Merlin I guess Killer Primate might be a little abrasive(no offense Killer) but I can understand where he is coming from. Don't take this the wrong way because I have missed deer and don't consider myself a perfect hunter but afterreading the part of your post that I quotedI can see where he was coming from initially. She was outon a stand hunting with a weapon shehad never even shot. That is no good. The time to practice is before drawing down on your game, not after you miss and realize you don't knowhow the gun shoots. She should be far better than "pretty good" with it before you put her on stand(IMO).You owe that to the game you hunt. That deer was hit(based on your description of it's actions) and it was never recovered or even looked for(another questionable point of your post, a 40yd circle doesn't count as looking). You should blame yourself and expect a little constructive (from most)criticism. It is your job to mentor her as a hunter and that includeseverything leading up to the hunt i.e.stand selection, safety,weapon familiarity, and so much more. No blood doesn't always mean no deer as the title of this thread seems to implyand I am sure a lot of othersherehave experienced that, I know I have. Buteven if you are unsure,you still look, it's just the right thing to do. The fact of the matter is you could have eliminated most of the problems you encounterd on this hunt with a little better preperation and follow-thru.