Taking a cow elk on an either sex tag

[Pucky Freak]

For those of you who have done this, did you later regret it, or was it worth squeezing the trigger or letting the arrow fly?

Possible reasons against:
-Hard to draw tag; don't want to forfeit a possible trophy
-less challenge (maybe)
-paid more for a bull/either sex tag (especially NR lisc.)
-hunting rutting bulls is just too much fun

Possible reasons for:
-empty freezer
-archery is a challenge to take any elk
-any elk is a trophy
-nearing the end of the season or last 1-2 days of hunt

 

[Oak]

Cow and either sex tag. Yes I regretted having 2 elk to cut at the same time.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

How many days are you hunting?

Personally, when I get my any WT tag, I hunt the first there days for a buck (no elk experience). Then the final two days I try to fill the freezer. I never regret having meat in the freezer. After all, thats the main goal!

 

[Pucky Freak]

How many days are you hunting?

Next year is very likely cow tag, but following year anticipating 16-day block for either sex archery. Two travel days and two to scout/elevation acclimate, so basically a 12-day hunt. I'm debating how I'd feel if I tagged a cow on Day 1.

 

[Sask hunter]

OTC elk tag first legal elk gets it. A draw tag I wouldn’t shoot a cow till the end

 

[6mm Remington]

Had a special either sex elk tag in a hard to draw unit. Could not afford to go back again as it was 400 miles to the area, work, and other things. Had my 10 year old son beside me in the sagebrush and Junipers as we sneaked into 200 yards of several cows feeding. It was last light and waited as late as we could but no bull showed himself. Bang and a nice fat cow dropped on the spot! Priceless having my son there and my dad was only about 1/4 mile away. I never thought twice about it and loved all the wonderful meat that we got which was just a bonus.

 

[kmott]

meat eats bettrn bone. ifn I were gunna regret it I wouldn't do it.
never pass on the first day what you will whine about on the last.

 

[sharpshooter97]

A cow on the grill is better than tag soup

 

[Dzlmech]

I am having the same dilemma myself. Both my wife and I have some LE tags for the Missouri River breaks. And I’ve come to my own conclusion that the purpose for our first elk will be the meat first horns second. The goal is obviously a bull but if it comes down to it I have told myself a cow is better than coming home empty

 

[mtmuley]

I am having the same dilemma myself. Both my wife and I have some LE tags for the Missouri River breaks. And I’ve come to my own conclusion that the purpose for our first elk will be the meat first horns second. The goal is obviously a bull but if it comes down to it I have told myself a cow is better than coming home empty

Tough tag to pin on a cow. What unit? Pm if you want. mtmuley

 

[madtom]

If you’re hunting 12 days, I think you’d regret shooting a cow on day 1.

 

[pojoaque40]

I took a cow last year on an either sex tag and i'm proud to have done it. It was the fifth day of what is generally considered to be one of the harder archery hunts in years due to the drought and lack of rutting action. I think it's a case by case sort of thing. If we'd been into screaming bulls everyday things would have been different i suppose.

But to answer the question i don't regret it for a minute, not one tasty minute!

 

[JohnCushman]

I have a lot of unpunched archery elk tags because of pride. I had cows and raghorns well within easy archery range for days for a lot of years, but pride said to hold out for the giants I was getting on trail cameras. Well, the last few days of the season came around when I decided I'd shoot anything legal and the supply of cows and raghorns dried up...so I had no elk meat in my freezer for quite a few years. I think pride and antlers plays into a lot of decisions. I'd hunt bulls for a few days, but then give it hell on anything legal the next time I archery hunt. My freezer doesn't know if that elk had antlers or not and my belly likes elk steaks.

 

[Deleted member 40728]

I’ve shot a cow on either sex tag on day 6 of a 9 day hunt. I was more than happy with it. Ended up encountering a good bull in bow range while packing her out though so I did second guess myself a bit. Sure did taste good though.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

As long as you decide before you go I doubt you'll regret it either way.

 

[denverteacher]

I will be shooting the first legal elk that presents a shot.

 

[mtmuley]

Answers to questions like this are probably different from hunters that have killed an elk or three. mtmuley

 

[ntodwild]

Here in Washington it's Spike or Cow with special tags being bull tags (Washington manages it's elk herds by allowing the older bulls to thrive with no competition by alleviating spikes. Very different from many other western states) so on that note I never pass up a cow or spike. I have taken a few year old cow elk over the years and man oh man is that some of the best meat! As many have stated much depends on how long you're hunting, what you are seeing and if for some reason you have a problem taking a cow? As an older/middle aged hunter I would say experience has taught me never pass up a shot. There will be plenty of time to take a trophy or two or three as life goes on but I have always been a meat hunter......

Just my .02

 

[BuzzH]

I think it depends on how and where you grew up hunting.

In my family, when hunting elk in Montana, elk were for eating and a good way to get an ass-chewing was to pass a legal elk. I didn't pass on very many growing up, very few that I can remember.

Its gotten a lot easier to pass up more and more elk since I moved to Wyoming, its just better elk hunting here than in Montana. I've passed up a ton of bull elk here the last 15+ years.

Limited quota tags in Montana, depends on the tag. I've had 2 tags in the breaks, passed on some bulls I probably shouldn't have with my first tag. Second tag, I shot the first 6 point that gave me an opportunity.

The LQ tags I've had here in Wyoming, have been pretty selective and picked out better 6 points with all those. Only way I'd kill a cow on a LQ tag here is if there is a late cow only season, otherwise I'd rather eat the tag.

 

[brockel]

Over the counter tag im punching it on any legal elk. I like to go into the winter with at least one elk in the freezer