RE: Deer hit, tracking suggestions.
i cant give a time based on that guess.
is it cold? cold enough you dont need to rush?? no wolves or anything serious in the area?? id give him 4hrs or so personally. he may dropped just outta sight...but you dont know. if theres no reason to push things, i wouldnt. play it safe. if hes dead he cant go anywhere. if i had to rush things, id still give him 2hrs and go see what the first 50yds of the trail tells me...
since you dont know, its hard to say. if it was solid guts, he may not die till midnight or later. if its what you say, he aint going to last all too long maybe and hour or 2.
good luck. your decision. look at some diagrams and play the shot over in your head. try to figure out what you hit. hope to see your post in the morning or later on!!