Kerrdog, I hope you've found him by now. If you haven't, the backtracking idea is a good one to look into. I too hunt in north Fl and have had 2 deer do this. Also are there any palmetto clumps in the immediate vicinity? I ask b/c 3 yrs ago my father's wolfhound had his head(and body) buried in a clump and my father was literally standing on the deers rear leg before he realized it was the deer I shot the night before. We literally walked around the deer for 4 hours, in the dark, and never knew it was there. The area may look "open" but believe me, there are so many nooks they can bury themselves into. Good Luck!