Cow vs Rut Bull Elk - A question of challenge

• Sep 25, 2018

• #1

Goatshoes

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For those who have hunted both with the same weapon.

Aside from drawing the tag, is taking a bull during the rut anymore difficult than taking a cow elk?

On the one hand the cow elk hunter is probably dealing with a lot more ears, noses and eyes than the bull hunter (I suspect) and the rut bull hunter gets the advantage of locating vocal animals and calling them to his set up. On the other hand a bull may be more cautious, though some of that is lost during the rut.

Or perhaps the game is so different as to require a totally different skill set?

 

• Sep 25, 2018

• #2

B

brushcreek

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Cows are easier only because there are more of them - anywhere from 3 - 10 times as many depending on the area.

 

• Sep 25, 2018

• #3

AvidIndoorsman

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Haven't had a successful bull hunt yet where I couldn't have easily killed a couple of cows.

 

• Sep 25, 2018

• #4

LCH

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I've only hunted cows in the rut, and could have shot a nice bull every day.. took 4 to get a cow. I'm sure this was an anomaly though.. get a bull tag and you'll probably be covered up with cows.

I've got another cow hunt next week, we'll see if the trend continues..

 

• Sep 25, 2018

• #5

AvidIndoorsman

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LCH said:

I've only hunted cows in the rut, and could have shot a nice bull every day.. took 4 to get a cow. I'm sure this was an anomaly though.. get a bull tag and you'll probably be covered up with cows.

I've got another cow hunt next week, we'll see if the trend continues..

Click to expand...

I want to hunt that unit...

 

• Sep 25, 2018

• #6

Rzrbck918

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If you are asking about specifically during the rut, I think cow hunting is at least as difficult. Getting into bow range of a cow hasn't been the easiest task Ive taken for sure. During rifle season, I think cows are much easier.

 

• Sep 25, 2018

• #7

COEngineer

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I have been bow hunting elk in CO on public land for 10 years and I have shot (at) the first legal animal (no spikes) within bow range every time. My numbers are 2 cows and 3 bulls and 3 missed shots at bulls. I think the bulls have presented more shots because two of them were satellite bulls and weren't close enough to the harem to have the advantage of the extra eyes/ears and one of them came away from his harem to what he thought was a challenger. So, yes, I think killing a bull is easier, but my experiences are too few to be statistically valid.

 

• Sep 25, 2018

• #8

Goatshoes

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Rzrbck918 said:

If you are asking about specifically during the rut, I think cow hunting is at least as difficult. Getting into bow range of a cow hasn't been the easiest task I've taken for sure. During rifle season, I think cows are much easier.

Click to expand...

I am trying to compare a non-rut cow hunt to a rut bull hunt. I made my first cow hunt this year with archery gear during late August and it just crossed my mind that considering the differences between the two hunts, a cow hunt may have the same level of difficulty, though different, as a rut bull hunt. But I really don't have the experience to say.

 

• Sep 25, 2018

• #9

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WapitiBob

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A rut bull hunt with a bow is way easier than a cow hunt the same time/weapon. I just finished up in wyoming, called in 16 bulls and could have shot one cow, and she came to the call. Different story with a rifle and cow tag.

 

• Oct 1, 2018

• #10

rgb

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My son and I had archery cow tags for Unit 8 in Arizona this year. So we were hunting cows during the rut, and found it pretty darn tough. We were in elk almost every day with several really close encounters - but, we could not get shots at cows. When we encountered groups of elk, there were never cows without at least one bull, and the bulls were very controlling and pushy of their cows. But we each could have shot really nice bulls several times.

 

• Oct 2, 2018

• #11

Goatshoes

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Thanks for your input. I bet you still had a hell of a time.

 

• Oct 2, 2018

• #12

Bigjay73

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I think all females are more difficult. They just have a higher sense of awareness in my opinion. Couple that with all those eyes watching you, and it's a challenge, especially with a bow or muzzleloader

 

• Oct 3, 2018

• #13

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F250

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My wife and I once leased a cabin from an outfitter in New Mexico during the December cow elk muzzle loader season. We did a DIY hunt in the Gila National Forest. The outfitter was a great guy and laughed when he warned us that we would easily be in situations to kill bulls every day, but would struggle to get within range of cow elk. He was correct !! We filled our tags (mine was with 7 minutes left in the season on the last day of the hunt !!), and tripped over bulls all week !!