I didn't read all the posts so I may be repeating what has been said. But....the tail up means nothing. Probably half the deer I have killed this year had their tail up. And...

I was guiding a couple hunters one year and one of them shot a buck, aroow sticking out abouthalfway. Buck ran by his buddy, arrow still in him and he shot him, too. Buck wheeled and ran back to the orginal shooter and he shot him again and dropped him.

Moral: A shot deer may do absolutely anything and there is nothig you can depend upon 100%.

I posted this picture in the mzl forum but it illustrates exactly what I am talking about. I shot this buck at 50 yards, made a perfect double lung shot. Bullet went all the way through. Buck ran about 60 yards in the fresh snow. Not a single drop of blood anywhere. Not one. go figure!