Bowdacious, please tell us what is up with this post.

I don' t know you personally, but, you have always been a very kind person and I have always enjoyed your posts. Due to you showing me respect in the past, I am gonna show you respect. I am not saying that these guys don' t have a point, because they do, and it is a darn good one, but, nothing is ever achieved through anger.

I would like to hear all the details. What happened after the shot on the elk? How far did you track it? Why didn' t you pass the shot if you lost focus? Why did you release when all you saw was hair? How many guys did you get to help you track? What was the blood sign like? Did you loose the blood and give up or did you do grid searches?

Concerning your daughter, did you give up tracking as soon as the trail washed away? Did you spend the night searching the area (even without blood)? Why did you go hunting the next morning when you should have been looking for the first deer she hit? Where did she hit these deer? What was the blood sign like?

If this is a big joke, then, I must say that I am GREATLY dis-appointed! You have always been a great guy, but, that is a terrible joke.

If this is the truth, then, I would like to hear all the details. You post is confusing and blunt. If you did what you said in the post (which seems to be a lack of tracking), then, my respect for you has gone down a notch or two. If you did as much work as you could trying to find these deer, then, tell us, and I won' t loose as much respect for you as if you didn' t do your part to find the deer and elk.

Also, don' t blame the Thunderheads. They are proven broadheads that have taken more deer than probablly all other broadheads. Thunderheads fly great, are the sharpest broadheads out there, and they are tough enough for any game animals in the US.

Admit your faults, tell the story, and these guys won' t get as rough on you as they will if you don' t say anymore.

Now, I am not claiming to be perfect, far from it, in 8 years of hunting, I have lost 2 deer, and I plan on keeping that number the same. I admitted my faults, changed them, and this year I am 1 for 1 on deer, One shot, one perfect clean kill!

This is pretty tame right here. Look back at my two lost deer posts that are on here and you will see what I mean.

I shot one deer, spent three days tracking it, even though there was no blood, and only gave up when I saw the deer. The shot was just bad, high and far back. My fault, simple as that.

Last years doe I shot by accident. I was aiming at another doe, and the second doe ran in front of her and took the arrow in the brisket. I tracked her for two days, covered over 1-1/2 miles, and gave up when I saw her feeding on the edge of a woodline (I could see the dried blood on her brisket). I should have paid more attention to the deer around the doe I was aiming at, my fault, my mistake, and something that I changed. Simple as that, my fault.

Both of these deer I shot, I tracked more than 99% of other guy would have. When I had nothing to go on, no blood, no tracks, no hair, ect.... I still kept going. I put more hours looking for these deer than I did in a week of hunting. I admitted my faults. I got my butt chewed out by more people than anyone else I have seen. If you don' t believe me, go back and look. All of these guys gave me a beating that I wil NEVER EVER EVER EVER forget. I was PI$$ED off at the time, I couldn' t believe what these guys were saying, but, 99% of them had great points, and I have changed everything and I have gotten to the point where I honestly feel that wounded deer are out of sight for me, and why? Because of these guys. Everyone on here is passionate about hunting, and they love the game that we hunt. This causes tempers to flare, and with good reason, but, you have to look past that and read in between the lines. Look at what they are saying, it is great advice, priceless advice that will get you on the right track.

So to all you guys who gave me the worst ribbing of my life.........

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!