my roommate shot a couple of rabbits while we were hunting at the range one time. the one was 27 yards in the grass and he nailed it. it went completely through with a field point and hardly had anything on the arrow. i watched him shoot from start to finish and it was a good hit. the arrow had minimal blood on it and it booked it and went back into its hole. So yes, you could have nailed it and gimped its way back to the hole. he shot another one similar situation and it booked it even with the arrow in it. so you prob feed the coyotes, big deal. i would have been out there shooting with you. i know it helps sometimes to have closeure on a situation like this but sometimes it happens and runs into the hole. my bet is it died. good luck recovering one next time!