Late'ish Season Cow Hunt - Lost Calf sounds?

[7mmfan]

I have a late'ish season cow tag in Washington this year. Dates are November 4-8. This starts 5 days after the general spike season in Eastern Washington opens, so animals will have been run around quite a bit by then. This unit is generally thick timber/reprod, steep ridges and canyons at anywhere from say 3000' on up to 6000' elevation. Lower elevation has some open thinned/timber and canyons, and there is some subalpine open faces in the higher ground. Barring any significant weather i expect the bulk of the animals to still be high in the unit but definitely in the thick stuff since they'll have been pressured pretty hard for nearly a week before I start hunting.

I've been reading a lot about using lost calf sounds and wondered if anyone had any experience hunting pressured animals late in season and having success using lost calf sounds, specifically to bring in cows. I can also shoot spikes in this unit so I suppose that would work as well. I'm considering setting up above canyons likely to have elk on a vantage point and calling hoping one might show itself in the reprod anywhere in the canyon. I've had deer do that when using fawn in distress calls for bears in the fall.

Any thoughts on the topic?

[Swede]

I have tried lost cow/calf sounds in the archery season (September) with no success. I don't know why it did not work for me. I have never tried it in late October or November. I would be interested in anyone that had it work for them to share how many times you have tried it and how many times it worked out. Also, how did you use that call? Did you sit tight and wait (how long) while calling, or were you on the move a lot? Would chuckles work better?

[Thegreatwapiti]

I too have a cow tag this year! I was hunting last weekend and heard over 20 bugles. Any ideas how I proceed this weekend? Do I bugle back and that somehow that will bring in cows? Do I cow call? I'm interested in this "lost calf" idea??? Hopefully someone has some thoughts!! Thanks.

[Swede]

If you hear a cow that you want to bring closer, try a chuckle then wait a while.

[7mmfan]

I spent the weekend in the unit, up fairly high in the subalpine stuff. Some open parks, lots of very thick ground. There were elk around based on tracks noted on the road and antler rubs. Did not actually see or hear any elk. It's going to be tough hunting, so I'm really hoping that some blind lost calf sounds in likely areas could bring something out into the open.