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Joined: Nov 2004
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,225 |
If you were presented with an opportunity where you could look over a herd of elk consisting of varying ages from calves, 1.5 year olds all the way to an old matriarch cow, which one would you choose to shoot and why?
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 915
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 915 |
Closest one!
Preferably up hill and near the truck.
Edit: And why? An old cow has a value to the herd, but if she is the closest, she sucks at her job. Every herd reduction elk I ever harvested (two so far) has been the closest one. Easy to haul out is a huge bonus!
Last edited by K_Salonek; 09/08/13.
Clinging to my God, and my guns!
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 455
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
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I would shoot a medium size one, standing close by and broadside. Much quicker to cut; easier to carry out; more tender than old wise ones. BTW, this is exactly what I just did last weekend
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 7,578
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Consistent with the other posts, it being above the road is the most important thing.
A 1.5 year old cow was the best one we ever shot--almost as fine a calf, but much more meat.
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,459 Likes: 15 |
If they're moving so you can tell which is which, I'd avoid the one in front - the lead cow. She got her job by being the meanest, raunchiest old bitch in the herd. There's no guarantee on meat quality but odds are that there'll be better ones following her. Last fall I picked out 1 cow in a herd of maybe 80. It was pretty much a guess but I lucked out and got a good one, very good eating. It helped that it was in the 30's and raining a bit. She was way up on a steep mountainside & I had to skin & dress her then leave her there until morning when I could bring up the llamas. Consistent with the other posts, it being above the road is the most important thing. anyone who shoots an elk below the road is one of the following: a. inexperienced b. has a horse c. is brain dead
βIn a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.β β George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
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Joined: May 2009
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Mr Chuck,
d. all of the above.*
Are a riot to watch! Well worth the price of admission!
Good time to brake out a cereal bar of some jurky , especially when they get to a water crossing!
*Admitting the 'all of the above' tendencies, on occasion.
Clinging to my God, and my guns!
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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I like hunting below the road! Everybody else is smarter than me so they don't hunt there but they push the elk down there for me. I don't have any problem walking up hill!
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 19,102 Likes: 4
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 19,102 Likes: 4 |
What's a road in elk country.
I shoot the youngest. Even if it's a yearling.
If God wanted you to walk and carry things on your back, He would not have invented stirrups and pack saddles
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Joined: Feb 2011
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2011
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We like medium sized cows... Even at that I have never had a bad cow elk.. one or two calves.. My wife liked them, but I thought they were too soft or mushy.. I would take a nice cow every time over a bull.. Often the choice of what cow is decided by which one moves into a clear shooting zone.. that is the one I pick..
Molon Labe
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Joined: May 2003
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2003
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I shoot the one that looks the chew-ist
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 40,179
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 40,179 |
Calf first; dry cow second.
Son of a liberal: " What did you do in the War On Terror, Daddy?"
Liberal father: " I fought the Americans, along with all the other liberals."
MOLON LABE
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Joined: Aug 2006
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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it's not that hard to pick a dry one......
if you have time to 'look over the herd', they's a bit different color......
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,161 Likes: 7 |
If it's not far from the truck, the biggest, healthiest-looking one that looks like she's got some fat on her. If it's a long haul and I'm alone, maybe a smaller one, maybe not. I like elk meat.
A wise man is frequently humbled.
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Campfire Outfitter
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One that looks like an elk and has lots of meat on it's bones?
How hard is it?
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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The one that gives me the best shot. From calf to grandma.
I eat them all.
Money can't buy you happiness, but it can buy you a hunting license and that's pretty close.
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,459 Likes: 15 |
What's a road in elk country.
I shoot the youngest. Even if it's a yearling. With the coming of the wolves, we're more and more finding them in subdivision backyards. You need to shoot them over the delphiniums.
βIn a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.β β George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
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Joined: Aug 2010
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
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It's funny to think what kind of chit goes thru ones head just before taking the shot. Last year I took my cow and there were about 20 others there to pick from. They were traveling single file away from the road and truck. I parralleled them for a while (unnoticed) so I could find a good shooting lane. Scrub oak was too thick when I first heard them and then moved in to where I could see them. They were moving single file about 80-90 yards away and I pulled the rifle up to pick the fattest juciest looking one. I didn't want to take the lead cow, watched about 8 head go by and told myself I needed to pick a good one before they were all gone ...Sometimes hesitation will get you an empty plate: Knowing that, I pulled the trigger on this one (which looked pretty tasty to me ..)... The 9.3x62mm did an exceptional job on her...
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Campfire Outfitter
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My brother and I laid prone, 235 from a herd and waited for one to clear. They were up hill, the evening wind was in our favor and we had time on our side... They only needed to go about 5-10 yards to be clear, and had over an hour of light to do it in. There was a HUGE cow in the group, that looked like she was hitting the gym. Every time she would move, her muscles would ripple and flex. She was easily one of the largest cows I had ever seen. We opted not to shoot that one! This one stepped clear first and I think she was an excellent cow to take. She was mature, but not huge I would guess 500 ish pounds, but probably less. The meat was great and the downhill drag was cake
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Joined: Aug 2010
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,179 Likes: 19 |
Awesome story, that's what it's all about....
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 649
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Several years ago we found a group of 10 cows and calves. We took three cows and a calf out of the group. My cow was considerably larger than a spike a friend got the next day. Good eating too.
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