Finally got my first Elk with a bow

[cascademountainhunter]

congrats to ya!! i havent even seen any elk yet this season.  hopfully i will atleast see some if not kill one...

[Jeffrey]

  Whoa- What kind of a blood trail did she leave, for you to follow?  High Five to ya!

[julzzz]

way to go, that cow looks goooood

[wonder]

Jeffrey,
She left a decent blood trail for the most part.  Started out weak and had little bursts of blood here and there enough to follow with some serious looking in between.  It took me close to 2 hours to find her once I was on the trail.  Thanks for the encouragement !

[KillBilly]

Congrats on the Elk.

I am thinking that you might have removed the arrow before taking the picture. That doesn't exactly send the message that Archery is a Clean and painless method of taking game. Strange things happen and this is not meant to demean your success.

Again, congrats.

[markts]

Congrats on your harvest, Even though your shot didnt go as planned, high fives for the recovery. Yes you could have pulled the arrow before pics but the truth was told and thats fine by me. Mark

[wonder]

Thanks Killbilly for the input.  I don't disagree with anything you're saying.  I just always try and be as honest a person as I can.  You are not the first to provide this insight.  I didn't really give it much of a thought at the time when I walked up on her with that arrow sticking out and all.  I felt really odd coming onto the kill for a lot of reasons and I'll just leave it at that.

I was really surprised that I was off that bad.  I don't believe she lived more than a few minutes based on where she went down from initial impact.  My goal is always to take a good shot.  I've turned down many shots in the past for other reasons.  In fact I had a cow at 56 yards on opening day last year that I turned down the shot because it was out of my comfort range.  My motto is that's it's better to not take a shot rather than take a bad shot.  I hope to be more accurate if I get another opportunity in the years to come.  Thanks again.

[KillBilly]

Thanks Killbilly for the input.  I don't disagree with anything you're saying.  I just always try and be as honest a person as I can.  You are not the first to provide this insight.  I didn't really give it much of a thought at the time when I walked up on her with that arrow sticking out and all.  I felt really odd coming onto the kill for a lot of reasons and I'll just leave it at that.

I was really surprised that I was off that bad.  I don't believe she lived more than a few minutes based on where she went down from initial impact.  My goal is always to take a good shot.  I've turned down many shots in the past for other reasons.  In fact I had a cow at 56 yards on opening day last year that I turned down the shot because it was out of my comfort range.  My motto is that's it's better to not take a shot rather than take a bad shot.  I hope to be more accurate if I get another opportunity in the years to come.  Thanks again.

No problem, on this site we understand more. It is the non hunters, the lurkers, the general public, etc. that don't understand.
I/we know stuff happens and yes you were honest about it. In all manner of game taking, we all need to see ourselves as Ambassadors of our Sport.

Again Congrats and thanks for the response.

[popeshawnpaul]

That's awesome you found it on that shot.  I learned something here with your story.  Thanks.

[VANANATOR]

congrats! *censored* happens but your determantion payed off.  where I hunt the elk are chased hard and are on edge 365.  I have been ducked @20 & 43 yards by elk. all in the open and refuse to be arrow flingers like some of the locals.  *censored* happens but brush and partial body shots are no good=(  congrats on your first elk I'm waiting on mine-VAN