general tag many times and never ate tag soup.

Private land Wyoming- Cow hunts can be had for between 1k-2k(fully guided) and can be very easy hunts on the right place. Trespass hunts can really be hit or miss so be careful what you pay for.

 

[jtm307]

There are a lot of good cow elk options in WY, some in October, others later. Area 7 is a good option that usually has leftovers. Don't rule out general areas for bagging a bull. General units can be as good as limited entry units. There are local hunters that are too lazy to put in for limited entry units in May so they always end up with general tags. Those hunters are also too lazy to actually kill an elk. They just drive around, sight seeing with an elk tag in their pocket.

 

[480/277]

I second the cow elk hunt either on a ranch or outfitted.
Inexpensive, great success rates, and you can get tags.

I don't know if you can find a cow hunt during the rut, but if you can you
Can experience hunting Bulls sans tripping the trigger.
Bulls bugling in the crisp fall am....a great memory .

 

[Slugz]

Would Colorado offer a better choice to hunt cow elk?

Quick answer is yes. Leftover tags can be obtained off the list every year in many spots that hold good numbers of elk for a DIY type of cow hunt.

Private/trespass hunts can go as low as 800-1000$ depending on the season, location and timing if you wanted to go for a less stressful semi guided type of hunt.

Feel free to PM me on the CO option and I'll try and help. We cow hunt every 4th season rifle with leftover tags, sometimes in snow, sometime in tshirts They at times are just as fun as the Sep archery/muzzleloader rut seasons.

 

[jtm307]

You don't need to pay for a cow hunt. In WY, figure out where you want to hunt, then call WYG&F. There are landowners that want cows gone in the late season and there are many herds over objective where WYG&F will help you maximize your odds of success. If you can't figure out where you want to hunt, start talking to regional access coordinators and see what they say. Unless you're physically impaired, I don't see any reason for paying an outfitter to hunt cow elk.

 

[wy-tex]

Many cow seasons open in Aug. in Wyoming but go until Jan. 31.
Areas 7 may haver some left over cow tags but access can be an issue. Some HMA and public but landowners are very picky on who they let hunt. Some other areas in SC Wyoming are dependent on snow for pushing the elk down for public access.
While hot weather may play into a hunt, the best chance to get a cow in some public areas will be in Aug. before the reg. elk season opens. You may find cow access by calling early and talking with G&F. They do try to lined up access for cow hunting in our neck of the woods, SC and SE Wyoming, at least in the past they have.
By late in Nov. they are in large herds here and can be difficult to hunt because they will move around in those large herds. Property with many elk one day can have none the next day.
The price is right on a leftover cow tag though.

 

[LCH]

If you are physically able to hike several miles per day and pack weight, I would definitely recommend DIY over guided, although I do recognize that everybody looks for different things in a hunt.

The one time I've hunted elk, it was on a leftover cow tag in Wyoming (Type 4 though). I arrived on 9/28, found elk on 9/29, and took it easy on 9/30. Season opened 10/1, I killed a deer on 10/2, and got my cow elk on 10/4. I had never stepped foot in the area before.

I could have shot a nice bull any day of the hunt if I'd had the proper tag. They were bugling their heads off, and I got into elk several times by going to the bulls. I wound up ambushing my cow at 15 yards at about 8 AM, and had it in the cooler by noon.

This was a limited entry unit, but you could hunt it every year for cows. I did hunt hard, between 10-15 miles each day. It was a fun hunt, much more fun I'm sure than paying to shoot one off a field in the late season.

I'm hoping to draw a bull tag in that same area next year. With the tag price increase coming, point creep might be held at bay for at least a couple years.

 

[NDguy]

This gives me hope I can actually be successful on a cow. Never hunted Elk before and thought I'd start with a cow tag to gain experience but not spend over a grand on a tag.

 

[Slugz]

This gives me hope I can actually be successful on a cow. Never hunted Elk before and thought I'd start with a cow tag to gain experience but not spend over a grand on a tag.

484.00$ in the great state of Colorado!!

 

[wy-tex]

If you buy a type 4 in Wyoming in the leftover draw you can also get a type 6 reduced price cow tag, probably in another area though.