Post by: bod on June 18, 2011, 09:22:29 AM
Post by: PA BEN on June 18, 2011, 09:24:02 AM
Post by: MADMAX on June 18, 2011, 09:24:34 AM
Post by: HntnFsh on June 18, 2011, 10:19:09 AM
Post by: bobcat on June 18, 2011, 10:23:59 AM
What about for an August hunt? (or September)
Post by: blacktail luv on June 18, 2011, 10:32:47 AM
Post by: cannon-master on June 18, 2011, 10:47:22 AM
Post by: Hunterman on June 18, 2011, 10:52:19 AM
In my opinion cow tags should be given out in the early season so you aren't killing a bunch of pregnant cows. I'm not sure how anyone could get excited about shooting a cow with a two or three month old fetus in it. Makes me sick thinking about it. :twocents:
So if you kill a cow in the early season your not kill a calf too?? But wait,,if you kill a breeding bull,,how many calfs are you killing??? But what the hell do I know about herd control..
Kill the first barren cow you see..
Hunterman(Tony)
Post by: blacktail luv on June 18, 2011, 11:04:40 AM
Post by: rock on June 18, 2011, 11:24:22 AM
Late season. If you happen to find a cow in estrus that one or a big calf. :twocents:
Post by: rebal69972 on June 18, 2011, 12:42:16 PM
Post by: jackelope on June 18, 2011, 01:07:38 PM
I think there's mostly too many cows and not enough bulls in most units so killing a cow before she's been bred is not a concern to me. Getting rid of a few cows will likely help the herd, but.... honestly I do not want to field dress a cow or a doe and find a fetus inside. Call me a sissy but I don't want to think about a dead elk fetus every time I have an elk steak for the next 12 months. I would not shoot a cow in the late season, or a doe, for that reason. I don't have a problem shooting a doe in the general season if the rules or permit allows but there's little to no risk that there's a fetus in them at that point. I also wouldn't shoot a doe if a youngster was running with her. I do not apply for cow tags. I have been putting in for points only for a few years although I don't know what I will do with them.
Post by: boneaddict on June 18, 2011, 01:20:18 PM
Hunterman.....the big difference is one bull can breed a 100 cows. They generally aren't the ones limiting the population. Kill a cow or doe and thats potentially many future animals.
I won't look down on someone that is killing one for meat though I have never done it or have desire for it.
It is a good question and you can sort of tell barren critters if you spend alot of time out there. Some will give you advice to shootthe younger as they taste better. Some will say shoot the old barren ones as they won't hurt the population then.
Post by: blacktail luv on June 18, 2011, 01:37:13 PM
Anyway back to the original question, I guess I would look for a yearling cow, they are the best eating with no calves and won't be pregnant, good luck on your hunt.
Post by: bobcat on June 18, 2011, 02:29:40 PM
Post by: elksnout on June 18, 2011, 02:35:16 PM
Post by: rtspring on June 18, 2011, 02:56:34 PM
Never had a weak stomach and never will. I see steaks on the BBQ
Post by: steen on June 18, 2011, 04:35:33 PM
Post by: Blsum on June 18, 2011, 07:00:33 PM
Post by: KopperBuck on June 18, 2011, 07:12:49 PM
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.
Post by: bod on June 19, 2011, 03:52:30 PM
Post by: NWWABOWHNTR on June 19, 2011, 04:08:42 PM
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on June 19, 2011, 04:31:10 PM
Post by: KopperBuck on June 19, 2011, 04:58:27 PM
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.
Post by: fair-chase on June 19, 2011, 05:19:57 PM
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? :dunno: Like the discussion and hope to hear some more views on this.
Post by: PA BEN on June 19, 2011, 05:27:26 PM
Post by: KopperBuck on June 19, 2011, 05:33:03 PM
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.
Post by: dreamunelk on June 19, 2011, 05:58:55 PM
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.
Post by: blacktail luv on June 19, 2011, 06:31:28 PM
Post by: KopperBuck on June 19, 2011, 06:45:59 PM
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.
Post by: KopperBuck on June 19, 2011, 06:47:08 PM
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.
Post by: blacktail luv on June 19, 2011, 07:18:32 PM
Post by: elksnout on June 19, 2011, 07:49:39 PM
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?
Post by: blacktail luv on June 19, 2011, 07:59:14 PM
Post by: elksnout on June 19, 2011, 08:22:48 PM
Post by: blacktail luv on June 19, 2011, 08:51:58 PM
Post by: KopperBuck on June 19, 2011, 09:04:16 PM
Post by: blacktail luv on June 19, 2011, 09:10:01 PM
Post by: Curly on June 19, 2011, 09:25:54 PM
Post by: KopperBuck on June 19, 2011, 09:27:37 PM
Post by: KopperBuck on June 19, 2011, 09:28:27 PM
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* :tup: Population is a HUGE factor. They're sensitive critters.
Post by: Kowsrule30 on June 19, 2011, 10:17:28 PM
Post by: rock on June 20, 2011, 06:54:40 PM
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.
Post by: steelhead13 on June 20, 2011, 07:04:57 PM
Post by: elksnout on June 20, 2011, 09:34:01 PM
Post by: rock on June 22, 2011, 07:15:23 PM
Its for the best though and helping