Cow or Spike?

[Elkslayer]

I will be hunting unit 117 and 121 for late archery elk. Just curious as to what others would do if given the opportunity to shoot either one. Would you shoot a cow and leave the spike for more bulls next year or would you shoot the spike and leave the cow, given the possibility she might be pregnant and therefore increase herd size by one or possibly two next year.
The past couple of years I have taken small bulls during the late season. But I would also like to see more bulls running around during the rut.

[Tom Tamer]

Which ever one is standing in front of my arrow....I'm not too picky after having a bull run off when he heard me nock an arrow and then the next day I flinched on a shot at a cow and gave her a triangle shaped shave.

[carpsniperg2]

Which ever one is standing in front of my arrow....
x2

and don't forget them tasty calves

[Elkslayer]

I agree Tom, early season I would take the first one that gives me an opportunity. But i am fortunate to have a couple of pretty good spots locked up that I am pretty sure I can be picky at, for a few days anyhow.

[MHWASH]

Take the spike. It doesn't take a lot of bulls to breed cows. There is a good chance to spike will not make it through the winter anyhow. We've been limited to spikes down in the Blues for a while and it has not hurt those herds.

[MIKEXRAY]

I had this choice last years bow season. I had a cow & spike bull easily in range. I shot the spike even though it was half the size of the big cow. To this day it is perplexing to me why I did not shoot the cow. Would of been lots more meat. I'll never figure it out. Mike