1 3/4miles.... and the deer wasn't dead? And was dropping POOLS of blood? A deer doesn't have that much blood in it.

I don't know what to tell you. I've never trailed a deer farther than about 1200 yards (about 3/4 mile)that died in any sort of a timely matter (which for definition purposes is 48 hours).

Did the clots give you any sort of indication of where you might have hit him? Any odd smell or food stuffs or tallow or hair or anything???