If the deer 'ducked' I find it hard to think that he hit 'low'...I would think a high, above the spine shot. Was the deer walking when he shot?

It could have been a high liver shot which I think would account for the lack of blood (but dark where its found) and the deer kind of hunching and walking off. 2.5 hours before he was jumped could have been just short enough that he didn't die from the liver shot and made one last sprint before making his last bed. I don't know for sure.

When you found his bed, could you tell which direction he was laying perchance and then be able to place the bloodied area somewhere along the body giving you an idea of where he was hit?