I've sent him a couple of PM's to see if he was just hanging in the shadows and never heard back from him. I assumed since it was in season he'd likely spend his time in the woods and then just show up with a monster as usual. this appears to not be the case this fal.

He had made a comment something to the effect of "one more bad day of work and he'll be a full time shop owner".
Maybe he's following his dreams and working the shop full time. He had metioned it was getting busy and he was opening/building a range.

More power to him. I wish him all the luck.