Cow estrus this late in the year?

[MReese]

  First time hunting the late elk archery season, fallowed these elk for 2-3 miles, saw this red liquid in the snow quite a few times, i figured it was a cow in late estrus? what do you think?

Anyway, i ended up bumping the group bedded, the only shot opportunity was a rag horn bull at 60yds (east side unit and no tag). All the cows were at 70yds with no vital shots.. too far for me. Ate some lunch and fallowed a cow & calf from the group for 7-8 miles until i caught up to them.. had the cow broadside at 55yards but she bolted as i drew.
Had a blast, it snowed A LOT, and i forgot my sleeping bag... so what's the liquid?

[snake]

not uncommon to find orange/pinkish piss in the snow.  I am not sure what it means.  Followed a cow and calf for 7-8 miles?  I am sure that is a new record.  you didn't run into any other elk in that 7-8 miles or cut any other fresh tracks?

[Lefthook]

From a cow that either didn't get serviced or didn't get nocked up during the rut. A cow will go into estrus one more time for a chance encounter with a bull. This is the time a lot of spikes will get lucky since it is not during the competitive rut.

[MReese]

not uncommon to find orange/pinkish piss in the snow.  I am not sure what it means.  Followed a cow and calf for 7-8 miles?  I am sure that is a new record.  you didn't run into any other elk in that 7-8 miles or cut any other fresh tracks?

I can't speak to it being any record but I will say i'm 30 years old and like to think i'm in good shape, climbed Mt Baker this year, Glacier Peak the year before that, Rainier before that, not to mention the multi night weekend backpacking trips.
All the podcast i've been listening to about late season elk hunting said I should cut fresh track and stay with it.
I did cut other fresh track in that distance but decided to stick with the two i'd been fallowing hoping they'd bed again. Maybe foolishly..? I was exhausted the next day and went home 

[MReese]

From a cow that either didn't get serviced or didn't get nocked up during the rut. A cow will go into estrus one more time for a chance encounter with a bull. This is the time a lot of spikes will get lucky since it is not during the competitive rut.

That makes sense based on what I saw. So what are the chances of the calf's survival being born that late next year? Also, is there an effective way to use this to my advantage in the late season? Bugling? I mean, she's clearly looking for a man.. how do i get her to come to me?

[scoutdog346]

I've seen that too in gmu 346 20 years ago during modern elk gen. season.  I've  also soon Mt goats do it too.  Wonderd what it was. I'll what it is???

[dreamunelk]

Hmmmm.  Seen this myself.  They are mammals and cycle every month.  So that is one possibility.  Another is she has had a miscarriage or aborted a pregnancy.  Really an unknown.  I am sure there are hundreds of reason why they may bleed or have blood in there urine. 

[Hilltop123]

I have some photos of a.spotted calf at Oak creek, that was in January. You do the math.

[snake]

I run across this every year during late.  This year alone I saw pink/orange/redish elk piss on at least 50 different occasions.  I am not exaggerating.  If I had to guess I would bet it has more to do with Hydration or diet than estrus or rut.  who knows, their piss may be this color year round but we can only see the color in the snow.

[Lefthook]

From a cow that either didn't get serviced or didn't get nocked up during the rut. A cow will go into estrus one more time for a chance encounter with a bull. This is the time a lot of spikes will get lucky since it is not during the competitive rut.

That makes sense based on what I saw. So what are the chances of the calf's survival being born that late next year? Also, is there an effective way to use this to my advantage in the late season? Bugling? I mean, she's clearly looking for a man.. how do i get her to come to me?

I've seen very young fawns and calves born at the end of summer. Being born a couple months late, maybe even three months late probably doesn't make life real easy when fall and winter arrives. Not sure of the late birth mortality rate, but being born has to be better then not being born at all.

Cows in heat hang out waiting for a bull to hook up with them so I think I would hunt cows in heat out of the rut the same way you hunt them any other time during hunting season. Cow and calf calls would be the calls I would use, bugling now would seem out of place.

If it gets down to the very end of the season and you are still at it, go ahead and try everything, even bugling, elk can definetly suprise you.