Steadfast Big Game Recovery

10/31/2026

Congrats on first archery deer and first archery buck!

10/30/2026

When that shoulder shot ends up not being a shoulder shot.

10/27/2026

10/18/2026

Another good but busy day.

Track #1 was for a hunter that thought his arrow was still in the deer. C tracked and we determined it wasn't fatal. Went to hit site after calling the track to have C find us the arrow, which he did! Got a text later tonight. The hunter's brother in law saw the deer this evening and verified it was him. We love Proof of life texts! ♥️

Track #2 was 2 miles into a wma. (Cattail picture below) Hunter had tracked some and lost blood. H found him his arrow and we went to work the line. He had grid searched for a couple hours but she was able to pull a line out and show him his deer. Unfortunately, the coyotes got to her before we did and just destroyed her. I'm frustrated about the coyotes but it sure was cool watching Halee do her thing.

Track #3 was for a young hunter who knew he had a good shot but they had kicked his buck out of it's bed and had zero blood to follow. C took a bloodless track 200yds to a dead buck! Huge congrats to this hunter on his first buck! ♥️

10/16/2026

Today was busy!
Halee babe tracked for Shaun, and while we found his doe, the yotes found it before us (not pictured). Sometimes you do everything you can and still the dang yotes beat ya there. 💔

Caius was next, and tracked for Cole. I handed Tom from Golden Track Big Game Recovery the rope to see if C would work for him. He did, after I told him to quit messing around. Silly dogs like to test people. Huge congrats Cole!!! Grateful we could come help out. 🥰

Halee's turn again and she got to track for Hunter. They were fairly sure their deer would be dead but with it being gut shot there prob would be minimal sign. Halee had us standing over him in a couple mins. Congratulations Hunter!! Excellent shot!

To all the youth hunters heading out the next few days, shoot straight and text or call if you have a question or need help.

10/05/2026

Halee tracked Kaylee's first bear and Caius recovered a freezer queen for Trasque yesterday. This am, Caius helped Reese get her first buck and Halee helped Steve find his buck. Busy 24 hours, and it's been so much fun meeting everyone and getting to help out. Congrats to all! ♥️

09/28/2026

Halee babe was out making friends with Jackson Davis today. He shot this nice buck last night and knew he might have issues tracking when the blood started to thin. We got there today and started tracking. Got to a bed and she hackles and starts to go slow. I knew immediately we had coyotes involved and said as much. Another 135 yards and we found the buck in the creek. Out of the last bed there was no sign till H standing over him. Huge congrats to Jackson on such a nice buck and doing everything right!

09/27/2026

Huge congrats to this young hunter! Halee babe was able to come help after they realized it was gut shot and there might not be much to eyesight track. There was one little bit of blood as the buck entered the woods and then another bit of brown gut juices 100yds after that, that she indicated on for us. And then, a dead buck out in the swamp grass! It never bedded, and they would not have found him until birds/coyotes showed them.

I haven't posted anything about Halee on our steadfast page since we weren't sure if she'd even be able to go back to work after she had surgery the end of June for Tethered Cord Syndrome. But, now that she's rehabbing and is back to work I want to say just how blessed we are and how blown away at this little girl's determination to get better and drive to work in the woods with her momma. She's the epitome of a comeback kid if ever there was one. Huge shout-out to John Nielsen and Rachel Preston Stephensen for always giving my dogs the best care. We wouldn't be able to be out there helping hunters and living our best life if not for you. ♥️

09/23/2026

Catching up on our work the last 2 days.

C and I went on a track on Mon am that sounded shoulder. Unfortunately with minimal pe*******on and no exit there was a very slim chance of recovery. However you never know, so we go! C pulled one nice line but no blood to confirm. We suspect that buck will be seen again.

2nd track, brisket shot. C would not advance it much beyond last blood. We weren't concerned because of where the doe was hit and what we saw that she was hit in vitals. It is incredibly embarrassing when your dog straight up says no. But... It is what it is. He is no dummy.

3rd track was Tues night for Josh's Dad. They knew the buck was hit but not sure where and they ran out of blood due to it being a non passthrough. We arrived and C had us standing over the buck in a couple mins.

4th track was this am for another hunter's father. They had initially taken a look last night and realized the buck was gut shot. Unfortunately he left his 2nd bed and went a ways before he eventually tipped over while walking a deer trail.

Halee has been pretty frustrated that her brother keeps coming home smelling like dead deer and she has to sit at home healing. Hoping she is going to be back in rotation in another day or two. Otherwise she might lose her mind. 😅😵

09/21/2026

Went 3 for 3 the last 18 hours. Trackers are called in for many reasons. #1 reason is loss of blood. A hunter is never wrong for calling in help when the blood runs out, and it can do so on seemingly "perfect" shots. We all should do our utmost when it comes to recovering animals.

The buck in the night picture went 214 yards and C indicated on one drop of blood and a broken part of arrow. 4 min track and no further blood till last 2 yards. Entry was through the shoulder joint. Very lucky that this buck died.

Buck that was double lung, went 110yds and was in a depression/bowl in the middle of a wide open field. Again, no blood at hit site and nothing til last 2-3 yards. That buck wouldn't have been found till birds or yotes found him. Because it went a completely opposite way the hunter saw him run and he was hidden by the low ground he died on.

3rd not pictured deer was gut shot and the hunter was unable to track due to loss of blood. Brought us in at the 15 hour mark and from the start I knew something was wrong because of how C was acting on an untracked line. Sure enough, multiple coyotes had run the doe 300 yards before finally pulling her down and apart. Again, not ideal, but that hunter has answers and he did everything he possibly could to recover his animal. Things don't always end the way we want but I'm grateful that there are answers for all.

Huge thank you to John for asking if he could grab me coffee on our way to meet for his track. That absolutely made my day! Thank you so much! ♥️
Pic of C cuddling me after a busy 18 hours in place of the yote kill.