Don't kick yourself. Sounds like you did what you could.

One time I was hunting hardwoods of the Shenandoah. Watching a ridge side from the ravine. Heard something to my back and right. Saw a 3 pointer cross the ravine and head up the ridge about 80 yards from me, headed away. Followed his path straight up and disappear. Then heard something from where he disappeared from.

Saw him come back down at an angle towards me, flagging. Brought up the -06 and followed him in the scope to where he stopped about 45 yards dead across the ravine from me, my level. I shot once, twice, thrice. He went down on the first shot but got up, went straight back up, away from me and disappeared.

That's when I noticed the 200#+ 8 pointer behind him. i was so focused on him I failed to see the other buck. I missed him. This was on a tuesday.

After trailing, finding one spot or dark red here and there, the trail petered out. I trailed him footsteps in the leaves until after dark. Next AM, I picked up that trail and continued and never saw another spot of blood. The tracks petered out on the logging road he traveled. I lost him.

Fast-forward to Saturday, last day of the season. 7AM, watching a draw between two ridges. I hear crash-crash from my stand. As I watch the area I heard toe crash from, a 3 pointer appears. about 90 yards away. I raise the -06 again and squeeze. He drops.

As I approach him, he's dead with a heart-lung shot. I notice his rack and recognize him. This was the buck i wounded on Tuesday. I discovered the bullet wound to his left front 'knee' Little more than a flesh wound, I had severed his tendon which caused him to drop momentarily last tuesday.

Don't ever give up. Deer are instinctive AND habitual. This plays to your strengths as a predator.

True Story!