Moo cows

[centaur]

Found out today that the area of national forest I have been scouting for elk is getting a bunch of moo cows next week, just in time for them to mess up the country for elk bow season. Great, I just love having to sneak around the noisy, stinky critters while trying to get close to elk. Doesn't matter though, the elk will probably leave the country when the dumb slow elk move in. The country looked so promising this year, and now we will get to dodge fresh cow pies and stampeding, moronic cattle.    I guess it just goes with the territory when you hunt public ground.

[Angus]

Gives cow calls a whole new meaning, doesn't it!

[BWD]

Ought to be plenty of natural cover scent around.

[Deeter]

Hahaha dont know how the cattle effect elk but where I hunt here in Indiana I have cows in the woods and pasture with me.  The deer never seem to be bothered by the cattle.  But best of luck buddy.

[elknutz]

I shot an elk one year less than 20 yds from a Hereford cow.  The area I hunt has some blm land and the elk are used to them.  They can booger up a stalk on occasion.

[Pete McMiller]

Cows I can deal with, thank your lucky stars it isn't sheep.

[treehermit]

Originally posted by elknutz:
They can booger up a stalk on occasion.

I'll bet they can but I wonder if they can be used on a stalk.  Where I hunt, I have 30+ head of cattle following me around like dogs at times.  Last season, I walked up to the fence with them on my heels to check out six does in the bean field and the deer acted as if they didn't see me.  I covered over 100 yards with all that beef behind me and got within 30 yards (the fence stopped me).  Made me think anyway...could be a goofy idea too!

[Mudd]

I can see(maybe) some benefit of having cows as cover for a deer,antelope,or elk hunt but I can tell you they most definitely they are detrimental to hunting turkeys.

I had a small her of young cows come circle my decoys.....and they would not leave!

I shooed them off and thought I had fixed the problem but just as two strutting toms entered the small field where I was set up the cows also returned to my calling.

I'm still trying to decide if my calling was really that good or what?...lol

God bless,Mudd

[old_goat2]

Originally posted by Pete McMiller:
Cows I can deal with, thank your lucky stars it isn't sheep.

Ditto times infinity!

[ArkyBob]

I agree with Pete and Old Goat. Sheep ang elk don't mix!!!!!

BOB

[huntnmuleys]

I hate that they can run livestock during hunting season. I've had em run elk off before.

[Over&Under]

Originally posted by Pete McMiller:
Cows I can deal with, thank your lucky stars it isn't sheep.

Yup...sheep push everything but mountain lions out of the area!

[VictoryHunter]

Sorry to hear it! I hunt deer on a sheep farm and have no problems. In fact they have made it easier to hunt because the deer movement has been concentrated to very specific areas.

[Sam McMichael]

Mudd, I kinda worry about a guy whose turkey calling brings in the cows.

[dhermon85]

Cows are great for turkey huntin. Don't you know the best bugs are under that cowpie?  Now elk on the other hand...

[chanumpa]

i just got a cow on an early agg hunt.Lots of cows up on the mtn.at the time.The elk just kind of were going around the moo cows.The elk still just did what they wanted to do.Hard to track,when it was dry though.What was elk and what was moo cow calves.I missed one elk,that was only 300 yds above the cows,just waiting until dusk to go to the fields.Good luck though.The elk will just move around them though,if they want to go do something,they wont care about those cows.Problem is the moo cows will quickly eat down the feed,and create more flies which will move the elk a bit.

[Looper]

Now all you need is one of these:  http://www.charlievegas.co.uk/uploads/items/image161.jpg

Just make sure there are any bovine bulls around.

[centaur]

Originally posted by looper:
Now all you need is one of these:   http://www.charlievegas.co.uk/uploads/items/image161.jpg  

Just make sure there are any bovine bulls around.

Gotta get one!  

[Izzy]

Why not buy a tag from the rancher. Free range cows are yum.

[Whip]

Originally posted by Pete McMiller:
Cows I can deal with, thank your lucky stars it isn't sheep.

Yep.  Cows I don't worry too much about other than trying not to spook them.  I actually had some moo cows move up behind me while I was working a bull one morning.  We stopped calling and the bull continued to advance toward the sound of the cows moving in the bushes.  I think he thought they were the elk he had heard mewing earlier.  Had it not been for thick brush I would have had a 15 yard shot with the moo cows right behind me.