My First Chance

Saturday, Brian and I, one other couple (Dave and Dede) and three other guys decided to hunt this ridge that we have been on the elk like crazy all season. The guys dropped off the top to push the elk down. Dede and I set up in the bottom. I set up and ranged all of the trees in a 360 degree radius. I was just sitting there on this little mound/nob of moss covered dirt reading my book when I heard one of the guys bugle (our signal that there are elk coming) I set my book down grabbed my release just as I started to hear the crashing. I thought they were going to come from my left then all of the sudden I heard them drop down on the trail behind me. I spun and drew in one motion. I looked through my peep just in time to see them. It was a cow and calf running (3pt+ or antler less are legal) I debated for a split second "should I shoot her she has a calf last weekend I'm smokin her someone will take the calf once the cow goes down" I settled my pin right behind her shoulder as she slowed down to a walk. I said to myself "OK if she is at a slow walk I am going to take the shot". There weren't a lot of shooting lanes and I when I had ranged this spot thinking "oh yeah Alli like an elk is going to stop perfectly between those trees." Well as she slowed to a walk her calf was catching up but was still a wase behind her. So now she is at a walk I decide that when she is between the trees I will take the shot. Then as if it was meant to be she stops perfectly between the trees. She was at 35 yards down hill so I split my twenty and thirty yard pins settled just above were I wanted let my breath out to settle perfect and began to squeeze the trigger. Then it happened. My arrow fell off the string. It made so much noise and the cow and calf busted out of there. By the time I let down renocked my arrow and looked up they were more then 75 yds away and on a dead run. I let out an audible curse word and smacked myself in the head. I just.... I couldn't believe it. I have tight nocks but I had an arrow fall off in practice last week so I took the pliers to my nocks and tightened them but apparently it didn't do any good. That was my last weekend to hunt so no elk and no deer. Well that isn't true I have a late season. I still don't know how I didn't dry fire my bow. THANK GOD I have been practicing to not punch my release. I just ease it on. If I had punched it the arrow would have flown God knows where or the arrow would have fallen off and I would have dry fired my bow and probably ruined it. I am so frustrated. I still can't stop replaying it in my head. It was still so freaking awesome though! It was the coolest rush EVER!!! I have always gotten elk fever so bad. If you even say elk to me in the woods I shake like a leaf. But I was steady. I didn't shake. I had confidence. I have confidence.