I think this is a little fishy as well. I've tracked does I've taken for hours and called in friends to help me finally locate the animal. If you shoot an animal that big, you call every friend and aquaintance you could find to help track it. If he had tracked it for 6 or 7+ hours, and in the meantime the farmer found it than I would be OK with that, but not tracking to the fullest extent just makes me think something is wrong. Actually, even if it was a couple of days later but he had everyone (and their brother) help look and he discussed it with all the farmers to look hard too than I would believe his story more.
Just trying to read between the lines.