Haven't been on much lately but kinda breezed thru this, and the other thread about the buck you did kill and recover. I think you guys get multiple buck tags right?

Based on the situation, it sounds to me like there is no reason to think the buck is not the one you shot. Here in MO, we get two buck tags. If me, I would be tagging the found buck and looking for a cape to get it mounted (assuming it was going on the wall if I'd recovered right away). I would keep hunting with the tag(s) I have left.

Sometimes it takes a while to find a deer. Sometimes so long the meat and cape are of no use. Where is the line between "proudly" finding it (1 day, 2, 5, a week, etc)? Who knows but each individual. In this case, you shot a buck that took a "while" to find.