I'm glad what I was trying to get across seems to be making sense.........I do agree that there are things we can learn about from every trail good or bad but like Jeff said, unless we get every last detail or better yet are there to help the information we usually get is something like "I checked up by the neighbors place, then down by the crick, I heard they go to water.....not sure what else to do"

THAT's when we all go nuts and tell the guy "What you need to do IS get off the computer and go back out and LOOK HARDER"

I'm not sure what the phenomenon is , whether it's simply a need to be the "Thread of the Day" sometimes or what, but why someone comes running here almost eager to post about not being able to find an animal really confuses me.

I don't want to seem like what I'm saying is insensitive to someone who is on the brink of losing an animal, I'm not.......you'll just know the thread I'm referring to the second you see it and you'll remember this thread.