db- I agree 100% with your last post. Coaches have a huge responsibility and can have a huge positive impact or negative impact on a young adults life. The lessons a coach teaches should go beyond the field of competition and better prepare their athletes for life beyond the sport. "Most" was the key word in my previous post. You are correct, some terrible coaches do not get fired, but many times that is because unfortunately the school has no other willing bodies to fill the spot...it is getting harder and harder for schools to find ANYONE to coach, much less find a GOOD coach. There are too many teachers who do not want to stay two hours after school for practices, or get home late from games, or give up Saturday's for tournaments and games. For the time commitment coaching a sport requires and the minimal pay compared to hours involved, it is not very appealing unless you are basically forced to coach, or you truly love the sport.
When a student signs up to play a sport, they are basically signing a commitment to that sport, their coaches, and their teammates that they accept everything that goes with it; Practices, games, weekends (Saturdays, not Sundays), etc. There are always going to be consequences for missing a practice. However I believe, there should only be optional practices or no practices over holidays, no practices on Sundays and limited practices on Saturdays if at all, Wednesday nights are still church nights around here, and practices should be abbreviated to allow for church night.
The coach in your son's situation should have been fired, suspended, or put on a coaching improvement plan. That coach is a scum bag...
As for the mule deer I agree- spot and stalk is how I would go about it as well.