Interesting cow behavior

[Jethro]

In Sept I arrowed a bull, good shot, that ran out of my sight after about 70 yards. I didn't hear a crash so was giving it a half hour before I looked. I hung some ribbon in tree I was next to for the shot. Then walked out and found my arrow. I stuck that in the ground where the elk was standing and tied a piece of ribbon through the nock groove. Went back to the shot from tree and sat down for a snack to kill time.

While waiting, a group of cows and calves came by angling between me and where the bull had stood. I could tell the lead cow could smell where the bull had walked by her reaction. She then followed his trail and ended up standing at my arrow/ribbon. She stood there long enough with her whole herd gathered around that I brought up binocs to look. She had pulled my ribbon off the nock and had it in her mouth. Wouldn't say she was eating it or even chewing, but pink ribbon was hanging out of her mouth.

Eventually they turned and went back the way they came until finally circling behind me and moving off. I found the ribbon laying on ground, she did not walk off with it, and my arrow was knocked over.

The sniffing of an arrow is not unheard of, but putting that ribbon in her mouth is a weird one. Just something cool to witness. Found the bull 30 yards past where I last saw him.

 

[kscowboy01]

Elk are very curious creatures. We use bear boxes on our trail cams and the elk cannot help themselves but still mess with them. We have the bear boxes for the elk, not the bears. In the offseason, when/where legal, we have the cellular cams. The elk have gone so far as to bite and snap the antennas off of them. Your incident doesn't surprise me a bit.

 

[P Carter]

Elk "ate"/removed the marking ribbons over several miles of a mountain ultramarathon I've run.

Apparently that is pretty common behavior--I've seen a few races that have, on the course maps, something to the effect of: "This section of the course is elk habitat, course ribbons may have been eaten or removed so be careful."

 

[Ehunter]

I was dressing out a bull my buddy had shot as I working on him I had a spike and 4 cows walk to within 15 yards sniffing the bull. I actually starting waving my arms and yelling to get them to move. I have seen deer stop and stop and sniff a buck I had dropped it was like they were saying get up.

 

[highcountrymuley]

i killed the lead cow (don't ever do this! tough as nails, old cow). the rest of the herd stayed there/close by for awhile and were still close by the next morning.

 

[DawnPatrol]

That’s pretty weird! When I used to do stream surveys, we’d hang surveyors tape along the steam. Sometimes the elk would come by and eat parts of them. Strange animals.

 

[BRTreedogs]

My guess is the salt from your hands.
I think that's why they lick trail cameras.