sorry to hear that,it makes you sick to the stomuck to lose one like that.I and my wife shot the 243 and have only lost two,(one for me ,one for her) in all our hunting.those two were enough.[:' (]
as Rackassion said,put it behind the shoulder and you want lose as much meat and a lot more chance of not loosing the deer. that being said,some times the shot just doesn' t go where you want it.the shot must have been a little low." SORRY" I know that doesn' t help,but we all learn from our mistakes.I don' t want you to thik I am blasting you,that is not the case by any means.just a though or to to try and remember.
If you hunt,at one time or another you gonna lose one.