Lost one!!

[Super G Force]

Luck but no luck on Sunday night.
I headed out to my tree Sunday afternoon about 2:00. When I get ready to cross into the creek bottom I see a spike walking by my treestand. I waited about 10 minutes to let him get through so not to spook him. I get in my tree and waited out the long afternoon. Did not see anymore deer until 4:55. I see 2 spikes chasing 3 does around. after they leave I see a nice tall and wide 8 point rubbing a tree about 75 yards up the trail from my tree. He is the same 8 pt I have seen 3 different times coming down the same trail. I finally make the decision tonight that if he comes down the trail I will take the shot. He finally heads my way. I have an open shooting lane @ 45 yards. He is broadside, I stop him, I let the arrow fly....Thwack, complete pass through with my rage 3 blade. Looks like a good lung shot. I see him run up and stop on the hill side and then he takes off again. I waited in my tree 15 minutes and then gone down to check the arrow and first blood. It looks good and the arrow is covered in blood. I head back to my vehicle and wait an hour to start trailing.
I trailed him 400 yards through the creek bottom with large 7-8" areas of blood splater every 5-10 ft. I trail him until he gets to an open winter wheat field. After that the blood trail just stops. I looked for hoof prints and blood everywhere in the field. I went down the trail he was on for 3/4 of a mile until he would have crossed a road and I checked the road and crossings. around 11:00 pm that evening I decided to wait until morning to search again. I had 4 veteran hunters other than myself looking. We spent another 5 hours monday morning searching all the bottoms and open feilds within a mile area. The blood just stopped like he climbed up a tree. I have been archery hunting for 18 years and this is the first deer I have lost. My parents went back out last night and searched again with nothing found. I am sure the deer is expired somewhere, I just don't know where. I hate that feeling of not knowing but will have to chalk it up on the deer hunting wall of experiences.....Thanks for listening!

[HoosierHunter79]

thats the worst when its good heavy blood then just stops! hard to live with sometimes... keep your head up!