I feel for you Handles as I lost my first deer this year after a long track. I posted this info recently, and it was passed onto me from my uncle who reads books on the Benoits of Maine.

The "P" you describe is similar to the "J" the Benoits say a deer will do when looking to see what is tracking it. The deer probably saw you as you started into the "P". That being said, I was told that I should have placed a highly visible object at the point I last saw blood (an orange hat maybe?), then start doing ever increasing rings (I did back and forth search patterns) around that point in 10-20 yard increments. Live and learn.

I do (and did) know that deer tend to walk downhill when mortally wounded, and that they'll often prefer to lay down in a creek bed. Apparently, massive blood loss creates intense thirst and its instinct to go there. They will go for cover like hemlocks or rhodys too.

That's all I can comment on. I'm definately no tracking expert, but these things were told to me by much more experienced tracker/hunters.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Fritz