Traffic was snarled and we were inching along, anxious to get out on the highway. A young driver, a bit nervous with the first snow fall, braked, waved me ahead and allowed me to safely merge into the queue. I gave a pleasant wave and headed down the road. Conditions were bad with several cars spinning into the ditch. We had a great day in the mountains and on the way home spotted that VW Jetta whose driver was so kind, buried deep in the ditch.

We jumped out, hooked up a tow rope and she was out. She asked why we stopped and replied because she was so kind in letting us into the lineup earlier that morning. Tit for Tat, I guess.

Well the best hunting partners never keep score. They don't need to follow the rule, tit for tat. They simply know that friendship and the special bond that hunters have will always rule the day and that things always seem to work out.

I am blessed with two bowhunting sons, over the many years we have shared some awesome memories together. My sons have put me on game, ranged for me and helped pack out some great animals. I have helped them along in many other ways. Those are some of our fondest memories.

Tom, Cam and Adam Foss on the beach of Carmen Island, Mexico with ram in tow. 

Cam, Tom and Adam all smiles right after recovering Cam's desert bighorn. 

Cam and Tom with Tom's Stone sheep.

Tom and Adam relaxing at camp while hunting Dall sheep in Canada's NWT.

Tom in tight on a Dall sheep ewe.

I am blessed to have a barn that acts as a gathering place for many of my friends and my sons friends. Many nights, especially as hunting season is getting closer, finds many of us tuning, shooting, cutting and fletching arrows and readying ourselves for the anticipated hunts. It always seems tit for tat. Someone brings a new broadhead target, my friend Thanos is a bow technician guru. He is quick to show us the latest tricks for attaching a peep, tuning an arrow rest of whatever else a guy might need.

Stuart always has a few fresh chicken eggs or something picked from his garden. Dave shows up with great refreshments, his camera and always forwards some awesome photos of the event. One young lady offered to clean up the shop area in trade for an archery lesson.

Most of all, the offers are kind, never asked for and never expected. It seems that no one needs to keep score. Over the season it all seems to even out. Those good friends are the first to offer when I need a hand, to pack out on an animal, keen to find the answer to a tough question or even with some chores around the barn. 

The worst and most disappointing violation of the tit for tat rule is the hunting partner who puts his or her hunts ahead of those of his buddy. The guy who "uses" his friends, gets help setting up camp, gleans information, hunting or shooting tips, shares a camp and then does not reciprocate. Man that stings, its sucks and it hurts. You don't help your buddy pack out his sheep in the hopes that he will do the same for you. You don't hike a buddy in to hunt, in the hopes that he does the same. You don't lend a buddy some clothes, a backpack to gain favor so he is obligated to do the same. You do it out of friendship, as a partner and you know that your partner will reciprocate when the opportunity presents itself.  

Mark Seacat, Cam, Adam and Tom Foss with Cam's desert bighorn harvested on Carmen Island, Mexico.

Tom and Guide Mike Schroeder navigate a shale ridge while bowhunting Dall sheep at Arctic Red River Outfitters in Canada's Mackenzie Mountains, NWT.

Tom's friend Andrew Hartley with his first bighorn. Late-season Alberta. Solo hunt.

Cam and Adam with Cam's Arctic Red Dall.

I was hunting sheep once and pushed my way up the mountain, bumping into two hunters huddled in the middle of a small clump of spruce. My hunt was over, my tag would expire at dark but my pack had some Mountain Houses, several sandwiches and a few bars. I left it with them, shook hands and wished them luck. Two years later, I was out for supper with my beautiful wife. When I asked for a check the waitress replied "your bowhunting buddies from the mountains picked it up. She said to "thank you for the food and the peanut butter and jam pita pockets". Tit for Tat.

I am on the owing side this season for last year I leaned heavily on my sons and one of my closest sheep hunting buddies. For nineteen days, Cam and I pushed through deep snow in search for a great ram. Son Adam and friend Mike joined and helped us endure 10 more days of terrible cold and windy conditions. Without them we would never have put it all together.

Cam and Tom bowhunting for bighorns in the Alberta late-season.

Mike Wood, Cam and Tom glassing for bighorns in Alberta.

Rutting bighorn. Alberta.

It would have been impossible for me to hike for the three hours through waist deep snow with snowshoes then another three hours with crampons. Then when we did kill the ram, having the boys there to skin and cape and load the meat, was awesome. My load was 80 pounds of horns and it was a life-size cape. I am in the owe column this year boys and will be quick to be there for you. For those who will ditch their partners and find excuses not to be there, I say "shame on you". 

Adam, Tom, Cam and Mike Wood with Tom's 2013 late-season archery Alberta bighorn.

Those will never be invited back to share my campfire. We don't keep score in the Foss household. The Sitka team works together, the Band of 3 hunts together and no one ever "owes" anyone anything. We are proud to share, to be hunting partners, brothers, sons, fathers and friends. Good hunting partners are hard to find but easier to lose.

Straight arrows to all of you.