I was hunting a new spot this afternoon and had a little buck come out. He would have been a small 6 pointer but one of his antlers was broken off. He got to 20 yards dead broadside twice, but I told myself when i left the house that i was just going to shoot a large doe or a buck bigger then one I have killed in the past. (the biggest I have killed is a small 7 pointer) well after I let that one go about 30 mins later this bruiser 8 pointer comes out at about 50 yards, he was making his way to me but also toward the road out of the opening. I stopped him just as he was about to hit the exit road at what I thought was 35 yards. and let the arrow go. it was almost 7 oclock (almost dark) and my first impression was i missed him because I heard the arrow hit the tall grass behind him. But then i thought it could have been a pass through and thats what i heard. waited about 40 mins. and climbed down. couldnt find my arrow (grass about waist high) but I could also find NO blood.

My first reasoning for missing him was becaus I misjudged the distance but the more I think about it the more I realize I rushed the shot. I can hit the dots on my block out to 45 yards but when this beast comes out I can't close the deal. I told myself at the beginning of the season, " no matter what comes out, its just a target, imagine that black dot of the block on the deers vitals no matter how big it is its just a black dot" but when I saw those horns I completley forgot what I had been telling myself for a week.
I guess I will chalk it upas a lesson learned and I guarantee I will remember from now it that "its just a black dot". At least I didn't find any blood. thats a relief.

This is the biggest deer I have ever shot at with shotgun, muzzleloader anything.

I think Iam gonna be sick.