DD,
Year before last I took a button buck that I would have bet the farm was a doe.

I let the small bucks walk and take the does so I was sick at heart for a week.

This little guy was only 25 yards and I didn't see the buttons from there so at 40 i'm sure it was tough to make out a small rack.}

As for your year being over, If you have doe tags,hunt meat instead of horns and just enjoy being there.

SF