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Courageous post.
I am sure it was a memorable hunt. You should know that given the chance everyone here would pounce on the small details rather than say congrats. Important to tell the whole story first. I pounced on it as well. I won' t appologize. I will recognize the good as well as the bad parts to your story as I expect many here to do as well.

I come here to share experiences my own and others, good and bad.
I am jealous for many reasons. It sounds like the hunt of a lifetime. You sound as though you were like a kid on christmas morning the enitre week I know I would love to be that excited and energized. And in your haste to say how awesome it was only told pieces of the story.

I really enjoy hearing the stories from others and check the board at least once a day thanks for sharing and we know you are better prepared for your next trip.

Sounds like you had a great hunt with memories that you will never forget. Like they say " sh!t happens" . You' ll learn from your mistakes and less likely to make them next time. You got to experience some exception habitat, had some great experiences, and shared it with some friends. You' ll find out that the experiences are more important then taking an animal at times. Sounds bittersweet now, but you will always have that memory. Thanks for sharing your hunt with us.

Thanks for filling in the blanks BOW, the hunt really did sound like a hunt of a life time. Hope the rest of your season brings success!

Thats better. Seroiusly though, I have had that feeling in my stomach. Its not fun is it. That wasnt a bad shot on a 3d course it was a live animal. The responses posted on the first thread just goes to show you how much these guys care about the animals they hunt. Nothing wrong with that. I am pleased to read this time, the sorrow and frustration you felt.

Never been elk hunting, but I have had bucks within 15 yds of me while I was on the ground and my chest was pounding. I cant imagine what is like to have an animal that size so close to me. Must have been unreal.

Sounds like a week so full of excitement that even the terrible ending could not ruin it. Experience is the key to all hunting and no matter how long we' ve hunted, a new and challenging experience can put us back at the rookie stage and make us do things we thought we would never do again. The next time will be different and maybe we' ve all learned from your experience.

I have shot close to 100 whitetails with my bow. Several " book bucks" one that grosses over 175" . I only say that to put some perspective in Bow' s articulate account of his elk hunt.

There are few things that prepare one for hunting bull elk in the rut! When a huge bulls bugles in front of you at close range, you swear the ground is shaking! It can be very difficult to keep your focus and composure. Emotional melt downs are not uncommon even with the most experienced hunter. Perhaps the only thing that comes close would be to have Ursus horribilis breathing down your neck at close range, I don' t know, I have never had the privilege of hunting a grizzly. I can tell you that hunting these big animals in the setting described, especially the first few times, is almost more than a guy can stand. It is difficult for most of us flat landers to even get a shot. When a shot does finallly develop it is very easy to over react and muff the shot.

My guess is that most of the people on these forums take the shooting of an animal very seriously. Bowdacious would be no different. Although he and I may not see everything eye to eye on some issues, I can entirely understand the circumstances he found himself in. I can guarantee that a person who has so much invested in a hunt (not only financially, but also in time and effort, blood sweat and tears if you will) certainly will do everything in their power to recover a trophy of a lifetime.

Bow, when you first came to the board several years ago, we had a misunderstanding about a P&Y deer you killed and the rules about entering it. I misunderstood what you were trying to say then. I think maybe the same thing happend with your post here. For the Record while we have never met in person I have found your post' s to be very helpful and offer a lot is insight, especialy for beginer' s. I don' t have time to post and respond to all the posts I read any more, these broadhead tests and so forth take up a ton of time, but I think your a class act and one heck of a fine fellow.