" It didn’t lay in a field to die it was pushed there by Coyotes, maybe even dragged there .. "

Thats speculation, there is no proof of that.

" Did Zaft take an iffy shot? Yes. But I have also and so have most of you. Does that preclude that any deer recovered from a low percentage shot is automatically a pickup? No"

Not automatically, no, but it does provide evidence that the shot did not kill that buck within 100 or even 200 yards of where it was shot - like a lung shot or even a liver shot deer would have expired. This deer was hit poorly and went farther than Zaft could find it in 3 seperate times looking for it, am I right ?

" Zaft could be a complete lying poacher. Or he could be a regular guy like you and me that made a questionable decision in an adrenaline rushed once in a lifetime moment that triggered a snowball effect of bad luck and unanswerable questions to an honest, non-perfect kill of a world class buck.

Zaft may never be able to prove 100% that it was his buck and it was a kill, but until someone proves to me 100% that it wasn’t than I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

First off, Zaft is a professional target shooter, hes killed several P&Y deer, he KNOWS big deer, knew what this deers potential was and took a poor shot - not an average hunter, is he ?

TxCowboy - My question to you - how did he recover this animal ? I mean, he didn't find it at the end of a blood trail, did he ? heck, he didn't even find the carcass with the help of magpies and crows - someone else found it and was gracious enough to give the head to him.

I believe its Zaft's deer. I would have it wounted if I were him. Should it replace Mel Johnsons world record, a deer that was shot well and recovered by the hunter who shot it ? I don't think it should, because Zaft never recovered this deer.

Buck Magnet - If I aint mistaken, Zafts arrow passed through. I think its odd that coyotes ate almost the whole deer that night - I've never heard of this. Coyotes start at the hams/guts and work forward, right ? Unless there were 30 coyotes on him, how would they eat the whole carcass in just a few hours ??