Opinions Needed

[user 36911]

A little background first.

I've hunted for elk since the 50's. I'm now 77. I grew up hunting with my dad and brother. Dad was very strict about how we hunted and what we shot. He taught me and my brother how to still hunt and said it was the only way to give the game a fair chance. He also drove into us that we should only hunt for males. So, all my life it was bulls, bucks, and bore bears.

Both my dad and brother passed away in the 80's. I've hunted alone since then. I prefer to hunt that way but getting the meat out alone from a bull became too hard as I got older. It's pretty warm in our muzzleloader season and I struggled to get the meat out before it spoiled from a bull. Muley's and bears were no problem. In my mid 60's I had to switch to only cow elk hunting. Now at my age that has become too hard too. I feel a hunter should do the whole hunt, so I don't want help with any of it. If I can't do the whole hunt then i'm too old to hunt.

So, now for my question. I can't believe i'm going to say this but i'm now considering hunting for a calve elk. I've looked at the stats for Colorado and there are a number of calves taken every year. What do you guys think? Should I hunt for a calf or should I give up elk hunting. Something that would be painful for me. Elk hunting is a part of my life and I feel if I give up on it i've given up being me. I've never quit anything.

Any and all opinions welcome.

 

[Brokennock]

A little background first.

I've hunted for elk since the 50's. I'm now 77. I grew up hunting with my dad and brother. Dad was very strict about how we hunted and what we shot. He taught me and my brother how to still hunt and said it was the only way to give the game a fair chance. He also drove into us that we should only hunt for males. So, all my life it was bulls, bucks, and bore bears.

Both my dad and brother passed away in the 80's. I've hunted alone since then. I prefer to hunt that way but getting the meat out alone from a bull became too hard as I got older. It's pretty warm in our muzzleloader season and I struggled to get the meat out before it spoiled from a bull. Muley's and bears were no problem. In my mid 60's I had to switch to only cow elk hunting. Now at my age that has become too hard too. I feel a hunter should do the whole hunt, so I don't want help with any of it. If I can't do the whole hunt then i'm too old to hunt.

So, now for my question. I can't believe i'm going to say this but i'm now considering hunting for a calve elk. I've looked at the stats for Colorado and there are a number of calves taken every year. What do you guys think? Should I hunt for a calf or should I give up elk hunting. Something that would be painful for me. Elk hunting is a part of my life and I feel if I give up on it i've given up being me. I've never quit anything.

Any and all opinions welcome.

Hunt the calves. If the population of elk is such in your area that it can support a few calves being taken, do it. If the haven't wised up enough yet to present the challenge you want, draw another line for yourself, maybe a self imposed shorter maximum shot distance.
No matter how you go about it though, as long as you can do so safely and ethically, keep hunting.

 

[user 36911]

No fear about distance. With my vision and primitive sights. I'll be under 40yds but even when my eyes were perfect it was my distance. I've always still hunted in close. It's the most fun for me and I think gives the game a good chance to beat me.

 

[CoHiCntry]

I’d say hunt calves too. There’s really no difference when you have an antlerless tag, except size. The calf has a lesser chance of surviving the winter & predators too.

 

[poker]

There’s nothing wrong or shameful about harvesting a calf. I’d tip my hat to anyone in or close to their 80’s just for being out in the mountains actually hunting. I’d tip it again if I seen them pass on bull’s and cows but then taking home a calf. That’d be some mighty fine table fare.

 

[Robby]

I'm old too, and have many self imposed rules that I live by, hunt by. Stalk the calves, enjoy the hunt, enjoy the meat and feel no guilt.
Robby

 

[Loyalist Dave]

If I can't do the whole hunt then i'm too old to hunt.

i'm now considering hunting for a calve elk. What do you guys think? Should I hunt for a calf or should I give up elk hunting. Something that would be painful for me. Elk hunting is a part of my life and I feel if I give up on it i've given up being me. I've never quit anything.

So to be honest with you, I don't understand you thinking process. You hunted alone, and took bull elk. Times changed, you changed, and you started taking cow elk, alone. Now.., you're balking at the fact that times and you have changed and you're thinking about taking a calf elk...,

BUT...you won't consider hunting with a partner, sharing in the meat as you share the chore of schlepping the meat out and home?

Your path is not your father's path. He did a very good job giving you good standards, but his time is not the time, now, today.
His standards were based on his time, his medicine, his life expectancy. Well, folks live longer now, are more active longer now, enjoy a higher quality of life, longer NOW.

Consider also that the state allows certain amounts of animals to be harvested because they need to be harvested, for the good of the overall population of those animals.

Consider that you are a highly experienced hunter. So instead of passing on a lot of what you know, and the ethics that goes with that, to a partner, and sharing the meat as well as the chore of schlepping it...you're considering walking away.

When you pass, and it will happen to all of us, you will take what you've learned and what your father taught you, to the grave. Before that time comes, perhaps you should consider passing on some or all of that to somebody else? Even if you have done so already with your offspring, there is still time to do it for somebody who doesn't have a mentor to teach them....

So do both. Mentor a hunter and take a calf.

LD

 

[Treestalker]

Dave, you hit the nail on the head! As the last born child of an older father, I never got to hunt ducks with him. Since he never hunted deer, I never learned how growing up. Several other men in our settlement did hunt deer and took their boys and stepsons, etc., hunting. I hunted alone and in the woods so small game and birds was it. You didn't ask a man to go with them, and you had to be invited. It would have been great to have a mentor.

 

[user 36911]

Dave..........I understand what you're saying. I have taught many friends on how to still hunt. I enjoy doing that. However, I go on their hunts. I don't take them with me on my hunt.

I may be stubborn about how I hunt but i'm kind of old to be changing my values now. Going to smaller game is about all i'll allow myself to do.

 

[Walkingeagle]

I believe the clean, ethical harvest of the animal is priority #1, regardless of species. I also believe the meat is the only trophy, antlers are secondary. As well, I know and understand there are political (and social) aspects considered when game management decisions are made, but I believe in the science behind “real” game management and that science has long ago proven the harvest of females is critical to overall animal population and health. So... I believe you should hunt calf elk if you are legally allowed, have the desire for the clean and healthy natural meat gained, and ultimately wish to continue in your passion. Hold your head high sir, there is no shame in this!
Walk

 

[bud in pa]

I am 75 and have more metal parts in my body then most new cars, my arthritis was so bad this year I couldn't go out for deer. If I did go out for deer by myself I'd have to bring a frying pan, salt and pepper and eat it right there. I have a friend who is less than half of my age, so I made a deal with him, if he helps me get my deer out I give him half. It keeps me hunting, and as far as calves go, I have taken deer under 80 lbs. all I can say is that they were tender as all get out. If you strive to be HC I'll bet our ancestors hunted for meat not trophies. I figure that anytime I can take an animal in it's own enviornment that is a trophy.

 

[brewer12345]

Hunt calves, no question. That said, sometimes it is fun to hunt with a friend. My hunting buddies and I share in each other's triumphs and disappointments (and whiskey), have fun shooting the breeze when there is no game, and learn from each other. It isn't just about pride. I still enjoy getting out by myself (like today), but hunting with a friend can be lots of fun and sometimes you can try tactics that don't work with a solo hunter.

 

[No Deer]

As long as it is legal, go for it. My friend and I are grocery shopping, so to speak, so we target young deer, we call them T&T, tender and tasty.

If targeting the calves is not fun, or makes you feel like you are cheating, then there is no sense in targeting them. If the enjoyment is gone, unless you NEED the meat, there is no reason to go hunting anymore. When something loses its appeal, it becomes WORK, instead of a pleasing pastime.

 

[Einsiedler]

Shoot em. They are delicious. And much easier to deal with.

Edit!

And I understand your situation. If not for my oldest son, it would be extremely difficult for my gimp a** to still be able to elk hunt.

 

[Bojangles]

There is no shame in asking for help with a pack out. There is shame in refusing to help a fellow hunter with a pack out. I say shoot the biggest elk you can and call for help. I hunt elk in the desert of Arizona, and if you tried to get one out yourself the meat would spoil or the coyotes would get it before you made it out by yourself.

at your age, you’ve earned the right to call for help. Any any decent hunter with any kind of moral fiber will show up.

 

[FiremanBrad]

Afraid you’ll give up your honey hole if you take in help?

 

[Robby]

I should mention, I am up for adoption.
Robby

 

[user 36911]

Afraid you’ll give up your honey hole if you take in help?

Never entered my mind because i'd never accept help. It's not the topic of the thread.

 

[user 36911]

I've decided to just hunt for muley bucks. Shooting a baby elk is more than I can handle.

This thread has helped me make that decision. Thanks guys.

 

[Stony Broke]

I can totally relate to your situation. I don't hunt elk or such in our area, but lots of hogs...and I do it mostly by myself. I get up every morning to check traps and see if I can sneak up on something, and don't know of anyone else that would spend the time out doing what I do. I have a friend that helps me with filling feeders and stuff like that occasionally...but as a rule, anyone that wants to come hunt with me is just to get themselves a hog or deer and then move on.
When I have hogs to get rid of, a lot of folks aren't interested in them unless they are cleaned and ready to cook. I take the hind legs and backstraps off of them when they are suitable and if I deliver the frozen parts to people, they are more likely to take them.
To sum things up...you are probably better off to just do your hunting as you prefer and not worry much about trying to get others to get involved.