West side cow tag first timer how to choose?

[elksnout]

The first one to present a decent shot...  Just because it doesn't have horns on it doesn't mean it's easy! Make a hunt out of it. We took three cows last year and hunted as hard and long as any bull we've shot in our camp. All deep timber elk miles behind locked gates on FS land. I don't have any problem eating those steaks and burgers in my freezer. If a guy has a issue with finding a fetus just do the gutless method. I wasn't digging in my cow to see if it had one. And it would have bothered me a bit I suppose. But better me doing the eating than winter starvation or some cougar dragging her down.

[rtspring]

I have a cow tag this year,  the first one I see will hit the dirt.  I see it as the state wants me to take out a cow and I will do my part. Sure it could be pregnant, but I also know that by killing this cow maybe others will find enough food to make it through the winter....

Never had a weak stomach and never will.  I see steaks on the BBQ

[steen]

I agree with Bobcat.  I've seen 5 dead elk just off the road driving up towards St. Helens and they need to be thinned.  My husband drew a cow tag in  Nov. so the calf is not big enough to find at that point.  We are looking forward to having a freezer full and helping his two buddies with their cows also.  It is the circle of life even if it hurts a little.  Thank God for the meat and the cow for giving her life. 

[Blsum]

I drew a late season cow tag this year as well. I personally don't have a problem shooting the first big cow I see. Meat is meat. That's the only reason I put in for the tag. I'm not going to be digging around through the guts to see if I can find a fetus. I mean really how big is it going to be at that time of year. Grapefruit, cantaloupe maybe.  if you don't like the way I see it but I'm just trying to fill the freezer.

[KopperBuck]

Have had it happen, and don't have a problem with it. I've also shot a calf, and I've shot a cow with a young one. Doesn't really matter to me, that late in the year calves should be able to make it on their own as long as they have protection of the herd.

I support anterless hunts. I know that we're supposed to be used as a management tool, but more and more I feel like folks are forgetting why we hunted in the first place - to provide protein for our families. I hunt to eat. Sure, I enjoy the hunt and all the peripheral activities, but you will rarely find store bought meat in my freezer. In fact, the only thing in my freezer that was not killed and butchered by myself is chicken. I use the anterless opportunity as a means to keep that badboy full.

[bod]

Its a Williams Creek tag during the rifle season and I would like to shoot a dry cow what do I look for.

[NWWABOWHNTR]

To everyone who said they wouldn't shoot a cow... guess if you are an archer and want to hunt most of this state, you only hunt once every 6-8 years when you draw a bull tag?  Sorry, but I like to hunt, love to put elk and deer in the freezer for my family to eat... horns don't taste worth a crap to me. 

[BOWHUNTER45]

Wow ... very interresting ... well I am not a trophy hunter by any means ...shoot the biggest cow you can find ... Cows taste good no matter big or small ...

[KopperBuck]

Its a Williams Creek tag during the rifle season and I would like to shoot a dry cow what do I look for.

A sterile one.. seriously, you really have no guarantees. Just waiting for a cow that doesn't have a young one in tow doesn't mean anything. Trust me. I've gutted a "dry" cow with a calf bawling off in the woods not more than a 100 yards away.

[fair-chase]

I also have a late cow tag. If I am still empty handed that late in the season after both early and late muzzy hunts I will be looking for a yearling. As far as the management goes the department also uses late hunts to pressure animals off agricultural lands so that they don't have to pay out as much in damage claims. At least I think that is the theory. 

If we were to look at it as purely a herd management without the other factors of infringement on Ag lands and holding capacity, wouldn't we want all cow hunts to be pre rut and all bull hunts to be post rut. Therefore the bulls are not wasting breeding energy on cows that will be extirpated anyways?  Like the discussion and hope to hear some more views on this.

[PA BEN]

I put my daughter and I in for lots of draws this year and we drew partner cow tags. We eat the meat, not much to tag soup. I do believe the tags we drew are to keep animals off agricultural lands. Elk area 6010 Raymond.

[KopperBuck]

For cows I'm not sure there is a good time. We've had tags that go into the spring - you want to talk about fetus... Fall, you run into a bred cow, but if she's already had a calf then it has a better survival chance. I'm not a huge fan on rut and post rut hunts personally, they're too worn down for my taste. A "yearling" cow can still be bred, so the only guarantee would be to shoot a calf.

Like you said, it's not all about herd management, there's a public service as well. I guess horns are a part of that management too, given that it's such a money maker.

[dreamunelk]

What ever one presents the best shot!
In a perfect world we would only harvest the young and the old as these have the most potential of dying of natural causes over the next year.  If you want to get picky take the one with a medium sized snout. 

Do not worry about all the BS about fetuses.  Cow harvest is available for two reasons.  1) Compensatory mortality, in short harvest will be with in levels that would die naturally.  2) Additive Mortality, populations levels are at a point were for many different reasons a reduction in population is necessary.

So have a great hunt and enjoy the meat.

[blacktail luv]

Wow there sure are a lot of proud cow killers on this sight.  I just can't imagine how many more elk we would have if the wdfw cut all of the cow tags out of the west klickitat unit for example( where I'm from). They give out 300 cow tags for a herd that has dwindled to a fraction of what it was 10 years ago.  I love bow hunting elk, it's what I live for.  Am I the only one that thinks more elk would translate to more bull tags in the future for you who can't pull a bull tag? I understand that certain areas have too many elk and numbers need to be reduced, but give more to kids or the disabled in those specific areas.  Hunt harder and shoot a bull.  I'm getting too worked up over this, sorry. 

[KopperBuck]

Wow there sure are a lot of proud cow killers on this sight.  I just can't imagine how many more elk we would have if the wdfw cut all of the cow tags out of the west klickitat unit for example( where I'm from). They give out 300 cow tags for a herd that has dwindled to a fraction of what it was 10 years ago.  I love bow hunting elk, it's what I live for.  Am I the only one that thinks more elk would translate to more bull tags in the future for you who can't pull a bull tag? I understand that certain areas have too many elk and numbers need to be reduced, but give more to kids or the disabled in those specific areas.  Hunt harder and shoot a bull.  I'm getting too worked up over this, sorry. 

It's good insight. I guess it all depends where you're coming from. Too much population can attribute to lesser numbers as well - competition, disease, etc...

Sometimes cow hunts are more about depredation. Coming from a ranching background, I can tell you that it's less expensive for the state to pay out damages for wildlife than it is about revenue from the tags. Unfortunately our own existance demands that wildlife can't exist in abundance everywhere. Do I agree with this.. no. But it's the reality, unless we all want to live in town in highrise buildings.