Our good friend Mike O’Reilly of TimberHawk backpacks recently wrote an interesting article about hunting for cow elk in big bull country while you are waiting to draw out for a limited entry tag.
I have never thought of doing this before, but I like the logic behind it. You can still tag a cow to get the meat you desire, while basically scouting the area and seeing the big bulls so that once you do draw out you are ready to go after the big bulls. I really enjoyed this perspective and it has made me re-think the way I hunt Elk.
This year I will still buy my any bull statewide tag because we have our hunts planned already, but next year could be a good year to get a spike/ cow tag and go hunt in an area that I would like to draw out a limited entry tag. I like the idea of being around the big bulls and being able to call them in and interact with them, rather than bugling in hunter after hunter on the public land.
