Here's my first elk(taken yesterday) and second big game harvest in my short 5 seasons of hunting.
I spied a sizeable herd, about 50+, in an open field, yet couldn't observe all of them at once due to my position behind a small clump of trees. They were about 100 yds out and I was able to watch a few cows and a spiker walking around, from my position without moving around and possibly spooking them.
After a few minutes with my heart racing and wondering how to proceed I hear a twig snap and turn my head about 75 deg. and notice some brown bodies walking in my direction through some branches of the trees I was hiding behind. They were about 50 yards away and moving with determination.
I quickly swivel and range the only shooting lane available to me from where I was. As luck would have it a few cows strutted right through the lane. I was about to take a shot when I spied some antlers coming into view through my periphery. The antlers stopped on the far side of two cows between us, but just as he stopped the two cows obligingly moved out of the way. I let the arrow fly and it hit it's mark, not a pass through but a good shot as I saw lots of blood streaming from the entrance wound, as he ran away. Just as he was about to disappear out of view I saw the sideways stagger and knew he was mine.
I've been hunting in this bow only zone for my whole "career" and every year I see more and more people out, which is good to see, but at the same time decreases my odds. I am truly grateful to be able to do what I do, and this year I was lucky enough to get this guy.
Sorry for the crappy phone pic...30 yrd shot, right side, Grim Reaper Whitetail Special Stainless Steel 3-blade broadhead(100gr), <60 yds from impact site, 7X7(barely on one side)
Thanks to you and this forum for being a great resource, and providing some entertaining dialogue at times
Good luck for the rest of the season!