Congratulations!! Who cares what people think about getting a doe. You can't eat the horns. Hopefully you can get to do some elk hunting during the late season.
Nice bear! I too took a doe in the early season, after a trip to twisp in the early season only seeing illegal bucks this doe at 15 yards was a quick and easy decision.... the steaks are awesome! as hunters we all go after game and chasing the dream of our ancestors for different reasons, for me it's chasing animals in a way that puts all my skills and experiences to work to get me within 20 yards unseen of a bull as my heart is beating so hard that it feels like it is in my throat and the line between sane and insane is very fine! ya know what I mean! stay stick brotha! >---------->
Did the boy get a chance to get into the gut pile(s)? One of ours (14 year old) got a chance to harvest his first one this year with his bow and that grin on his face could have said "new state record" as far as we were concerned. She was a beautiful trophy and the memories will last forever. I hope those boys are blessed this late season with an opportunity to send you to Lowes for another freezer! That's what it's all about!