West side cow tag first timer how to choose?

[KopperBuck]

Wow there sure are a lot of proud cow killers on this sight. 

I believe this wasn't malicious, but I'm damn proud to put meat on the table.

[blacktail luv]

I was a little heated when writing my last post.   My father had a calf watch him field dress it's mother when I was just a little kid and he told me it was a horrible experience for him so he raised me to not shoot cows, and I'm pretty passionate about it. (if you can't tell ) I just feel that the whole state gets managed as one unit not for each gmu on it's own.  The starving elk at st Helens get all the publicity so everyone assumes there are too many elk statewide which couldn't be farther from the truth.  Our herds have a lot of room to grow as far as #'s go in my opinion.  Oregon has twice the elk herd we do, why is that? I just want more elk in this state and I don't think giving out 6125 cow tags is the way to achieve that.

[elksnout]

I was a little heated when writing my last post.   My father had a calf watch him field dress it's mother when I was just a little kid and he told me it was a horrible experience for him so he raised me to not shoot cows, and I'm pretty passionate about it. (if you can't tell ) I just feel that the whole state gets managed as one unit not for each gmu on it's own.  The starving elk at st Helens get all the publicity so everyone assumes there are too many elk statewide which couldn't be farther from the truth.  Our herds have a lot of room to grow as far as #'s go in my opinion.  Oregon has twice the elk herd we do, why is that? I just want more elk in this state and I don't think giving out 6125 cow tags is the way to achieve that.

We all want more elk. And you are correct that the herds were bigger. But really though, with the logging all but gone in most of the Lewis River, Souixon and the Wind could it be that there just isn't the habitat to support those big herds anymore?

[blacktail luv]

So we keep shooting tons of cows til.......? And there is plenty of land and food for the elk in the wind and west klick for sure there are clearcuts everywhere and plenty of room for them to roam. As for the Gifford they need to start logging it again, that is part of the reason for the herds decline in the Lewis and siouxon for sure.  But that will never happen.

[elksnout]

I've been elk hunting this state for 40 years now. I've had and filled three cow tags. Not really thinning the herd to me. Just provided some decent meat and memories. There's 8-10 guys in our camp in any one year and more years than not we do not have a single cow tag in camp. This might be quite typical?? Don't know. In areas that cannot support the herds any more because the logging is gone would you rather see them over populate and starve out in a hard winter? And they have logged the hell out of the eastern Wind unit, western West Klickitat and the upper elevation areas of the Washougal. But I've had biologists tell me that they go in and spray those areas after logging to keep vegetation down so it doesn't compete with replanting efforts. Again don't know. Just been told. And look at the harvest reports. Not many units with 100% success on cows. I'm also glad they did away with the any elk in the Wind and West Klickitat. I'll take my 3 cows.

[blacktail luv]

They do spray the new cuts but only for the first two years I believe to give the new trees a head start, and with cuts ranging from 40 -1 year old they find suitable feed in the older ones.  Everyone always brings up elk starving during the winter.  It would take a major population increase for that to be an issue in my area.  Bottom line there is no way our state is at the maximum carrying capacity for it's elk herd, and the DFW seems okay with that.  I just want my kids to be able to hunt elk in our state, and I think that the way things are going they will be praying for a tag not whining about not drawing a bull tag every 5-10 years when there is no such thing as an over the counter tag.

[KopperBuck]

The majority of OR is a contolled hunt...

[blacktail luv]

A lot of Washington is controlled also, don't think that's the reason.

[Curly]

There are more elk in Oregon because there is way, way, way, more habitat for elk in Oregon. And a lot less people there too.

[KopperBuck]

Sorry, that wasn't my point. It was that most of OR is draw only, no over the counter options on the eastside, most of it anyways. I hunt OR alot, and I don't mind the draw option either. I draw quite a bit, so does my pops. Granted it's not every year, but almost every other where we apply.

[KopperBuck]

There are more elk in Oregon because there is way, way, way, more habitat for elk in Oregon. And a lot less people there too.

Beat me too it - *censored* Population is a HUGE factor. They're sensitive critters.

[Kowsrule30]

The main area I hunt for elk is under population a little..... It would be able to support a lot more deer and elk but the cattle eat everything down..... Good elk/deer feed or not it's cattle food...... Then the ranchers scare off most the elk herding cattle all ml season..... This place has a bunch of burns and cuts......I've had 4 cow tags for this unit and filled them all with two yearlings, one old cow, and a 3-4 year old... (i think) Just NE of my unit I hunt most, quite some years back there was a damage control hunt for ml for a few years and took 2 cows out of that..... All young.... Never found anything to do with a fetus..... Some had milk.... Some were dry..... Probably close to 50/50.... Don't think it really had any impact on the herd......  But they tasted good.....

[rock]

I was a little heated when writing my last post.   My father had a calf watch him field dress it's mother when I was just a little kid and he told me it was a horrible experience for him so he raised me to not shoot cows, and I'm pretty passionate about it. (if you can't tell ) I just feel that the whole state gets managed as one unit not for each gmu on it's own.  The starving elk at st Helens get all the publicity so everyone assumes there are too many elk statewide which couldn't be farther from the truth.  Our herds have a lot of room to grow as far as #'s go in my opinion.  Oregon has twice the elk herd we do, why is that? I just want more elk in this state and I don't think giving out 6125 cow tags is the way to achieve that.

We all want more elk. And you are correct that the herds were bigger. But really though, with the logging all but gone in most of the Lewis River, Souixon and the Wind could it be that there just isn't the habitat to support those big herds anymore?

Have you seen the Siouxon lately? It is getting massively clearcutted.

[steelhead13]

When late archery comes around its all about the meat for me.  I live off elk and deer meat just about every  year.

[elksnout]

Hey Rock. I'd bet the Souixon is 90% national forest. Tell me where it's being massively clearcut on that land today. There is some state land along both the north and south fork Souixon creeks for sure that's been cut. Has been since they punched through over the top of Iron mountain years ago. Then there's what we call the "hair cut". Which is along the southern side of Swift Reservoir where the private land meets the national forest. If you pick the correct vantage to site down from east to west it looks like a bad hair cut. Or rather reprod meets old growth.