how to kill a cow elk

by **bnsafe** » 06 16, 2012 • [Post 1]

ok guys, im headin out to colorado unit 16 this year with a muzzleloader and a cow elk tag to elk hunt for my first time ever. im in decent shape, will be hunting by myself, cant scout the area until the day before (although i have talked to area managers), and will be hunting sep 8th thru the 16th. ive already bought elknuts 4 dvds.
so whats your best tips for killing a cow elk. should i hunt as far back as some do for bulls, same elevation, sit on wallows watering hole etc, morning or night. any other advice for cows would be awesome.

by **Freebird134** » 06 16, 2012 • [Post 2]

I'm not the expert that a lot of guys here are, but I'm guessing a good start would be focus on Food, Water, and Bedding. How far back you go is going to depend on 1) the location of those things and 2) pressure from people. Every place is different. But that early in Sept, I think the cows are going to be hungry, thirsty, and sleepy. That's about it.

Now will the real experts chime in!

by **wideangle** » 06 16, 2012 • [Post 3]

The last cow I archery killed was from a makeshift ground blind set up between bedding areas and a water hole.

by **iRem** » 06 16, 2012 • [Post 4]

You will need at least a couple of days of scouting! Don't expect to kill your elk the first day, but I hope you can. Take the first couple of days to get to know the lay of the land. If you know exactly where you're going to hunt, your best tool right now is Google Earth! Look for water, dark timber, deep draws and where the roads are so that you might be able to hike in at least a mile with out another road on the other side of where you're going. Glass, listen, use your nose as these elk will give away their location and call! These are just a few of the small things you can do to help yourself out! Good luck.

by **WapitiTalk1** » 06 16, 2012 • [Post 5]

bnsafe wrote:ok guys, im headin out to colorado unit 16 this year with a muzzleloader and a cow elk tag to elk hunt for my first time ever. im in decent shape, will be hunting by myself, cant scout the area until the day before (although i have talked to area managers), and will be hunting sep 8th thru the 16th. ive already bought elknuts 4 dvds.
so whats your best tips for killing a cow elk. should i hunt as far back as some do for bulls, same elevation, sit on wallows watering hole etc, morning or night. any other advice for cows would be awesome.

Hey bnsafe... Welcome to Elknut's forum.. Glad you made it over. September 8-16 is during the elk rut although a bit early but still....elk are rutting, vocalizing, herding up, etc. Here's your path to cow success..... 1. Obviously, hunt where there are elk, get back off the roads a bit (the local fish and game guys can get you in the right direction). 2. You are hunting during the elk rut; listen for a bugle before daylight and go towards the bugle using the wind/thermals to disguise your approach, ensure you can make decent cow calls to stop a suspicious elk for just a second, kill a cow. 3. Throw out locater bugles after dark, and, before daylight... get an answer... then... see # 2. You're heading out with a weapon that can kill effectively at 100 yards.. You'll do fine.. Remember, it's during the rut.. Use the elk's vocalization against them.. Best of luck and we expect some pictures in October

RJ

by **bnsafe** » 06 17, 2012 • [Post 6]

thanks guys, ive been working on locator bugles. need to work on which cow calls mean what and putting inflection in them. ive got the sounds down pretty good just need to make em sound excited, content, etc. im hopin to get into an area without alot of other hunters, the local game mngt guys said the spot im goin is usually either packed or nobody but not much in between. im a little worried the fire around ft collins will push some guys farther on over toward me. but, if that happens maybe we can trade some info beings im just after a cow. anyway, thanks for the info, i greatly appreciate it. scott

by **buglmin** » 06 17, 2012 • [Post 7]

If youre hunting cow elk, why would you work on locator bugling? Find the water, you find the elk. Youre way over thinking this...Part of finding elk is being mobile and covering different ground, different areas. Dont stick to hunting one area, and dont rely on your cow calling to help you find cows...cows dont always answer other cows...How would I kill a cow? Gain a high vantage point overlooking flats, meadows, and glass. Rely on your binos and ears instead of just walking through the woods calling....

by **Elktracker** » 06 17, 2012 • [Post 8]

buglmin wrote:If youre hunting cow elk, why would you work on locator bugling? Find the water, you find the elk. Youre way over thinking this...Part of finding elk is being mobile and covering different ground, different areas. Dont stick to hunting one area, and dont rely on your cow calling to help you find cows...cows dont always answer other cows...How would I kill a cow? Gain a high vantage point overlooking flats, meadows, and glass. Rely on your binos and ears instead of just walking through the woods calling....

If he works on all of his calling and understanding what the different sounds Elk make mean then it could definately be benificial to him in my opinion in killing a cow. I agree covering lots of ground can definately help and I also agree that "cows dont always answer other cows" but it depends on what kind of cow calling your doing. Some cow calls such as a lost cow/calf or cow/calf in destress is a call that demands attention from other elk and can and will get a answer or a elk to come in if you are within ear shot of other Elk. There are no garentees but without knowing the area or what to expect when he gets there the more he has in his bag of tricks the better IMO 0.02

bnsafe
practice all of your sounds and know what they mean and how to respond to different sounds. If you dont have the Elknut dvds I recomend buying them now and start watching them and practicing them now I belive volume 3 concentrates more on young bulls and cows but the other 3 volumes will help you tramendasly as well!! He also has a cd of sounds by the Elk with recorded sounds of actual elk making every sound Elk make and it is a awsome addition to learning what these sound like and practicing allong with it! Here is a link to his website check it out all of pauls Elk calling stuff is worth its weight in gold as far as im concerned! http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... TtBzMy-C5g

Remember if you can get a response while using location bugles the chances are pretty good the bull that responded has cows with him possibly, so that will get you closer. Also knowing roundup bugles and chuckling is good to know and recognise, so if you hear that a bull is usually with cows or near them trying to call them in.

And hey if you call a bull in it will be a big plus in my eyes even if you cant shoot a bull because just interacting and being close to Elk is always fun! Practice up and when you get there just enjoy your self and being out there, if there is a whole gang of people every where try to find ways to use them to your advantage! Most guys wont give much info when it comes to elk hunting when every one is out there hunting for the same critters but some will and if you have people every where maybe they will push something into you or get something sounding off for you

Also if there is lots of pressure go where no one else will into the deep nasty stuff and who knows you might get lucky and stumble into a nice cow but either way have fun and learn as much as you can while out there.

Josh

by **eltaco** » 06 17, 2012 • [Post 9]

Curious how you chose unit 16 ? I hunt up in that region and it seems that most of the area is private in that unit.

The area that I hunt isn't particularly great for binos and spotting Scopes, not a lot of open terrain and not much for elevation to find great vantage points. The area you selected might be better for these things, but if relied solely on spot and stalk I wouldn't have had any success up there yet. Whether I'm after bulls or cows I rely heavily on my calling in this thick terrain!!! If you can find the bulls at that time you're going to find the cows!

Your other option is to sit on wallows, specifically early morning. I had a lot of early morning cow activity on my trail cams last season right before first light and within the first half hour.

I honestly think some people get too carried away with getting away from roads. The area I hunt starts at the end of a road at a trailhead, and I've seen elk within the first half mile, and generally have 0-3 camps up there with me for the whole area. Hiking back 10 miles doesn't necessarily mean you get away from the crowds or get into more elk

by **bnsafe** » 06 17, 2012 • [Post 10]

thanks again guys, i realize cows wont necessarily run to other cow calls, but i figured if its thick i would hear them before i would see them or at least have a chance at that. i learned the locator bugle for that very reason, figuring if theres a bull bugling i would head in that direction, and will prob try to call one in just to learn but also realize chances are slim of callin one in on heavily hunted public ground. mainly i just want to hear one bugle. that will make my trip. as far as why i chose 16, i was looking for within a days drive or less of sidney nebraska as i had another hunt i was gonna try to work in around that time and was trying to save gas. i called the hunt plan line and they pointed me to an area they thought would meet my criteria. not being from the area and not really having a clue what to do i took there advice and went with it. i then talked with the area and local biologist and game warden and they both confirmed the area i was told held elk for when i was planning on coming out. hunting pressure is a huge guess. wont know till i get there. this is a dream hunt for me, ive always wanted to hunt elk but been to intimidated (scared) of the mountains, planning. logistics, or goin by myself to actually go. this is a gut check for me at 41 years old to go. so killin an elk would be a huge bonus, just seein mountains again, hopefully seein a few elk and hear a bugle and i will be very happy.

by **six** » 06 18, 2012 • [Post 11]

Lots of good information above. One thing I might add. Hunt the bulls and you will find the cows. The bulls are looking for the same thing you are.
If you get to your area and there are a lot of other hunters it might not be a bad thing. Find a natural pinch point. In the area I hunt I have a spot 100yards wide with big pines. The west side drops off STEEP to the river the east side of the pines is a open meadow about 200 yards wide. I make sure to be in the pines saturday morning til noon or so when the weekend warriors hit the woods. I set up in the pines away from where the other hunters come in. They have pushed elk buy me more than once.

by **buglmin** » 06 18, 2012 • [Post 12]

Ok, I'm confused here....so, you use locator bugles to locate a bull, and try to call him into you so maybe his cows will come in to? And if just a bull comes in, what youre really doing is educating.....Yessir, lost calf calls do work, sometimes....and its usually the bull that comes in to get the calf...I dont know bout anyone else, but whjen we draw tags in areas we dont about, the first thing we do is spend time behind glasses and spotting scopes...walking through strange woods, blowing on bugles and cow calls not knowing where im going sure doesnt sound lke smart hunting to me...

by **six** » 06 18, 2012 • [Post 13]

I forgot to mention I personally would listen for bugles predawn then go after the meanest sounding one I heard. I might throw in a locator bugle but thats it. You should be able to stalk within a hundred yards of bull and his cows.

by **ElkNut1** » 06 18, 2012 • [Post 14]

Lots of thoughts here to digest bnsafe! What needs to be considered here is there is no one perfect secret to killing a cow that tops all other tactics! So much is dependent on the area ones hunting such as rut timing, pressure, lots of water to no water, open country glassing, no open country glassing, bugling for location of elk, should I try Cold Calling, night calling, etc. Many responses are given from guys who've hunted their particular area for years & know it well so it's easy to suggest do this or that because it worked for them in the past! You have hunters that have had success in applying all the above tactics, so which is best? None of them are "The Best" yes, they may be "best" at a particular time but that cannot be predictable are planned upon!

Now, here we have a hunter asking for help, never been to his area of interest before, what's his best plan of attack for success? All the above! Don't be a one dimensional hunter & put all your eggs in one basket, be versatile. You must be prepared to implement any one of these above tactics as things can change by the day or by the minute. Be reasonably prepared in each avenue to up your odds of success! You do this & your odds will soar as opposed to just looking for a waterhole to sit on! This is easy if you know where elk are using a specific waterhole, but if you don't then the search is on! You could be spinning your wheels for days or your whole hunt in finding the one that stinks like a barnyard & has fresh tracks everywhere with trails leasing to it! You bet, this would be a great ambush spot! But finding one is another story. If you don't you must be ready to fall on another tactic as mentioned above!

I would suggest to hunt within 1-1/2 mile of your rig or so, not your camp, but where ever you park to get out & hunt! Take the 1st day & drive all over the area & get an idea of its appearance & lay of the land, once there things can look different from google earth & maps you've studied! You don't want to get too far where packing out an elk would be impossible during hot temps for a one man show! Finding areas that warrant glassing where great distances can be had is an option, this would be a Spot Then Stalk ambush tactic! -- Driving/walking dirt roads skid trails that are between feeding & bedding areas, feeding areas are generally below & bedding areas are generally above if a mid mountain road. Look for trails that are well used (fresh tracks) on either side of road, these elk will cross to get from one spot to another. Fresh tracks are not tough to spot, notice if the tracks are facing up or facing down! If facing up the mtn these elk are using this trail early morning heading to bedding. If they face per-dominantly down then they are heading down from bedding areas. This trail would be sat evenings! Either one should be sat for 3 hours, just before light & into the morning or 3 hours before daylight falls. Find a position where you can view the trail within range & have the wind coming in your direction, you do not want to be smelled at anytime during your stay! If you hear elk calling as they head down your trail, do not call back! Let them come routinely. I have many photos on trail cams of elk using these trails where many hunters just drive by them & don't know they're even there!

Night calling is always another great way to locate elk, 1st locate areas ahead of time during daylight where sound travels well & bugle with a location sound in an effort to locate any elk, cows are generally nearby, call to locate & stop if elk answer. You can also do this an hour or two just before daybreak. Finding elk is key here, once located head their way & do not call your way too them, just get over there! If a cow is spotted in range take her. If they're moving & it's thick ground cover then give some mid volume persistent mews & chirps, it's not unusual for a cow or cows to come your way well in advance of a herd bull. Do not call though unless you have too, try slipping in unannounced!

The list goes on & on, not enough time to cover everything but a few things to consider, most all this & much more is in the DVDs & PlayBook. If you want to know more about a specific tactic, just ask?

ElkNut1

by **bnsafe** » 06 18, 2012 • [Post 15]

thanks so much guys, i will re read this, digest everything, continue to pour over the dvds, and make a game plan thats adaptable to whatever conditions i find. i plan on spending the first day or two scouting and glassing but ready just in case. after that i hope to have some elk located. if not i will find another area and start again. im getting the impression that elk hunting is like hunting back here in missouri, woodsmanship is more important that tactics. i got my first elk tag in the mail today, kinda like a kid in a candy store at 41, gotta love it. thanks again fellas.

by **ElkNut1** » 06 18, 2012 • [Post 16]

Actually, woodsman-ship will help you to negotiate the new country & stay safe! Tactics will get you into elk that will provide the opportunity to bring one home! (grin) Your hunt is at a great time to hear bulls bugling thus giving away their position! Bulls will be cowed up & moving around, the needed tactic to pull them your way or too ambush all depends on you & your setup! Be prepared 100% as you never know what may be needed to fill your tag, be ready to adapt & adjust to your situation!

Have a bugle with you that you can use, you just need to focus on a Location Bugle, your intent is to locate elk with it by them responding to you, you are not trying to call them in, locate, stalk, kill!! Too, learn to use a mouth diaphragm if at all possible, they will allow you to make the needed cow sounds or a Location Bugle when needed! Stay with a single reed latex call for best results, they are a user friendly reed!

ElkNut1

by **Swede** » 06 18, 2012 • [Post 17]

I would not get too excited about wallows even though they can still be productive at the time you are hunting. I agree with Elknut's comment about not spending a significant amount of time locating a well used water hole, but I would throw my tree stand into the truck and have it available in case you find water that is getting continous use. Just make sure it has been getting regular use. Tracks of differing age, feces fresh and older, and multiple rubs are good indicators of continous use.