Calling for Cows?

[BigTines]

I feel like I know the drill for hunting mature bulls—tons of stuff on YouTube, internet etc. but what about those of us archery hunting for cows or spikes?

Do cows come into calls? Should I cow call? Bugle? Is it a waste of time trying to call in a cow? What about calling for a spike?

Is it better to Spot and stalk? Tips/ideas/thoughts are all welcome!

[Stein]

Cows will come in to investigate new animals in the area.  Get near the herd and blow a bunch of cow calls, stomp around and then set up for the shot.  You never know what will show up, but cows will be in the mix.  Same holds true for spikes.

[jrebel]

Not a pro buy any means and I'm sure a few will chime in here.  With that said, I have called in multiple cows in my archery hunting years.  Calf calls work great....especially if you find a small group of cows.  Oddly enough, the cow and calf calls will also draw in spikes and small bulls.  A bugle will just scare away a spike and I have never called in a cow with a bugle either.  I would stick to cow and calf calls. 

[Gotm4]

Calf calls would be my go to.

[KFhunter]

They come in slower than bulls, they kinda "wander" your way and you're not sure you called them at all, but you did

[buglebuster]

I hunt them almost the same way I do bulls, the only difference is I don’t try and call them to me. I locate a bull, get him bugling from a distance. I get the wind and I slowly work my way toward the bull, I don’t bugle anymore. I will cow call softly here and there just trying to get him to give up his position. Once in tight I will just flank the herd and wait for the perfect time to try and slip in front of them and setup for a shot when the wind is right. When you’re tight to the herd, they are very vocal and easy to tell exactly where they’re at. I sometimes talk back and forth with them and that is when the spikes will come, and sometimes a cow. Most of the time it is just them traveling their planned path that I intercepted them on.

[pianoman9701]

Not a pro buy any means and I'm sure a few will chime in here.  With that said, I have called in multiple cows in my archery hunting years.  Calf calls work great....especially if you find a small group of cows.  Oddly enough, the cow and calf calls will also draw in spikes and small bulls.  A bugle will just scare away a spike and I have never called in a cow with a bugle either.  I would stick to cow and calf calls.

Try a distressed calf - several calf calls in rapid succession. It can work up the cows big time. Make sure the calls are chopped of quickly. Calves don't usually make anything but short, choppy chirps.

[CP]

The only things that I’ve called in with distressed calf has been bears.  They may work for cows, but keep alert.  Don’t be surprised  if a bear pops up 10 yards from you. 

[pianoman9701]

The only things that I’ve called in with distressed calf has been bears.  They may work for cows, but keep alert.  Don’t be surprised  if a bear pops up 10 yards from you.

Good point! If you get a bear doing this, I want some sausage!

[KFhunter]

I get cats coming to distressed calf, dammed things wait until your 10 feet away then bust out like a hurricane, no time to chit yourself let alone shoot it

[2MANY]

The call of Free Doughnuts really brings in the cows.

[pianoman9701]

The call of Free Doughnuts really brings in the cows.

I thought that was cops and firemen.

[bkaech]

I find spikes can be super curious and come into all types of calls just to check it out. I think cows can similarly be curious, but usually when I am calling around cows they just keep doing their thing and don't care. I like the idea of a calf call to get a cow to come check it out, but I have never tried that. More than anything I would use cow noises to make them at ease with any noise I am making and slip into range. If they are feeding it is easy to move closer, If they are bedded they will pick-up your movement pretty quick.

[LDennis24]

Cows will come in to investigate new animals in the area.  Get near the herd and blow a bunch of cow calls, stomp around and then set up for the shot.  You never know what will show up, but cows will be in the mix.  Same holds true for spikes.

This is how I do it. I mentioned in the other thread about prepping for elk season that having a few hoochie mama's wasn't a bad thing. If you can reed call and press a hoochie mama at the same time you can make them think your another group of elk or part of the group and they will come to investigate. I've done this to call elk up a ridgeline before many times where we hunt, I march around in the thick timber calling like an elk with tourettes syndrome and I will usually get a half dozen or more elk calling in response and that will get the herd moving in my direction out of curiosity. I haven't always gotten a shot though cuz if they don't see another elk then they hesitate to come in close. SO BRING ONE OR TWO MONTANA COW DECOYS! They work. We had a lone spike sneak up on us last year doing this and he stopped twenty feet from one of our shooters and then turned his head back to the decoy and kept walking all slow and got dropped.

[Stein]

Couple days ago my brother and I were in MT and he's a first timer so I had him on the Hoochie Mama and two other beginner blow calls.  I had a couple reeds.

After a few minutes of both of us calling, I moved up and quit calling.  Two minutes later, a pair of coyotes came in on a string, I think one of his calls sounded a bit distressed apparently.  Due to unfortunate target practice I was down to three broadheads or I could have nailed one at 5 yards.

I figured if coyotes are coming in, bears might be interested and it was easier to pay attention after that.

[Archry]

Yes on bears. I have bear breakfast n summer sausage in the freezer from distressed cow and calf sounds. Archery 25 feet away.