Cow or calf?

[Addicting]

Doing my archery cow elk this year. Wondering what the consensus is on best eating. Adult cow or calf? After last years mistake, the this year goal is to get a freezer stocked with good eating meat.

 

[Gr8bawana]

IMHO a calf is not going to do much to stock your freezer because a calf isn't much bigger than a good size buck. A cow is the way to go if you have the chance.
Good luck to you.

 

[Colorado kid]

Calf tastes better, in my opinion. More tender and a better flavor. But I would not complain with a freezer full of cow elk either!!

Good luck!!

 

[8andcounting]

In the heat of the moment I tend to take the largest cow in the group but if I was stalking a herd and had time sit and choose I would take a calf every time

 

[Addicting]

IMHO a calf is not going to do much to stock your freezer because a calf isn't much bigger than a good size buck. A cow is the way to go if you have the chance.
Good luck to you.

Not worried to much about a freezer full of elk verses a great tasting one. I have 2 doe antelope tags and a a couple whitetail tags here in MI. Right now with the spoilage I had last year the family got turned off Elk and I want to show them that not all elk are that way.

 

[8andcounting]

I guess for me any legal elk is down so it's whatever one is giving me the best shot . And if I'm 2 miles from the road it's a calf east choice . If I'm on private and we can get the pickup to it then it's the biggest cow I can find

 

[JEL]

I have have the choice I would take the calf every time. That said, it is just my wife and I in the household and we don't need a lot of meat. I deer and antelope hunt as well and have three grown boys that fill their freezers and then some! I consider calf elk meat as some of the best on the planet and it makes the pack out much easier on my 55 year old body. Life member of #booneandcrockpot #popeandreallyyoung!

 

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

Don't have elk onviously but I take a young red over a mature one here, just so damned tasty.

 

[MT.PERCHMAN]

Cow Elk for us this year !
Very tasty Meat !

 

[el unit]

Cow elk. Fill that freezer!

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[ol_spark]

Calf definitely tastes better but less meat than cow. If you’re butchering your own meat;a calf, as previously mentioned, is the size of a good sized buck and relatively quick to do. However, if you’re paying to have it butchered, a lot of places charge the same for elk no matter the size of it. Something to consider but that wasn’t your question.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Never shot a calf, so I'll courteously abstain from the poll. I will say that I'd rather eat a cow than a bull, but a few years ago a arrowed a huge cow, old, she was the gamiest elk I ever ate. A lot can depend on the critter. I will also say I've shot a handful of whitetail yearlings that were fantastic table fare. They've about the size of a German shepherd, I've never eaten better roast and steaks. I'd guess the same would hold generally true with an elk calf.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

Yearling cow that's never calved. Look for one about the size of a spike. But any will do just fine.

 

[Idahoarcheryhunter]

never have been able to bring myself to shoot a calf, just seems weird to me. I have nothing against people who do hell they are a lot easier to pack out. The first elk I called in for a friend was a few cows and calves with a bull I figured he would pass considering we could see the bull headed through the same shooting lane trailing the cows by about 50 yards but nope he dropped the hammer on a calf. I was a little confused but taking an elk out in one trip was nice plus the backstraps were the best tasting game meat I have still had to this day.

 

[BuzzH]

Yearling cow that's never calved. Look for one about the size of a spike. But any will do just fine.

This is the best advice on the thread...and I agree. If you have enough time to sort through them, that's the way to fly.

I do NOT shoot lead cows, and if going for a mature cow, I pick one out that looks to be old and without a calf. I've shot calves and they're great eating for sure.

 

[genesis273]

If there was a big difference in the taste between the two, I'd say calf. But a cow ain't too bad at all! I'd say cow! Taste delicious and gets the freezer a lot closer to full!

 

[F250]

I agree with the guys that try to pick a yearling if time allows. I did take a calf once when I had 15 minutes left in the season in NM. Awesome meat !!! I try to avoid taking a cow with a calf.

 

[406LIFE]

I've had both, couldn't really tell a difference.

 

[SDS14]

Any elk I am happy with.

 

[belly-deep]

A calf doesn’t have much meat. They have really large bones in comparison to a similar sized deer.

For that reason, I like cows. But I like raghorn bulls even better because you know how old they are before pulling the trigger.