Coach

Nice job Andrew and Shane!

Wow, I'm just getting caught up, and I'm just amazed at how well you guys are doing this year. Lots of first and second coues with a bow, some absolute giants. I just want to congratulate all of you successful bow hunters this year, and thank you for taking the time to post the stories and pictures. The community here is what separates this site from other hunting sites out there, and you guys just keep on making it better!

That .257 wby is awesome.

I say, let it play out. Years ago when people first put out salt, they had good concentrations of deer. After a while, there was salt everywhere and the deer returned to their normal distribution and patterns. In the last couple of years, people have learned that salt was less effective in the winter than corn, so we started seeing deer attracted to corn piles in the colder months. Now, there's corn piles everywhere - and my guess is, they'll return to their normal distribution. We don't need to limit legal take methods, we need to focus on intentional poaching, IMO.

That's a GREAT looking bull - I love the character up top! Nicely done!

Wow, that is just OUTSTANDING! Great job, and congratulations on some great hunting.

Two different worlds - same planet, same country...

Awesome.

Wow, you guys did an amazing job with that video - I just keep watching it over and over. Great job on the hunt too, but I love how you capture the "essence of the hunt" as the driving force. Too bad the hunting shows on TV, backed by big money and sponsors haven't figured out what you have. Thanks so much for taking the time to make that and share it here.

Can't say it any better than that!

Hey Dillon, fantastic job! Taking a coues deer with a bow is one incredible feat - but your practice, your patience and willingness to stay put all came together. And dad, nice job on getting him out there and creating such an awesome experience. Huge Congrats, Dillon, on a fine hunt. I'm glad to see all that practice paid off - and a huge thanks to everyone who helped this young man create a memory he and his father will never forget.

Sorry for the long story, are you kidding me??? That's one of the best write-ups I've seen on here! Great job on an amazing buck. Lots of guys would have lost that buck, but your persistence paid off big time. Congrats on an amazing buck and a story you will re-live over and over again. Thanks for taking the time to write it up so well that we all got to practically be right there with you as it unfolded.

That is just awesome! Huge congrats on a stellar buck!

Wow! What can I say that hasn't already been said??? What a gorgeous buck - HUGE congrats to the hunter!

That's awesome. Congrats!

Green's Peak. Bulls are screaming, we've got our last 'Blue Moon' unti 2015, the roads are wet from all the rain - perfect time to go play.

Finally! Congrats to the buyer. Sweet jeep for sure. I would have bought it but I'm just too tall for a CJ5, and my boys are getting taller than me.

Wow, that's awesome! Great buck and welcome to the site!

I just realized both of two oldest sons have 27 youth deer the same week as their unit 1 cow hunts. We are going to focus on deer first and then elk if there is time.

Don't beat yourself up. You had a great hunt. You worked hard and got a good shot, you took it. You worked your tail off to follow up. Really, what more can you do? Focus on your kids' hunts, re-live your hunt and figure out how to incorporate your experience into their learning. Every hunter has to face adversity, and it comes in all kinds of forms. I believe "true" hunters are those that have faced adversity over and over and over again. Weather, lost animals, mechanical fails (vehicles, optics, guns, bows, rifles, scopes), family issues, monetary issues. Those I truly respect are the ones that remain calm in whatever storm comes their way, and they fall back on family and friends above all else.

I think TJ perfectly summarized the best approach. Yield to experience, friends.

Wow, nice buck! Gonna check out the video. Congrats on a fantastic buck.

Really enjoyed the video - some great looking bears!

First off, I am truly sorry about how this happened, and I can relate. I had a similar situation, from a tracking perspective, to yours. I had a mile long stalk on a bedded deer, when I got there I couldn't find him but when I stood up, so did he, but across a wash at about 55 yards. I had decent wind gusts, and was trying to time my shot, but the wind pushed my arrow forward. It was a hit but in front of the shoulder. I had good blood at the point of impact and for a long way up the hill with puddles wherever he stopped to rest. Eventually the blood spatters went from red to orange and finally petered out. The last spot I found was where a hoof had scraped a rock going uphill. One of the guys I was with, the guy who drove me there, HAD to be back to town by a certain time, so we had to call off the search - he was still a few hours late getting back home, and I felt bad about that - almost as bad about losing the first buck I ever hit with a bow. You'll probably never know if they guys in the truck found him, or if he changed directions. If the guys in the truck did pick him up, it wasn't necessarily that they were being unethical. Realistically, if a seasoned, ethical hunter came across a wounded buck on his last leg, they would most likely finish him. It would be hard for them to assume that the hunter who shot the buck is as dilegent as you were. Most likely, they'd see a deer that was about to go to waste, and in their mind they might have been doing the "right thing". However, if they did take it, you'd think there would be a gut pile to confirm that's where he ended up. If they were just trying to be good "stewards", I wouldn't think they'd just toss it in the truck and drive off to gut it somewhere else. I'm sure this isn't any help. Just about anything could have happened. If I had to bet, I'd say the guys in the truck didn't pick him up. My best guess is that the buck stopped bleeding externally and had enough strength to keep moving and he's still there somewhere - most likely dead now.

That's a nice looking bear! Congrats to Ross.