A good problem to have... What would you do?

[dreamingbig]

Here is the scenario:

I waited 9 years for a branch bull tag for archery and I was finally drawn this year!  I also have a cow tag in my pocket.  I have killed three elk in the same unit since I have been hunting it (cow 2005, spike 2007, cow 2009).  I have had shot opportunities at mature bulls every year since 2006 but no tag in my pocket.n   I will be hunting September 7th to the 16th.  I also have the multiseason elk tag.

So my question is:  How many days should I hold out for a bull before I shoot a big fat cow?  I only have 10 days to hunt and I am so very aware how tough bowhunting can be.  I have my answer but I am curious what you guys would do?  My standard for a bull is pretty low given I have never shot one.  My goal is the first decent 5x5 or bigger that I get a shot at.

So what say you?

[Button Nubbs]

I hunt bulls thru the last day. After all you've waited 9 years right?

[Maverick]

Yeah hold out for a bull the whole time. It'd be your luck that you'd shoot a cow and then the big boy would come out. I'd rather regret passing up a cow at the end of the season than shooting a cow and thinking i might of had a bull. Good luck!

[deadwoodbuck]

if meat is your goal...the first legal animal.  if a bull is your desire wait and get the best you can bull in sight then get it down.

[grundy53]

Yeah hold out for a bull the whole time. It'd be your luck that you'd shoot a cow and then the big boy would come out. I'd rather regret passing up a cow at the end of the season than shooting a cow and thinking i might of had a bull. Good luck!

 

[Kowsrule30]

It would depend on what tag you drew for what to hold out for point/score wise imo... I'd leave the cow tag in the truck/camp till your last day out.... 

[Band]

See that bull in my avatar?  I held out for him last year when I could have shot a cow or spike.  Since I waited about 1/2 hour into the season to shoot him, passing all other legal animals that I had a shot at (none) I would advise holding out at least that long.  Does that help?

I hope you had the same luck I did.  Go get 'em.

[300rum]

I try to approach every season as if I won't get anything.  Go to the bitter end. 

[iRem]

It would depend on what tag you drew for what to hold out for point/score wise imo... I'd leave the cow tag in the truck/camp till your last day out....

 
Hold out till the last day and then put the tag in your pocket and hunt your heart out! What tag did you get, that might change things?

[dvolmer]

You probably will not be getting another big bull tag for many years.  with this said I wouldnt shoot a cow or small bull until 1 minutes left on the last day.  This is your year!  It wont come again for many and maybe never.  you have next year and many more others to shoot cows and small bulls.  I am sure you have went years in the past without any meat so one more wont hurt you.  Go for the wall hanger or nothing!  "Give me Liberty or give me Death"!!!!!!!

[bloodhound]

yup it took me 15 years and 13 points to draw, if it isnt 300+ i'm not wasting my time ill keep moving and looking till the last day then ill shoot any legal bull on the last day.

[wall of wood camp]

I say hold off on the cow until the last day your bound to run across something with enough antler to satisfy your quest might as well make your first one a big one those tags are not easy to come by.  good luck

[Huntbear]

If you can cow call with confidence... you can bring in a branch bull.  It may not be a book bull, but you can get a decent (satellite) bull.   

I would give till the last weekend/day... then drop the first full grown cow I saw.    Elk meat in the freezer beats tag soup any day.... I like eating elk meat..

[rasbo]

hold out,Im thinking there is no late hunt season you could take a cow in

[jrebel]

No way I would shoot a cow until the last day and I love meat in the freezer.  As for how big I agree with your thinking depending on the unit and pressure.  For me anything that is 5x5 or bigger with a bow is a true trophy.  Good Luck and can't wait for the pictures. 

[dreamingbig]

Thanks all for the replies.  Please keep them coming!  I can say my thinking is in agreement with most of you.  The tag can produce a good 300"+ bull as I have seen them before.

I can call pretty well but I have a great caller (my dad) that will be in my back pocket until we get it done.  We will be hitting it dark to dusk!

[deleted BGS]

hold out forever, drawing a branched tag is not worth shooting a cow. if it is the last minute of the last day then maybe ya

[cedarriver]

 I would hold out. There should be a late season you could shoot a cow or a spike in? Never a sure thing, but these tags are hard to come by.

[buglebuster]

 

[Kola16]

Definitely wait until the last evening hunt  before you shoot a cow

[BOWHUNTER45]

hold out ....but I would definately get one of Phelps open reed calls ...it seems to drive bulls nutz even when they should not be bugling  Seriously !

[h2ofowlr]

I hunt for anything legal.  I am in it for the elk meat.

[Caseyd]

Bull or nothing

[rebal69972]

Yeah hold out for a bull the whole time. It'd be your luck that you'd shoot a cow and then the big boy would come out. I'd rather regret passing up a cow at the end of the season than shooting a cow and thinking i might of had a bull. Good luck!

 

[huntnnw]

I rarely get opportunities around here in Sept when bowhunting elk at cows..its always bulls that I get shots at first

[dreamingbig]

Okay gents... I am reserving the first 7 days of my 10 day hunt for a bull.  I sure wish I had the first 3 days as well but I have work responsibilities that have me tied down until Thurs evening.  Good luck to all on Tuesday!

[Instinct]

Id wait for a bull and if i go home empty so be it, then again always late season

[268bull]

I have a similiar tag down south of you, here in Oregon. I'm allowed a cow on my bull tag if I choose to do so. But I'm planning on hunting bulls till the last afternoon and then if a cow show's, well, I'll see. Yeah, we all have visions of that 5x5, but bull opportunities are pretty chancey here in mid- October. And also, even the biggest of racks make thin soup, so I've taken to mind, the first bull that present's an opportunity, I'm puttin' the lead to him. But I hopein' you get a big one! Good huntin' to ya! Bull

[Kioti]

I would hold out for a few days and see whats moving.  If you want a bull then I would hold out for a bull, but there is nothing like elk steaks on the BBQ.   Cow or bull...now one ever said...thats a nice bull elk steak or a nice cow elk steak. 

[windygorge]

Yeah hold out for a bull the whole time. It'd be your luck that you'd shoot a cow and then the big boy would come out. I'd rather regret passing up a cow at the end of the season than shooting a cow and thinking i might of had a bull. Good luck!

 
don't shoot a cow, if you already have a cow tag and a multi season tag in your pocket.  hunt for big bull(whatever that means to you) until last light of last day.

[mtman]

I would eat my tag If it wasnt a big bull.

[windygorge]

I would eat my tag If it wasnt a big bull.

 
with all the flavorings on the market, you could easily make it taste like elk..

[krapmit]

there's always late season for a cow

[dreamingbig]

My dad and cousin are already up there.  They pulled the pics off the trail cam and sent them to me.  Three different 6x6 on the camera.  We put it out Aug 4th.  Now I won't be able to sleep for the next three nights!

[Muleyslyr]

Hold out! You have an oppurtunity to shoot a cow every year and have been fairly successful doing so...a chance at a big bull is once every 5-10yrs. Its a no brainer. Best feeling I've ever had bowhunting was holding out on a 6 day hunt and shoot a 6x6 on the last hour of the last day. Hold out or go home empty. Good luck!

[dreamingbig]

I am heading out tonight.  Word on the street is that the action is heating up.  I am going to hold out as long as I can and hope that I get blessed with an opportunity.

[JLS]

Good luck.  You can always hunt the late season for a cow in the Ahtanum area.  That said.....

....don't pass up on the first day what you'd shoot on the last.  It's your tag, your priorities.  I didn't hestitate to shoot a cow on my MT tag last year, and wouldn't again.  However, my priority is white packages in the freezer.

Shoot straight.

[jackmaster]

Yeah hold out for a bull the whole time. It'd be your luck that you'd shoot a cow and then the big boy would come out. I'd rather regret passing up a cow at the end of the season than shooting a cow and thinking i might of had a bull. Good luck!

[WSU]

I wouldn't shoot a cow at all.  There are tons of late season cow hunts that give you a very good chance at killing cow.  If you just want meat, shoot a cow in the late season.

[dreamingbig]

I didn't shoot a cow but I wasn't very picky either.  I will tell the story in another thread but here are a couple of pictures.  I shot it on my second day afield, September 8th.

[YoterHunter]

Congrats . any bull with a bow is a specal.

[pianoman9701]

That's a bull to be proud of. Looks like you put a hole in his heart, too. Nicely done.

[Wyoming08]

That will do just fine!!  
Nice job...

[coachcw]

way to go man !

[steeleywhopper]

That should be a very tasty animal right there!

[BLUEBULLS]

 

Congrats . any bull with a bow is a specal.

[rosscrazyelk]

Looks like a great shot. congrats on putting meat in the frezer

[bullfisher]

Way to go!

[dreamingbig]

Looks like you put a hole in his heart, too. Nicely done.

Thanks all for the nice comments.  It was a great hunt and he eats very nicely.  We lost zero meat on this guy and we shot him on a day when it was in the 80s and we were over 7 miles from the truck.  Having a plan before hand certainly helps.

As Pianoman noted, the shot entered just through top of heart and lower lung and exited middle of offside lung.  He was a little uphill from me when I released the arrow and he didn't go more than 50 yards after the shot.