Cow down - 24hourcampfire

First time I hunted this early in the year. The weather was very nice for late summer, although a bit hot for my liking: 49F at night, 72F during the day. Nice and overcast in the afternoon.
We hunted a small 1/2 sq mile parcel that happened to hold a few resident elk. On the opening morning we kicked up about 7, one four-by or so young bull and some cows, on top of the shelf lined up with sparse sagebrush openings in 8 inch aspens.
The shooting would be good for a crack shot, which I am not. So i waited and pranced until one cow lined up on top of a sagebrush opening, where I had a good broadside shot at her. She dropped on the shot like a brick. Hit her in the neck, zero meat damage, first time for me.
We had two cow tags, and I could have shot another right there but I wanted my partner to get one. By the time he lined up they moved and shooting was very hard. He had a chance at a head shot, then a Texas heart shot; wisely passed on both (IMO).
We were done with the butchering by 10 AM and got her down to the truck by 1 PM; carried an 80 lb pack down, and a shoulder and bags with organs and premium cuts in hands and small pack. Got ice for the meat cooler and fished that afternoon. BTW, I waffled after having bought a Coleman 150 qt cooler on how useful would it be. Proven to be indispensable! Held all the meat from 2 yr old cow. Was impossible to lift for one, two of us did it and the handles held up! I am deeply impressed. Well worth the $70 it cost.
The next day a large black bear was on the carcass, I have a video a short while after he got off of it. He walked up to 45 yards to us and would have been closer but we decided to walk sideways not to freak him out into charging us.
We hunted one more day, and again only had a chance at a head shot. Ended up going home with one cow for the two of us. Cut it up yesterday, took us 7 hours for two people, and still have shoulders left for tonight. Nice day of post hunting!
This was the first ever elk hunt for my partner. He held up great, even a seasoned hunter couldn't have done much better. His famous quote of the season is:
"Any time I thought the hardest part was done, I was proven wrong".

What kind of tag and where were you hunting to be able to use a rifle this early in the year?

It was a ranching for wildlife rifle tag, rifle, in North Park. Cost me a point but I don't care, I am not saving up for a "bull of my dreams".
It was fun to be out with a filled rifle tag buying ice, with all the archery hunters just starting out