RE: I think I just found my Halloween buck!
I read all pages and was sitting on the sidelines to see what decision you made. I think you made the right one! All indicators point to this being your buck, and after all the work you put into tracking it weeks ago, you deserve to tag it.
Several years ago I made a bad shot on a buck and waited an hour before starting tracking. As I stepped out from the tree where I shot him from, I heard a stick crack and looked around and here he came walking right back to the tree I shot him from. After 1 hour he had made a complete circle and died within 20 yards of the treehe was arrowed from. They do not associate being hit with an arrow IMO with being attacked by a predator (hunter). In this case I believe this buck circled back and died in the area he felt secure in, probably within the first 24 hours of being hit.
Congratulations, Jeff, on a fine trophy!