Yes you made some mistakes but welcome to the club man, it seems like every year I learn something new but then learn a new mistake to make as well! It seems like when you get a deer, all of the little things that you do right outweigh the little mistakes that are made, and there are always some trust me. From reading your story what I liked was the wait after pushing the deer, and thinking like a deer was pretty impressive.

Oftentimes when tracking a deer, when the blood stops they have made a turn. Sometimes it stops because the heart has stopped pumping as well, then you are close to a dead deer. Binoculars help watching a bedded deer as well, but I'm sure you know that.

Congratulations and great story!