In my Opinion the XTP did it's job, the Deer only went what about 50-60yds? You found the tracks and followed it another 40yds and it was piled up. That does'nt seem too out of the ordinary for a Deer to run befor it expires after being double lung shot. Deer are Amazing, and there adrenilin will keep em going after there dead on there feet, I've seem em go 100yds on a double lung shot with there lungs mush.
If you buy the XTP's in the 30 pack from TC yea there expensive, if you buy a pack of 100 XTP Bullets there around $21, nit bad, add the Sabots to the price and your shooting a very affordable bullet sabot combo.
Again and Im just trying to help. You cant always expect a Deer to drop on the spot, they will run as far as they can after the shot no matter what bulet you use, no 2 Deer shot in the same place with the same bullet will do the same thing, one may drop in there tracks and the other may run for 100yds, ya never know.
After the shot is just as Important as befor the shot, thats's where your Tracking Skills come in. If you could'nt have found your Deer after it only ran that short of a distance with minimal blood than you need to develpoe better Tracking Skills. What does everyone want a 2 foot wide blood trail to follow.
The XTP did it's job, the Deer died, then it was up to you to find your kill. I've shot XTP's with 150gr's down to 70gr's and none ever let me down. Sure they were'nt all foot wide blood trails but you cant expect that all the time.
I think I read somewhere where a Heart Shot Deer's Heart Continues to Beat for 30 Seconds and even though it's Dead it can run a long way. No 2 Deer will react the same to the same shot, some fold and some run, you just cant blame it on the Bullet no matter wich one's you use. Blame it on the Deer's Instinct to get the Hell Out of there and try and escape danger.
I once found a Great Buck that was hit by a Car or Truck on the Thruway. I saw the blood in the snow and followed the tracks untill I jumped the Buck. I got help and 4 of us tried to catch up to him and finish him off. He ran for 4 miles while we jumped him on many occasions. We just could'nt get close enough, he jumped the Thruway Fence like he was a Olympic Pole Vaulter. When another Hunter up ahead of us finally shot him after 5 Hours of tracking and trying to get him we finally saw the Buck, and a Great One He Was. a 175 Class Buck with Broken Ribs and 2 Rear Broken Legs with Bones sticking out and no telling what else internal injuries he had. But he still managed to never let us get close enough to him to finish him off.
Never Underestimate a Deer's Will To Live, they are one Tough SOB! And that's just one story about them that I saw, and witnessed more.
Im Glad you got your Buck and Congradulations to you! That's what matter's most.
(BP)