Antlerless Permits

[Guy Miner]

Am trying this year in Washington, for my doe mulie and cow elk tags. Again.

Wouldn't think they'd be so tough to draw. I think I've got six points for the cow elk tag now.

At this point I just don't have a lot of room for more trophies hanging on the wall, and the meat is excellent. Yes, I'd just as soon draw and fill my antlerless tags for deer & elk this year. Of course I would have happily drawn and notched those same tags last year.

Looks like I'll put in for the "multi-season" tag this year too, letting me hunt with archery, muzzle loader and modern rifle during the appropriate seasons. Normally here in Washington we have to choose one. By being able to use archery gear, any doe is fair game...

Thoughts from others on hunting antlerless deer & elk?

(Should I end up in Wyoming though, I'll be seeking big antlers again!)

Guy

 

[dubyam]

Guy, we have far more liberal bag limits here in the southeast. We can take two deer a day in Alabama from Oct 15 through Jan 31, at least in my part of the state. Only three of those can be antlered. I like to get a nice buck every year, though I don't always manage it. But I head into the woods every time I go with one additional thought in my mind: "I'd like to tag a nice, fat doe." I love filling the freezer with doe meat.

 

[DrMike]

I have arrived at the status of preferentially tagging a whitetail doe or a cow elk most years. It isn't always possible due to a variety of issues, but that is my preference.

 

[Hegland]

Thoughts from others on hunting antlerless deer & elk?

I have two heads on the wall; every other deer I've taken qualifies as antlerless. A few button bucks and one big shed buck, but a bunch of does. Seasoned simply with salt and cracked pepper, they taste great.

The two bucks I have were a nice symmetrical 8 and a very interesting non-typical 13 (incidentally, my first bow kill). I'm trying to talk myself into a mulie/pronghorn hunt, to book-end these whitetail skulls.

 

[Guy Miner]

I have arrived at the status of preferentially tagging a whitetail doe or a cow elk most years. It isn't always possible due to a variety of issues, but that is my preference.

I think I'm about there Mike. I would like to tag a big mulie someday... Other than that though, I'd be just peachy with taking a doe deer and/or a cow elk every year.

Should I ever draw the fabled once-in-a-lifetime tag for moose, bighorn sheep or mountain goat, I will MAKE room for that trophy! :mrgreen:

Bears are another interesting one. Fortunately we've discovered that we like bear brats and pepperoni, so I don't feel bad about shooting one. We're pretty maxed out on bear rugs around the house with two, and one more on the way.

Trophies take up a lot of room!

Guy

 

[DrMike]

I do enjoy bear sausage and the ribs can be a pièce de résistance for a meal. I make a great three alarm bear meat loaf, as well. Mama enjoys dining on whitetail, elk and moose. She won't eat the antlers, so meat it is. The females are usually more tender and less gamey, so does and cows it is. :grin:

 

[cloverleaf]

My uncle used to tell us boys, "you cant eat the horns". I guess I have developed into something of a hypocrite, ..... well I dont know. You see, here in MN my permit to hunt from a standing motor vehicle also allows me to take a doe WT without the draw process in areas where doe tags are available. Its not that way everywhere, back home in SD, and I think Wyoming as well, there are no special privileges with the permit. Honestly, I think that is how it should be. That said, I have taken advantage of the doe tag option the last three times I have pulled the trigger. Fortunately, this years was a button buck. CL

 

[Dr. Vette]

I have taken one buck in my life, and that was on a hunt to northern TX in 2011. Generally I never see any bucks here in Michigan, so that would be the first problem. Or, the last 2 years, I am hunting doe as a favor for a landpwner.

Last fall we took several doe with the 3 of us, with 3 in our freezers and the rest donated to others. There is no shame in using an antlerless permit. I would consider going for a cow elk this fall if I thought my schedule would allow it.

 

[JD338]

Good luck on the draw Guy.
I shoot a few crop damage WT does in July/Aug. I pretty much hunt bucks during the bow and rifle seasons.
WY antelope this year will be a buck and a doe.

JD338

 

[truck driver]

Ummm me meat eater no can eat horns and bones.

But I do have a few trophies to look at.

 

[IdahoCTD]

Anymore I hunt cow elk for the meat and I hunt deer for the horns since I'm not overly fond of deer meat. I don't shoot a deer very often and when I do I usually give most of the meat away and make jerky out of the rest. I'll put in for a hard to draw deer and elk permits this year but if I don't draw it's a cow hunt for me. I might buy a second elk permit this year (non resident tag) to hunt bulls if I don't draw and to hunt a cow if I do draw. Last year I could of killed a bull late in the year and tried to get a friend to go up the next day and shoot it to no avail.

 

[salmonchaser]

Next time you need some one to go shoot an elk let me know.

 

[IdahoCTD]

It was only a spike but an elk is an elk. The nice thing about unit 39 is the deer season runs right up until the day before elk season opens so it's easy to scout the last day of deer season for elk and where I was the elk usually don't move much overnight. I wouldn't want to pack a elk out of that place alone either. It is some steep country, the kind where you put one hand on the hill to walk up-right. The good thing is it's only nasty for about 3/4 mile and then you get to walk an old road the rest of the way.

 

[Elkman]

My whole focus is the hunt. I want to hunt, bulls, cows, whatever, it's the hunt. Watching the sun easing up into the sky on a clear morning, and looking across vast areas of forest and mountains has been my focus since day one. The mountains are my church, I feel alive there, fulfilled.
General seasons turn me off because in many cases the quality of the hunt is compromised by large numbers of "supposed" hunters in the field. I try and draw at least one either sex or cow tag annually. Tie that in with a bull hunt , and a bow hunt and I "get" 20+ days annually to spend in the field. What more could a "elk" hunter ask for. I currently have, 7 preference points in Nevada, for a future bull tag, and 7 PP in 4 separate categories in Washington. Days in the field are the most important for me!!

 

[DrMike]

My whole focus is the hunt. I want to hunt, bulls, cows, whatever, it's the hunt. Watching the sun easing up into the sky on a clear morning, and looking across vast areas of forest and mountains has been my focus since day one. The mountains are my church, I feel alive there, fulfilled.
General seasons turn me off because in many cases the quality of the hunt is compromised by large numbers of "supposed" hunters in the field. I try and draw at least one either sex or cow tag annually. Tie that in with a bull hunt , and a bow hunt and I "get" 20+ days annually to spend in the field. What more could a "elk" hunter ask for. I currently have, 7 preference points in Nevada, for a future bull tag, and 7 PP in 4 separate categories in Washington. Days in the field are the most important for me!!

Excellent points, Bill. The ambiance of being in the stillness, watching the sun sneak into the sky and watching vast tracts of forests and/or mountains without another human in sight just cleanses the soul and rids the mind of cobwebs.

 

[salmonchaser]

I agree Bill, getting a bull is just icing on the cake. For the last 25 years I've gone up three or four days earlier than the rest of the guys to set up camp. I love that time up there by myself the most. I've never shot a cow but will be putting in for Washington this year. I've killed a couple of does, but typically one deer is more than enough for the boss. Like CTG I've become selective in the deer I'll kill. But I'll pack a spike out of anywhere. No better eating in the world.
What I appreciate most out of this thread is people are clearly understanding the science of keeping heards in balance. Good job gentleman.

 

[Clintsfolly]

Have shot over 100 white tails in the past 40yrs and only about 10-12 have had horns. Feeding 2 kid and helping feed the rest of the clan makes being fussy out of the question. Hunting in a area that had $5.00 doe tags and neighbors that would NOT shoot a doe to save there soul made it easy! So go have a Great hunt and forget the horn you can,t eaten!! Clint

 

[SJB358]

I agree Bill, getting a bull is just icing on the cake. For the last 25 years I've gone up three or four days earlier than the rest of the guys to set up camp. I love that time up there by myself the most. I've never shot a cow but will be putting in for Washington this year. I've killed a couple of does, but typically one deer is more than enough for the boss. Like CTG I've become selective in the deer I'll kill. But I'll pack a spike out of anywhere. No better eating in the world.
What I appreciate most out of this thread is people are clearly understanding the science of keeping heards in balance. Good job gentleman.

I'm with you buddy. I'd let you pack an elk out of anywhere to! Ha. Just messing with you but your right, Bills taught me you'll almost always spend more time hunting them than packing. And your right, there is no finer meat to be had.

 

[sask boy]

I would still like 2 trophies, one is bull Moose as I have never shot one first time I had a chance was 2 years ago on a (40"er) I missed :roll: it was the first shot at a animal with my RMR in a 35 Whelen :evil:. I did get a nice dry cow and my nephew and my cousin used my 35 to knock down their Moose that same year. This past fall my Son & Grandson used my 35 to connect on 2 fine cow Moose. I was fortunate enough to get a cow elk this year so as far as meat goes I am more than happy with cows.
However I would like to use this new 280AI to knock down a bull Caribou if I ever get a chance at hunting them.


Blessings,
Dan

 

[SJB358]

I hope your able to get it done Dan. You've got the tools for it!