Contributors to this thread:
I have a cow tag in a LE unit I'm hunt/scouting for a possible bull hunt next year.
The plan was to just spot and stalk to fill that tag but after listening to a podcast with Aron Snyder and Chris Roe, it sounds like in the right situation, you can call in a cow with a lost calf call. Anyone have any luck calling in cows?
Nick, use about 2-3 different calls. Sound like an 'elk party'. Cows cant resist it
Where your heading you'll see larger herds than most normal units. My experience has been that you won't call cows out of larger herds very easily. Hunt the bulls until a cow gets in the way. Shoot her. Can't remember too many bulls I've snuck in on where I couldn't have shot a cow first. Good luck!
Jordan called cows away from a bull last year that came 250 yards using chris' two cow vocalizations.
Good thread. Same boat as Midwest in Utah hunting a LE unit I hope to draw soon.
Yes, frantic lost calf call works well. Vary your emotions between a few loud "pleading" calls and softer, plaintive calls. If you can get a cow to engage you in an adult cow conversation, you can usually pull her over too. I've talked whole herds pf cows in before by engaging with the lead cow.
I once bugled-jn a lone cow from 400 yards away and shot her at 20.
867-5309 (drops the mike)
For Calling Cows there's several cow sounds that can work well but from my experience not much can beat the Regathering Cow Whine! This is the sound all elk will use to locate other elk or bring others back that ventured off to far, it asks for assistance. Yes, the lost calf has it's place but it's not as far reaching as the Regathering Whine. Use both at different times & see which works best for you!
If hunting dark timber at times & not being able to glass do some Locate Bugling to find bulls/elk, cows won't be far off!
ElkNut/Paul
Jenny's a cow? Thought she was supposed to be hot!
No wonder when I called that number all that came in was a female donkey.
I call in and kill cows most every year- including last year before Midwest arrived in camp. We never saw a cow once he arrived- only bulls :)
Brad, so are you saying when Nick’s in the neighborhood the cows know they best go into hiding? lol!
The milk crate he was packing around must have given away his bad intentions! Probably just pissed off the bulls and had them coming in to whup up on the competition;^)
I've called tons of cows in with cow sounds. If you're good enough, try calling cows away from a herd bull some time. Now there's a challenge ;)
If hunting dark timber at times & not being able to glass do some Locate Bugling to find bulls/elk, cows won't be far off!
ElkNut/Paul
So it's a good idea to carry a bugle while cow hunting? I'm in the same boat and planned to leave it at home.
Kevin, absolutely! It's a great Locator of elk in uglassable areas! Get within a couple hundred yards & use the Regathering Whine which can call elk to you for assistance or the Lost Calf chirp, use one or the other.
ElkNut/Paul
Dont make any sounds that might be mistaken for an elk. Cause you know without a bull tag in your pocket every 400 inch bull is gonna come running in.
At the right time hyper hot seems to bring them all in
Rob and Treeline, The cows are safe. Sheep, on the other hand.... :-)
Planned to use a bugle for locating only. I don't wish to call in any bulls and wise them up but I'm sure it's inevitable with a cow tag in my pocket. Hope to help another Bowsiter get his bull so want to be as covert as possible....not running around helter skelter calling and messing things up for him. Glassing and stalking when conditions are good will be the main plan. If a stud bull is spotted, I'll just back out and relay the location to the bull tag holder.
Great thread. Perfect timing. I also will be cow hunting in WY this fall.
I've never tried calling cows, but on occasion they have come in using a cow call. Sometimes a bugle.
Wildest was bugling. Fired off a locator bugle in MT...... waited listening for an answer for a minute when I heard what sounded like a stampede. About 8 or so cows came up over the ridge and right down on me at a pretty good clip. The were suddenly all right there around me, in my lap, some 4 or 5 yards, talking and chirping up a storm. Obviously they were looking for the bull that bugled, had him pinned down and slowed to a walk, wandering around searching around for him it seemed. I waited for a bull to come over the edge, but no bull came, no answer to my bugle, nothing. Finally a couple cows worked past me downwind, busted me and things blew up.
I always figured that their Bull had probably taken an arrow at some point and suddenly they were looking for him or another Sugar Daddy. Only thing I could come up with, unless the bull they were with was not what they wanted and maybe he ran off. Never knew for sure. But they were on me fast after one bugle, right on top of me.
Have had a cow or cows come wandering closer, checking things out after a bugle, but nothing like that. Was pretty wild.
Definitely avoid doing the depressed cow "Cry For Help" call. Nobody wants wants to be around a sad old cow with a ton of baggage.
(giggle) Oh stop it Lou!!!!
I once called in a ‘Sampsonite’ cow. Took forever to get rid of that bitch.
