Bovine cattle are in my Elk area!!!
 

Been hunting this area of S.E. Wyoming for Elk and deer for years and have had better than average success year in and year out. But this year the Nat'l Forrest folks let a rancher bring in cattle to graze all summer. They are required to have them out by the end of September. But all of Sep. is archery here and I like to spend as much time in the woods as I can.
But every time I went out, the bovines were there and the Elk/Deer were NOT!! Ruined more than one hunt.
So, What does a guy do to overcome the onslaught of cattle and evacuation of big game? Talked to the Game Warden for that area and he assured me they haven't left the country, just the immediate area.
What experience have any of you had in woods with fresh cow pies?! What do you do about it?

Find a different area. That's what I have had to do back in CO when I found cattle where I hunt.

I have dodged cow pies since I could walk, the trick is, look down. :D

So...... go where the cows ain't?

I hunted on a Colorado ranch that allowed cattle to graze in the summer. Occasionally there were a few left during elk season. I don't think the elk like having cows around. The cows do serve a purpose on that ranch due to their ability to trample down some of the high growth sage allowing tender grass to come up. The 17K acre ranch I hunted would allow 400 some odd cattle units to summer. As fall approached they would come off the summer 9 to 10.5K elevation and migrate down near the ranch entrance at 8K where they could be rounded up. After a summer on the mountain those cows were pretty wild.

I have talked to a hunter or 2 about this...

ranchers use public land for their cattle... ie don't the elk and mule deer have less feed then? ie the carrying capacity could increase if only elk and deer were feeding on those lands vs the cattle. granted the ranchers I assume pay/lease that land for their cattle?

my point simply as hunters more animals, more opportunity, sounds good to me. but of course that lack of revenue $$ would have to be made up somewhere/somehow, tag fees etc...

From my experience, cattle do not bother elk much, what bothers them is the human activity surrounding cattle, if the cattle are left pretty much alone, the elk will meander pretty close to them, that is why some outfits sell cattle decoys.

That would be a significant disappointment. Good hunting areas seem to be hard to find.

We can't realistically ask the powers that be to keep public lands free of cattle. Personally it seems that the critters really don't mind the others but experiences vary. There may be other factors such as motorized vehicles or fireworks or no water etc. Some ranchers and landowners have been known to herd wildlife for various purposes.

That was my favorite thing about archery. A full month of mild weather with the woods almost to myself. Think I used to log ~15 - 20 miles on some of those long days.

Flags doesn't mince words. "Find another area."

I had my own "heartbreak" this morning regarding a Royal 6x6. Evaluating my options...

Already mapping out alternative areas for next year. But the frustration of walking into an area that has produced regularly in the past is barren of elk/deer only to hear the long howl of a bovine!! Compounded by the fact that I am getting older and may not have many archery years in me . . . definitely implementing plan B's.
Parks and timber that show elk on my game cameras were suddenly gone. I guess there is no secret "cure" other than hunt where they ain't.Attachment 34218

I know someone who shot a moo cow. Cost him $5000. But he got the back straps & all :)

You could try to pressure federal authorities to restrict bovine use to a different period. Maybe have cattle removed by end of August. Point to value provided to local economy from hunters. Federal lands are supposed to be multiple use. If cattle graze off grass so elk are not present, that isn't multiple use.

Just got back yesterday from a few days hunting....shot a cow elk that was feeding 300 yards from cattle, along with about 7 mulies in the local area, saw many deer feeding within cattle, there were about 15 head with cow, including a small 5 pt.

:biggrin:https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/upf...ey/guiness.gif

In my experience, you're gonna need to go higher, away from the lowland water which I'm guessing has trails with the most cowpies. As OT, says you'll need to be looking down! OR try the legal arguments but that's like David versus Goliath without any slingshot involved.

It does "chew the root" but if you're gonna be hunting the same general area, that's my only advice. Decent topography maps may help you out by studying some areas and then looking at the most recent imagery you can find online.

REM7600

PS: I've found Whitetails or Moose NOT to be as finicky, generally speaking... the Mulies stay high till later in the year anyway.

I have often seen elk and cattle in close proximity to each other.


For the past 10 or more year I have watched a herd of up to 150 elk summer in the fields below my house. The elk are usually in fields without cattle, but sometimes they are in the same field.


One time I was bow hunting in the oak brush of NW Colorado. I could hear large animals feeding in the brush ahead of me. When I finally got into an opening where I could see that they were cattle, I stood erect and said something like "Oh, stupid cattle" and a dozen elk broke from the brush around me and ran off.


A friend of mine used to be the Montana F&G biologist for the Wall Creek elk management area south of Ennis, MT. He once told me that he found that if they put cattle on the range early for a month or so, it would actually improve the feed for the elk later in the year.

I don,t know about elk but deer do not like cows, were I hunt if there is no cows we have lots of deer when they put the cows in, deer leave.

I don't like cows period. Must come from being chased by heifers while crossing the farmers field trying to get to the river to fish when I was 12. I ran and they chased...or they chased and I ran. It all is one big mystery to me.:guiness:

btw, if there were no cows, and one had to hunt in order to eat meat...

I don't foresee many anti hunters being that popular...

although the woods would be overrun with "hunters"