BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[TETAGOUCHER]

I have been scouting out my hunting location for about a month now. There has been a cow and calf there for all that time and no sings of anything else. Just wondering what I should do on the big day of the hunt. Shoot the cow and have that sick feeling of knowing the calf will probably die on its own? Or shoot the calf and have the cow possibly try to protect its young and not let you come to retrieve it. What would you do if you where in this situation? Should it even be something I’m contemplating or should I just let them walk away and hope a bull comes around the corner?

[Don Fischer]

I wouldn't shoot either one. Let the cow have her calf and raise it. Who knows, it may turn into a huge bull. If that cow has a calf, it's even money that somewhere in the area is a bull. If not, there's probally another cow without a calf around.

I have no problem with shooting females. I think our hunting would vastly improve in my area (deer and elk) if we shot a few more females and let the males mature. Less females creates more competation for males and fewer females get bred by inferior males or suffer the long term effects of to much inbreeding.

But a cow that's with a calf would be off limits for me. Sounds like you have a bit of a problem with that yourself. Good luck! Hope you find one your looking for.

[sawbill]

Take the calf without a second thought. One or two days later the cow won't even remember. Calves are the most expendible part of the herd anyway.

[Don Fischer]

Calves are the most expendible part of the herd anyway.
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While that is true, you'll never know if that was one that would not make it or one that turns into a big bull. Best case, if it lives, it'll give you more meat next year than this year than it will this year.

[TheGreatwhitehunter]

Wait out a bull and if nothing take a cow but try to get ya a bull

[hostage67]

I think I would leave the two alone. The good news is that if you have a calf there then a Bull must be somewhere nearby (nearby is a relative term lol). I would keep looking for something a little better to take.

If you were purely after a little meat then for quality purposes the calf would probably be the best choice. However you will get far more meat out of a mature animal. Ultimately I think you will want to let the calf grow and see how it turns out in the next year or two (or longer). That being said the calf will likely not survive if you kill its mother really making both animals invalid targets for you.

[Hammer1]

A calf would probably not make it through the winter with the heavy snow falls NB usually gets. The cow breaks the trails and provides protection from predators.

[Makwa]

There are many jurisdictions that do not offer cow moose any more. It is bull or calf. Some areas offer immature bulls and draws for mature bulls etc.

Most wildlife managers will tell you (it has been said here already) that the calf is the most vulnerable to predation and winter kill. The killing of the calf leaves the cow to be bred and produce another calf next year.

So, if you can't get a bull, take the calf and leave the cow. While it isn't big it will be fantastic meat.

[dpmule]

once you eat a calf moose/elk you'll wonder why you bothered with adults
yum yum :thumbsup1:

[danitrev81]

If I needed meat for the freezer and was running out if time , that calf would get it in a heart beat. Yummy

[jim muir]

Well you've only got what a 4 days season here so while I may have my qualms over it, moose meat is moose meat. That said you've got 4 weeks to try and find a new location, or the bull in your current location. Once the shooting starts and if you get luck the rut, things can change very quickly.

[Serious Hunter]

My guess is that if game managers were seriously concerned about calf survival they would dictate no shooting mother with young. That being said - the calves would be the most vulnerable, especially without mom. Yet that may not be entirely true either. After rut the males are often the most vulnerable - exhausted chasing and fighting for the ladies. How big is a calf moose? A cow and calf ran into me the other day - and the calf was huge - though probably last year's, not this. If I could drive to the kill spot - maybe the cow. If I had to pack the kill over hills, across ravines, and through jungles to get to my rig ... BANG! (drop the calf).

I don't know how mom would react to you walking up to her dead offspring. If the calf was indeed dead - I suspect she would stand there - and eventually move off. They protect life - but also know death. Tomorrow she'd probably forget she even had a calf - she'd dry up - and start looking for bulls.

My 2 cents.

[Taku]

This one is easy.....don't shoot cows.

quote:

".....the number of moose that one cow can produce. A healthy cow has approximately 15 reproductive years, which means she produces at least 15 calves. Because she’ll occasionally have twins, we’ll up the total to 20 calves in her lifetime. If half of these calves survive to adulthood, that one cow has added 10 moose to the population.

But there’s more. Let’s say half of those 10 calves are females, and each one of those five females produces 10 adult moose. That’s 50 moose added to the population from the original cow!

But wait - there’s even more. If half of these 50 moose are cows, that’s 25 cows that can each produce 10 adult moose. That’s 250 moose added to the population from the original cow!

There’s more, but you’re probably getting the picture by now. Basically, when you shoot a bull you remove one moose from the population. And as long as there are at least a few other bulls around, some fella will make sure the cows get pregnant. But shoot a cow and you remove the potential for adding hundreds of moose to the population."

Do what you have to I guess....but if at all possible...don't shoot cows.

[diddydido]

Serious Hunter wrote: My guess is that if game managers were seriously concerned about calf survival they would dictate no shooting mother with young. That being said - the calves would be the most vulnerable, especially without mom. Yet that may not be entirely true either. After rut the males are often the most vulnerable - exhausted chasing and fighting for the ladies. How big is a calf moose? A cow and calf ran into me the other day - and the calf was huge - though probably last year's, not this. If I could drive to the kill spot - maybe the cow. If I had to pack the kill over hills, across ravines, and through jungles to get to my rig ... BANG! (drop the calf).

I don't know how mom would react to you walking up to her dead offspring. If the calf was indeed dead - I suspect she would stand there - and eventually move off. They protect life - but also know death. Tomorrow she'd probably forget she even had a calf - she'd dry up - and start looking for bulls.

My 2 cents.
Yeah, I'm in agreement here. Calves are undoubtedly more vulnerable after the cow has been taken. However, seasons and regulations are in place due to time proven success rates of the calf's survival. If the chances were that great that the calf would perish in each instance such as this, perhaps we would see rules such as those that apply to black bear - either sex may be taken, but sows with cubs are forbidden.
It shows your humanity to question this - and that's a good thing. I, personally, would not take either given the situation. But, if I were, it would be based on how much meat I need, whether I was prepared to wait for the calf to leave the mother (which I know from road kills can take as long as 2 days...more of a personal dilemma) or the cow waiting for the calf (perhaps not the length that the cow would stay around the calf, but her maternal temper would be of concern).
Plus, as Serious Hunter said, how far do you have to carry the meat? The calf is a lighter load.