Post by: dreamingbig on August 28, 2012, 10:49:41 AM
I waited 9 years for a branch bull tag for archery and I was finally drawn this year! I also have a cow tag in my pocket. I have killed three elk in the same unit since I have been hunting it (cow 2005, spike 2007, cow 2009). I have had shot opportunities at mature bulls every year since 2006 but no tag in my pocket.n :'( I will be hunting September 7th to the 16th. I also have the multiseason elk tag.
So my question is: How many days should I hold out for a bull before I shoot a big fat cow? I only have 10 days to hunt and I am so very aware how tough bowhunting can be. I have my answer but I am curious what you guys would do? My standard for a bull is pretty low given I have never shot one. My goal is the first decent 5x5 or bigger that I get a shot at.
So what say you?
Post by: Button Nubbs on August 28, 2012, 10:55:53 AM
Post by: Maverick on August 28, 2012, 11:02:12 AM
Post by: deadwoodbuck on August 28, 2012, 11:41:03 AM
Post by: grundy53 on August 28, 2012, 11:43:05 AM
Yeah hold out for a bull the whole time. It'd be your luck that you'd shoot a cow and then the big boy would come out. I'd rather regret passing up a cow at the end of the season than shooting a cow and thinking i might of had a bull. Good luck!
:yeah:
Post by: Kowsrule30 on August 28, 2012, 11:44:38 AM
Post by: Band on August 28, 2012, 11:48:24 AM
I hope you had the same luck I did. Go get 'em. ;)
Post by: 300rum on August 28, 2012, 11:49:33 AM
Post by: iRem on August 28, 2012, 11:50:48 AM
It would depend on what tag you drew for what to hold out for point/score wise imo... I'd leave the cow tag in the truck/camp till your last day out....
:yeah:
Hold out till the last day and then put the tag in your pocket and hunt your heart out! What tag did you get, that might change things?
Post by: dvolmer on August 28, 2012, 11:55:19 AM
Post by: bloodhound on August 28, 2012, 12:40:54 PM
Post by: wall of wood camp on August 28, 2012, 12:56:00 PM
Post by: Huntbear on August 28, 2012, 01:06:51 PM
I would give till the last weekend/day... then drop the first full grown cow I saw. Elk meat in the freezer beats tag soup any day.... I like eating elk meat.. :chuckle:
Post by: rasbo on August 28, 2012, 01:10:26 PM
Post by: jrebel on August 28, 2012, 01:12:57 PM
Post by: dreamingbig on August 28, 2012, 01:21:01 PM
I can call pretty well but I have a great caller (my dad) that will be in my back pocket until we get it done. We will be hitting it dark to dusk!
Post by: deleted BGS on August 28, 2012, 01:21:18 PM
Post by: cedarriver on August 28, 2012, 01:35:57 PM
Post by: buglebuster on August 28, 2012, 08:47:30 PM
Post by: Kola16 on August 28, 2012, 08:52:36 PM
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on August 28, 2012, 08:59:52 PM
Post by: h2ofowlr on August 28, 2012, 09:11:35 PM
Post by: Caseyd on August 28, 2012, 09:36:40 PM
Post by: rebal69972 on August 29, 2012, 12:55:40 AM
Yeah hold out for a bull the whole time. It'd be your luck that you'd shoot a cow and then the big boy would come out. I'd rather regret passing up a cow at the end of the season than shooting a cow and thinking i might of had a bull. Good luck!
:yeah:
Post by: huntnnw on August 29, 2012, 04:47:21 AM
Post by: dreamingbig on September 01, 2012, 11:20:50 PM
Post by: Instinct on September 02, 2012, 01:20:26 AM
Post by: 268bull on September 02, 2012, 06:40:18 AM
Post by: Kioti on September 02, 2012, 07:17:51 AM
Post by: windygorge on September 02, 2012, 07:23:17 AM
Yeah hold out for a bull the whole time. It'd be your luck that you'd shoot a cow and then the big boy would come out. I'd rather regret passing up a cow at the end of the season than shooting a cow and thinking i might of had a bull. Good luck!
:yeah:
don't shoot a cow, if you already have a cow tag and a multi season tag in your pocket. hunt for big bull(whatever that means to you) until last light of last day. :twocents:
Post by: mtman on September 02, 2012, 07:35:53 AM
Post by: windygorge on September 02, 2012, 07:49:42 AM
I would eat my tag If it wasnt a big bull.
:yeah:
with all the flavorings on the market, you could easily make it taste like elk.. :chuckle:
Post by: krapmit on September 02, 2012, 10:52:40 AM
Post by: dreamingbig on September 03, 2012, 08:05:32 PM
Post by: Muleyslyr on September 03, 2012, 08:43:06 PM
Post by: dreamingbig on September 06, 2012, 11:35:13 AM
Post by: JLS on September 06, 2012, 11:41:29 AM
....don't pass up on the first day what you'd shoot on the last. It's your tag, your priorities. I didn't hestitate to shoot a cow on my MT tag last year, and wouldn't again. However, my priority is white packages in the freezer.
Shoot straight.
Post by: jackmaster on September 06, 2012, 12:18:07 PM
Yeah hold out for a bull the whole time. It'd be your luck that you'd shoot a cow and then the big boy would come out. I'd rather regret passing up a cow at the end of the season than shooting a cow and thinking i might of had a bull. Good luck!:yeah:
Post by: WSU on September 06, 2012, 12:38:34 PM
Post by: dreamingbig on September 20, 2012, 01:40:22 PM
Post by: YoterHunter on September 20, 2012, 01:47:40 PM
Post by: pianoman9701 on September 20, 2012, 01:50:03 PM
Post by: Wyoming08 on September 20, 2012, 02:53:19 PM
Nice job...
Post by: coachcw on September 20, 2012, 04:36:14 PM
Post by: steeleywhopper on September 20, 2012, 05:26:41 PM
Post by: BLUEBULLS on September 20, 2012, 05:27:15 PM
Congrats . any bull with a bow is a specal.
Post by: rosscrazyelk on September 20, 2012, 05:41:16 PM
Post by: bullfisher on September 20, 2012, 05:59:35 PM
Post by: dreamingbig on September 21, 2012, 06:35:21 AM
Looks like you put a hole in his heart, too. Nicely done.
Thanks all for the nice comments. It was a great hunt and he eats very nicely. We lost zero meat on this guy and we shot him on a day when it was in the 80s and we were over 7 miles from the truck. Having a plan before hand certainly helps.
As Pianoman noted, the shot entered just through top of heart and lower lung and exited middle of offside lung. He was a little uphill from me when I released the arrow and he didn't go more than 50 yards after the shot.