I know the feeling. I lost TWO deer the week before the season opened in two consecutive years. The first year it was a monster 10 point on public land. I had him figured out and was ready for him. The caretaker and I became great friends. He met me at the parking area at 5:00 opening morning to tell me the buck got killed crossing the road by his house on his way past my stand. He had been traveling with an 8 and a 6 point. I killed the 8 point opening morning where I expected to shoot the 10. The second year it was a monster 12 point traveling with 3 others. He died from a car crossing out of my little 25 acre patch 2 days before the bow season. Of those 4 bucks I found one shot with a gun before gun season dead in a field. 2 got whacked by cars and I killed a very nice 10 pointer... who had been the soul survivor. This is the left over one. The 12 dwarfed him and this one dress at 186. I was sick when I found out about the 12. I watched him 3 or 4 nights a week all summer.