Your story sounds so close to mine in many ways. I did not make a poor shot choice( Lord knows I have in the past though), but rather had a peice of equpiment brake( still my fualt for not checking my bow over more carefully). The penetration was about the same, and the deer ran between 250 to 300 yards before bedding down and dying. If you read my reply to your other post, you know my feelings on the subject. You never stoped looking for the deer, so I feel you did "recover" him. Tracking is more than just finding blood or tracks. Use everything the good Lord puts in front of you, be it crows, coyotes, or you nose. I am not proud of what happend to me and my buck, but I did hang the antlers. They are now a constant reminder to always check your equipment, and for me at least simpler is better. For you, they can be a reminder of what happens with poor shot selection. I get exited, as all of us do. It becomes hard think clearly under the stress of having a shooter deer come so close. You want it so badly that sometimes it clouds your judgment. You are only Human, and from your story it sounds like a lesson learned, and that will only make you a better hunter. hang those antlers, be proud that you did not give up looking for the buck, and remember why it doesn't really feel complete. You can also rest easy in knowing that you just may have stopped someone else from making the same mistake by posting your story.

TAKE YOUR KIDS HUNTING AND YOU WON'T BE HUNTING FOR YOUR KIDS