Any cow elk only hunters this year?

[midwesthunter]

I am taking a couple guys who have never elk hunted before to WY this year to go after a cow elk. We discussed bull options, but both of them would rather cut there teeth on a lower priced tag. I don't have the unit narrowed down yet that we will be going to. I'm a novice elk hunter my self. Looking forward to a week in the mountains and hopefully some full coolers.

Who else is going after a cow tag straight from the get go?

 

[JohnCushman]

I'm putting in for a cow in Idaho and might be grabbing a leftover cow in Wyoming as well.

 

[LCH]

I've only hunted a cow, but that's because I haven't drawn a bull tag yet. I'm in for a Type 1 and a Type 6 this year. I'm hoping for the Type 1, but won't be crushed as long as I draw at least a Type 6.

 

[Coyotes-R-Us]

I was drawn for a damage hunt in Central MT .
It is cow only I can shoot two.
Went first part of January and could only find Bulls .
We hunted up on to 50 bulls, no cows.
It runs to Feb 15th. I may go back and thru again first part of February.

 

[jtm307]

I hunted cows only this season as I didn't draw my first choice type 1 tag and drew a type 4 as my second choice. I had every intention to pick up a General tag, been I ended up chasing grouse and antelope all September. I ended up seeing a lot of bulls. If I had been bull hunting, I'd have filled my tag on opening day and not gone elk hunting (with my own tag)again until January (drew a type 7 tag too). I'm actually glad I didn't have a bull tag. I got to spend more days afield and get a better feel for the unit for future hunts.

 

[molliesmaster]

A buddy and I are hoping to pull a cow tag in WY this year. It will be our first year/first attempt at it. Studying onx, gohunt, and WY F&G until my eyes have crossed.

 

[Addicting]

Cows with Cushman 2018. Researching quality tent soundproofing as we speak. That is if Uncle Sam says I can.

 

[cgarner]

Headed to Wyoming this weekend for a late season cow elk hunt.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Cows are good eating. Better than a smelly old bull IMO. I have a shoulder tag for HD 215 in Montana, good only on private land. I haven't been out since the general season closed, but I'm hoping to this weekend.

 

[p_ham]

i have to wait 7yrs before i can even put in for a bull again in my home state. Hopefully i can draw a cow.

 

[NoWiser]

With the price increases everywhere, I see almost all cow hunts in my future. Someday I’d like to shoot a bull, but the cow tags are easier to draw and much easier to justify to my wife.

 

[MLaird]

One of these years I'll try going after a bull but I'm really a meat hunter so cows are good.

I drew a cow tag in WY last year and filled it over Thanksgiving. I plan on putting in again for the same tag, same area. My parents live in the hunt area where I drew/put in, REALLY nice to have a hot shower and soft bed to sleep in every night.

 

[SagebrushSlayer]

I hunted for cow elk this year. I couldn't get an archery tag in the area I hunt in Idaho, all my buddies didn't pick up their bull tags before they sold out. We picked up leftover cow tags in ID in a couple units and filled 4 of 7. 3 of the hunters are first timers with filling an elk tag. They are happy to have a freezer full of meat and get their first elk. My first 4 elk were cows, which I would be happy to shoot one every year if I have a tag. Good eating and help keep my motivation high for looking for mature mule deer.

 

[Flatland Crusoe]

I'm putting in for a cow tag only in Wyoming this year because I don't want to risk burning my points in a year where a move and job change is likely with vacation uncertain. I'll use it to scout a unit for a bull tag in the next few years and if I can't manage the hunt the price is a lot easier to swallow as a donation to Wyoming game and fish.

 

[Dougfirtree]

With the price increases everywhere, I see almost all cow hunts in my future. Someday I’d like to shoot a bull, but the cow tags are easier to draw and much easier to justify to my wife.

I have only hunted cows. Bulls are cool, and sometimes seem easy to find (I had a sweet shot on a nice bull this year. He would have died right next to a road, too), but I'm mainly there for the hunting experience and the meat. I shudder to think what it would cost me to get a nice set of elk antlers home....

I also like that cow tags tend to be cheaper, but this is my current beef with Wyoming. Why are so many of the cow tags there full-price? That seems cruel and unusual to me.

 

[Cerebral Stalker]

I did the same thing this year. It was my first year elk hunting, and I went for the cow tag. I don't regret it either. I think the most important thing to start out is to just get out there and start learning.

 

[GAbearclaw]

I waited 10 years to hunt a cow in Kalistan with a bow! I would have probably waited my lifetime to hunt a bull with the point structure that is out here.

I am headed to NM or CO next year and undecided on whether to go cow or bull at this point. Can't beat the bounty!!!

 

[Koosh71]

You can't eat the horns! Thats what we like to say. I have a shoulder season tag for 217 in Montana that I hope to fill before the end of the season.

 

[Pagosa]

I try every year to draw a cow tag in Montana. It usually takes a year or two of applying to draw a tag, which I'm fine with.
I drew "b" or cow tag in 2016 and fill a cow tag opening weekend. In 2015 I just had a general bull tag, and I was hunting mid-November and I found a single set of large elk tracks. It was cold, and the tracks had been made the night before, so I started tracking this big bull. I found his first bed at 9-10 that morning after about a mile of tracking. He left that bed and joined up with a cow/calf pair which I thought was rather strange. They lined out and crossed a large park, so I figured it was early morning or at night when they traveled through the meadow. I went to the truck and drove around to the opposite side of the park and resumed tracking around 11AM. The elk were headed up to a large mountain to bed. Anyhow, I tracked for about another hour and a found out the bull was a 800 pound cow. She was huge and had bedded about 100 yards upslope from the cow/calf pair that I never seen. She would have cut up a lot of steaks/burger and her coat was really blonde like a bull. She would have been a real trophy for me. Good luck in the draws.

 

[hank4elk]

Hunted for cows 2 of last 3 seasons. Will again this year ,if I don't draw a bull tag.