Always approach a down'ed deer from behind his body, never in front; because he might get up and pummel you with his rack or hooves. If the deer has his eyes closed --- he's just playing dead. I always have a follow-up shot ready when I approach a downed deer, and touch his body with a stick, arrow or gun muzzle from behind.
Did you have a base of the tail away shot, or a broadside? It does not sound like you hit the femoral artery. For a leg hit: Keep the deer from bedding down...and he might eventually bleed out.
If the blood trail peter's out...start making 100 yard circles around the last drop of blood. Sometimes a wounded deer will travel in a circle, to the last place he was shot.
Last edited by Erno86; 12-21-2018 at 09:51 AM.
Reason: added a sentence