Well i think everyone here just needs to calmn down,because s**t happens and you miss,not the end of the world.But as for merlin saying that the deer reared up after the shot,I was muzzleloader hunting last year and i was over looking a very steep hill the deer was going across and a 6 pt came out and at about 50 shot and the deer fell down and rolled down to the bottom of the hill,i was sure i had him. When he got to the bottom he got up and ran off.I sat there for 15 mins and went to look and no blood and no hair.I looked all that day for him and i never found no sign of a hit.For the record i was using and old old flint lock muzzleloader.I guess that the shot just scared it and caused it to lose its footing.