Great post Buckeyebuckhntr!

I do think you have presented some excellent criteria in a very articulate fashion. For those who chose to observe the rewards can be rich. As has been pointed out I have learned more from animals I have not had the oportunity to get an arrow to or let pass, than I have from zipping an arrow through the ribs, although it should be noted that there is a real learning process that takes place at that time too.

All that said, I do think one must include at least areasonablenumber of kills, under real bowhunting conditions, to his/her resume' should one want to don the title of a "good hunter". What that number is I am notsure,I will let someone who is smarter than me figurethat out.

There are so many issues that arise when a person is trying to "close the deal" that I don't think it should be overlooked in our definition of a "good hunter". It is one thing to sit and watch a young deer go by howeverit is a galaxy away from attempting to draw and get an accurateshot off at a mature animal up close and personal. One or two kills just isn't enough experience in my opinion to cover what can go wrong at the moment of truth.

Further, another aspect of our definitionhas to be the ability to successfullyfollow the blood trail after a hit. If a guy can't untangle this trail all his other skills become moot. Without a certain number of kills this talent cannot be employed enough to gain any practical knowledge.

Of course I realizeyou know all of these points already you just are not as much of a "wind bag" as I am so you didn't include them in your post.

The first sentence of your above quote is outstanding in my mind! I don't think I have heard it put any better. I wish I could say I understand the intricacies of all of the deer sign but unfortunately I can't. It seems the more I learn the less I know.[&:]