Cow/ Calf Tag

[Team Baze]

I was the only one of 4 guys in our elk camp not to fill my cow tag, we came home with 2 cows and 1 calf, the guys were giving me crap because I told them I would not shot a calf.
I did have my opportunity to fill my tag but I missed my shot. Just wanted to get  a felling of what people thought. By the way the calf that was shot was a bull which would probably be next years spike.

[7mmfan]

That right there is why I probably would not shoot a calf. I don't think there is anything morally wrong with shooting a calf but its the idea that i might be killing next years bull. I guess though, it gets killed one way or the other, i just like to give those young bulls a chance.

[GoldTip]

I like elk meat, no let me rephrase that, I love elk meat.  Most calves are quite a bit bigger than an average deer, thats meat in my freezer that I love and is healthy for me.  Am I dumping the first calf I see on opening day, nope. 10am on the last day I have to hunt, hell maybe even the day before that if I've not been seeing any elk, that calf is hitting the ground.

[Rick]

OK,now tell the rest of the story. You were too proud to shoot a calf,but you gladly took his offer of splitting the calf with you.

You'll eat the hell out of a calf that someone else shoots,but don't want to be the guy that actually pulls the trigger.

[jackelope]

i won't shoot a calf.

[Team Baze]

OK,now tell the rest of the story. You were too proud to shoot a calf,but you gladly took his offer of splitting the calf with you.

You'll eat the hell out of a calf that someone else shoots,but don't want to be the guy that actually pulls the trigger.

You are right I won't shot one but if someone else does I'll eat some, I just can't shot a calf.

[duckmen1]

it is your choice wheather or not you want to shoot a calf
i don't care to shoot one my self but i dont have a problem if anyone else does

[bowhuntin]

Why wouldn't you want to shoot a calf. If the opportunity presents itself take the shot. It is meat in the freezer and some great meat at that. Would you shoot a cow with a calf or take the calf?

[duckmen1]

neither id try to find one without a calf
or if there was a heard of elk the others would fend for the calf so i would shoot the cow then
whats it matter if others choose not to shoot them
thats more for everyone else

[Big Guy]

I would blast it....Oh wait I did cause I'm the guy Team Baze is talking about.

[KillerMiller]

If you want to eat elk, SHOOT!

[YellowDog]

I would blast it....Oh wait I did cause I'm the guy Team Baze is talking about.

Congrats.  You won't get any judgement out of me on shooting a calf with a special permit.  I'm not exactly going to say I agree with the way WDFW manages our game but they know when they give those antlerless permits that a certain percentage of them will likely be bull calfs.  I would prefer to shoot a mature cow (more meat) but in the end, I would shoot a calf.

[Big Guy]

It sucked that it was a bull calf, but it is what it is. If I could've checked between the leg's before shooting I would'nt of shot it.

[danceswitharrows]

I would have shot it   Tv gets everyone caught up in monsters.  I have never shot a elk and I hunt with a bow.  I am sure I would have been just as proud if not more then "inset TV personality here"  and the many 6 point or better elk they kill all the time.

[duckmen1]

had a couriosidy question
if you are willing to shoot a calf elk with a cow tag would you also be willing to shoot a fawn deer with a doe tag?

[Huntbear]

Not sure where you were hunting, but I have never had a problem seeing tons of cows within pistol range, let alone rifle range during elk season.  So for that reason alone, I would not shoot a calf. 

[Rick]

had a couriosidy question
if you are willing to shoot a calf elk with a cow tag would you also be willing to shoot a fawn deer with a doe tag?

Something needs to be clarified. Yes it was a calf,but probably not what you're thinking. This calf was at least 1/2 the size of the cow I shot (my brother shot the calf). It was probably 250+ lbs on the hoof. 

Shooting an elk calf thats bigger than 95% of the deer that get tagged every year is a far cry from shooting a fawn thats the size of a cocker spaniel.

[WAcoueshunter]

Yes on the 150 lb calf, no on the 40 lb fawn.

My first big game animal was a calf on a west bar anterless hunt when I was 12.  The year prior, a friend had shot a cow and its calf stuck around to watch the carnage.  So his son (who also had a tag) shot the calf.  After eating both side by side, I had strict instructions to shoot a calf when I drew the following year.  Years later I had other friends who shot a cow and her calf - they wound up eating all the calf first.

I recently passed on a cow to shoot its calf.  You can cut the backstaps (let alone the tenderloin) with a fork.  It's great.  If it doesn't have horns, I'd rather get the best meat I can, even if I have less of it.  A fawn is just too small to waste a tag on.

[coldsteel3d]

I'm a bowhunter and I have passed many opportunities at cows and calve, and my choice is not to shoot. I know if I hunt I will kill a bull during the season, therefore I have no reason to shoot a cow or calf. 

[carpsniperg2]

i have hunted elk for 3 years with a bow and both my elk one bull and one cow were calfs i hunt in a area that we are lucky to see elk let alone get a shot the year i did not get one we hunted hard and did not see a elk if i was like a lot of people that have so many opertunitys i would pass a calf but any animal with a bow is somthin special in itself. i am a trophy deer hunter meat elk hunter. and like said both calf elk i shot were as big as a lot of our bench bucks.

[Thefisherman83]

MMMMM Veal 

[coldsteel3d]

i have hunted elk for 3 years with a bow and both my elk one bull and one cow were calfs i hunt in a area that we are lucky to see elk let alone get a shot the year i did not get one we hunted hard and did not see a elk if i was like a lot of people that have so many opertunitys i would pass a calf but any animal with a bow is somthin special in itself. i am a trophy deer hunter meat elk hunter. and like said both calf elk i shot were as big as a lot of our bench bucks.

Then I would say you are hunting the wrong area and should think about moving to a different hunting area. 

[fireguy459]

This season i saw an huge increase in calfs hanging.... i dont know if there was a huge carryover from spring or if people are enjoying the tenderness of small elk. My wife was hunting with me and asked me why in the world someone would shoot a calf which took me by suprise. However i have to agree with her.. shooting a calf does not allow a potential bull to develop as needed for reproduction and in washington the odds of drawing a tag at astronomical so i would think if i have the opportunity i would want to shoot as much meat as possible. I have had 4 any elk tags and shot 2 bulls and 2 mature cows. I dont think i could shoot a calf. 

[C-Money]

Well, If I could not find a mature cow, yes I'd kill a calf. Elk tags are to hard to come by in this state to pass on an opportunity.

[carpsniperg2]

coldsteel3d: you don't know what my budget is, it takes money to drive hours to knew areas. are you going to  front my fuel bill? i hunt were i do because i can enjoy my time in the woods and i don't spend a arm and leg to do so and i have some luck this was my opinion on the subject.

[duckmen1]

i new the comment about a calf is bigger than a fawn would show up but do you think its wrong to shoot a fawn??
it is still a yearling
i wouldnt shoot either but  thats my opinion

[Big Guy]

Just got the calf back last night.....We have been snacking on peperoni and jerky all day while watching football,all I can say is that it taste damn good.

[billythekidrock]

Just got the calf back last night.....We have been snacking on peperoni and jerky all day while watching football,all I can say is that it taste damn good.

A calf into pepperoni and jerky? Ain't that sacrilegious?

[NWHydroprint]

I would shoot a calf in a heart beat. I don't See why it would be a problem what the difference between shooting a calf or a cow? Size? Also when you think about it when you shoot a cow you potentially killed 2 elk if she was bred in September. So the theory of the calf being a bull is mute.

[Rick]

Just got the calf back last night.....We have been snacking on peperoni and jerky all day while watching football,all I can say is that it taste damn good.

A calf into pepperoni and jerky? Ain't that sacrilegious?

So would you rather have a guy that doesn't particularly care for venison,throw 80lbs of meat in the freezer and throw it away 2 years from now because it wasn't eaten?

Why does it matter WTF it was made into if its gonna get enjoyed?

[carpsniperg2]

you know a lot of people have told me the same thing. why shoot a calf that might be next years bull. my answer why shoot a big bull that has mad it to be matureity that is breeding i don't think any of the people saying might be next years bull would pass a 6x6 350" bull to say lets leave him to breed. for a heard stand point i would rather shoot a calf then a cow the cow will breed again or might already be breed the calf is very likey to get ate by preditors calf survival is not that great anyway.i prefer elk over paper tag soup and any animal is a trophy in my eyes.

[Rick]

i new the comment about a calf is bigger than a fawn would show up but do you think its wrong to shoot a fawn??
it is still a yearling
i wouldnt shoot either but  thats my opinion

If you have an antlerless tag and want to shoot a fawn,why would that be wrong? The WDFW gives out antlerless tags for a reason.

I think its funny that so many think its "wrong" to shoot a calf/fawn. Is it really more wrong to smoke a 6 month old elk as opposed to a 6 year old elk?

[duckmen1]

never said it was wrong just figured i would point out a point about shooting yearlings to see how mad people would get about a calf over a fawn
it worked people get mad over nothing
they're both yearling so if you would shoot a calf why talk bad about people shooting a fawn
they're still both babies
feel proud about your success on a baby

[Curly]

Just got the calf back last night.....We have been snacking on peperoni and jerky all day while watching football,all I can say is that it taste damn good.

A calf into pepperoni and jerky? Ain't that sacrilegious?

Should be.

[DOUBLELUNG]

When I lived in Wyoming and could get lots of doe/fawn tags for $5 each, several times I intentionally shot fawns (deer and antelope).  For the same reason I occasionally will pay $12 for a nice 10 oz beef tenderloin steak, instead of buying 4 lbs of chuck with the same money.  Slow cooking the entire round muscles and backstraps on a grill, not much meat but quality to die for.  If it was my only tag, like generally is the case here, I probably wouldn't shoot a fawn except for the last minutes of the season. 

I would still happily shoot an elk calf.  The last one I shot, I thought there were an adult cow, a yearling and a calf - I shot the "yearling", turned out it was a big calf.  76lbs of absolutely orgasmic eats.

[furchaser]

a calf is much bigger than a deer and IMHO better on the dinner table too.

antlerless permits are issued for a reason, harvestable numbers are deemed valid.

guess its up to the permit holder on what to harvest. freedom of choice is one of the best things about livin in the USA.

[alanger]

id take a calf any day

[Big Guy]

Just got the calf back last night.....We have been snacking on peperoni and jerky all day while watching football,all I can say is that it taste damn good.

A calf into pepperoni and jerky? Ain't that sacrilegious?

Should be.

Should be my ass!  It should be what ever the person want's it made into!

[Big Guy]

id take a calf any day

I totally agree...

[steen]

About shooting a calf.  First cow tags are given to balance the bull to cow ratio and ease starvation in some units. It depends of where your hunting.  In the Blues I would not shoot a calf but I wouldn't have a problem with my kids shooting one for their first animal.   I would rather leave bull calves for spike hunters and permit bull holders.   I would rather have more meat even over the tasier meat.  I  am eating bull meat from a breeding bull and it is some of the best meat I've ever tasted.  Around Mnt. St Helens where you see alot of winter kills  what ever gives you the shot, still more meat the better.  My kids have had doe tags and there again the bigger the better but a first kill at whatever they can shoot builds confidence.  The choice  is the tag holder.  Cirucumstances usually makes the decision for anyone. 

[eastside boy]

I have once......and it was the best meat I have ever eaten.  Wasn't seeing any other elk for along time....so he took the ol dirt nap at the hand of the 7mm.